Hivemind Crosspost - If anyone here is familiar with Yaz, would you please e-mail me at my profile address?

DC is a fairly good city for books; several years ago the Post magazine section had an issue devoted to decor. One of the rooms featured was a "library" - lots of shelves, not a book to be seen. The photos featured the couple's art glass collection in the "library". There were letters and letters and more letters - all pointing out that a library should include books.

We have far, far, far more books than fit on our current shelving. And don't get me started on all the books I left behind in my mother's house when I moved to Arizona - no, really, don't, because it still hurts.

The first time we went to put a house on the market, the potential Realtor said "You would do well to get rid of some of these books. Keep the prettiest ones and arrange them artistically. People don't really want to see books in houses."

1) She didn't get hired

2) We discovered that our houses show better once we're actually out of them.

I have a subscription to Architectural Digest, and the "libraries" are a lot like Toddson described. A half dozen narrow books between artsy bookends, then whatever-the-hell-they-are everywhere else.

So real people aren't afraid of books, but the design industry is.

I'm sorry to just jump in like this, but my stepdad's father passed away this morning. The kicker is that the pneumonia finally got cured and he was in a rehab facility b/c he had gotten so weak due to being in the hospital for 2 weeks. But he was improved, you know?

And then he got a staph infection that turned into septicemia (often called "blood poisoning," which is sort of accurate, in that it's systemic), and septicemia can kill young, healthy people. His immune system was just shot b/c of fighting penumonia for 10 weeks (yup, 10), and he couldn't fight off the septicemia.

Everyone is really devastated b/c he was "better" -- being in the rehab facility and the pneumonia being cured, etc.

Man. Tough, tough stuff.

I have some little collectible things in front of some of the books in my bookshelves, but the shelves are packed with books and there are books piled up on the floor.

{{Steph}}

I remember when Mom and I were packing up her house to move her in with her fiance. My future stepsister and her hubby were helping. While I was boxing up her books (which only took maybe 3-4 boxes, tops), Dawn was saying how impressed she was with the size of the collection. Mom and I looked at each other and cracked up, and then had to explain to Dawn that my collection was at least seven times larger.

The next time Mom came out to visit, I had her take pictures of my shelves to show to Dawn. Blew her mind.

{{{Teppy}}} ~ma to your stepdad's family.