a thread about a lazy, fu...

November 5, 2003 5:42 PM

In light of the recent "pat-yourself-on-the-back" thread, I just resisted the urge to type a snarky reply to a thread about a lazy, fu... ahem... a recent thread here in metatalk. I invite you to please resist the urge yourself.
posted by crunchland to Etiquette/Policy at 5:42 PM (30 comments total)

Oops, too late.
posted by dg at 5:51 PM on November 5, 2003

Hearty congratulations, crunchland! Well done!
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:05 PM on November 5, 2003

can you say 'whappa'?
i *knew* you could!
posted by quonsar at 6:48 PM on November 5, 2003

Are we spending too much time in front of the computer? [more outside]
posted by PrinceValium at 7:05 PM on November 5, 2003

There's more MetaFilter outside? I'm gonna go look!
posted by pizzasub at 7:12 PM on November 5, 2003

So, guys, this has been bugging me for awhile: do you guys prefer new books to old books, or is it the other way around? Do you make notes in your books, drawing attention to certain passages for further reading, or do you, like me, attempt to keep your books in pristine condition, using the occasional post-it note for the purpose of retreading over passages of particular wonder?

Have you ever lent out one of your books only to have it returned--much to your dismay--with rabbit ears and a creased spine, or do you treat your own books this way?

Personally, I'm a fan of the new tradeback books (or, as I call them, hardcover/softcover hybrids). They have the weight of a paperback, but the enduring quality of a hardcover.
posted by The God Complex at 7:50 PM on November 5, 2003

Don't be shy! I thought of something else: will you pay more money for a well-designed cover (front and back)? Or are you a words-are-words purist? I profess to one of the former, often swayed by nice artistic arrangements.

What about collections of poerty? Sure, they're ostensibly the same works, but are they the same when they're not in their original context? Is a poem the same after being ripped from its neighbours? I contend, forcefully, that they are not.
posted by The God Complex at 8:16 PM on November 5, 2003

Poetry, even!
posted by The God Complex at 8:17 PM on November 5, 2003

I just canceled a snarky comment here; do I get my own thread or do I have to make do with this?
posted by timeistight at 8:32 PM on November 5, 2003

You ROCK, timeistight!
posted by pizzasub at 8:34 PM on November 5, 2003

You ROCK, timeistight!

Pathetically, I'm touched.
posted by timeistight at 8:42 PM on November 5, 2003

FWIW, I also had some snark to spread on that thread, but thought better of it.
posted by pizzasub at 8:43 PM on November 5, 2003

Sweet jebus, it's going to be a long, long winter.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:06 PM on November 5, 2003

A long cold winter, fff. Snuggles?
posted by WolfDaddy at 9:48 PM on November 5, 2003

amen, pentafishy.

on preview: rrrrrrrrowwwrrr!, WolfDaddy!
posted by stonerose at 9:50 PM on November 5, 2003

not in the hallways, people.
posted by quonsar at 10:05 PM on November 5, 2003

I nominate tomorrow "Annual no-MeFi" day. Just one day where everyone can get some fucking perspective. Then we can come back, ready to fight with fresh air in our lungs. Fuck.
posted by Quartermass at 10:11 PM on November 5, 2003

Too late.

Fuck.
posted by pizzasub at 10:19 PM on November 5, 2003

Fine, just take, take, take and give nothing back. You make me feel so cheap.
posted by The God Complex at 11:33 PM on November 5, 2003

Quartermass, I've seen suggestions from others that MetaFilter should go offline for a period of time so "everyone can get some fucking perspective". I hate this argument. Most people who post to, comment in, and read Metafilter are perfectly fine and don't need to sit in the corner and think about what they've done.

TGC: new books, or beautiful old books; no notes; no post-its; occasional dog-ears (but not in beautiful old books); will pay more for nice cover; poems in collections are not the same.
posted by taz at 12:46 AM on November 6, 2003

occasional dog-ears

Right, dog-ears. Why did I say rabbit ears? I'll mull that over tonight and get back to you in the morning.

And I knew I could count on you for a response!
posted by The God Complex at 1:10 AM on November 6, 2003

Taz -
Apologies. I was trying unsucessfully to be funny.
posted by Quartermass at 7:18 AM on November 6, 2003

okay, Quartermass, no problem - I responded to you, but really I was responding to the whole "shut-it-down" group.
posted by taz at 7:23 AM on November 6, 2003

Do you make notes in your books, drawing attention to certain passages for further reading, or do you, like me, attempt to keep your books in pristine condition

Sorry, TGC, that's already been discussed here. I'm too lazy to go find it, but if you care to, I believe it was a Miguel post.
posted by rushmc at 7:53 AM on November 6, 2003

Is this "rabbit ears" something you would need to own a book to understand? Because I do not own a book.

I do, though, own "rabbit ears." They're on my TV.
posted by soyjoy at 8:52 AM on November 6, 2003

timeistight: That was a magnificent act of self-denial. If I were running this place, you'd get a gold star. In an act of homage, I too have refrained from commenting there.

TGC: Generally old, except for new reference works that I want all shiny and pristine (so I can mark them up). I make notes, but only in pencil. (I hate seeing pen marks in used books for sale—or, worse, magic marker. All you people who use magic marker in books: stop it right now!) I don't lend out books to people who would treat them that way. I don't like the new trade paperbacks; they're heavy and bulky and overpriced (in fact, they're heavy and bulky to justify the excessive price). I much prefer light, compact '50s-'60s paperbacks.

I will not pay more money for a well-designed cover—but I will pay more money for a well-designed book; I paid a nice little chunk of change for a gorgeous hardback illustrated edition of Venedikt Erofeev's Moskva-Petushki, of which I already had not one but two copies (one pocket-sized and convenient, one with copious annotations).

A poem is a poem is a poem.

Um, was crunchland saying something?
posted by languagehat at 9:33 AM on November 6, 2003

I really rock, languagehat. You are, in fact, the man.
posted by timeistight at 10:04 AM on November 6, 2003

unfortunately, I was apparently only capable of resisting that one time ... much to my regret and eternal downfall.
posted by crunchland at 1:17 PM on November 6, 2003

Sheesh!
posted by mischief at 4:51 PM on November 6, 2003

i like penguin paperbacks
posted by clavdivs at 5:13 PM on November 6, 2003