When you cause your own depression. - Mental Health Sup...

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When you cause your own depression.

sweetiepye profile image
13 Replies

As I have mentioned before, I will be moving in October from my home to a condo. So I am downsizing, getting rid of 35 years of mostly junk. It is incredible what you think you have to have. I have been very good about it. If I don't use something every month , out it goes. The hardest thing I have given away are my books. I simply have too many it keep and other people may enjoy them. I have kept about 75 and given away about the same amount. Each decision was an effort for my books are truly my friends. They have taken me many places and introduced me to new ideas , made me happy and sometimes sad. What did I keep....a few books on religion , some cookbooks, Churchill of course, all the published writings of Ann Morrow Lindbergh, WW II by Shirer , several on the Russian Revolution, an eight volume set of The History of England, a few biographies on Hitler, The Mitford's, Art and various artists, The Complete Works of Shakespeare , a book of Pooh. That's about it. Have I bored you out of your mind ? I wonder what you can assume about a person by their books? Which reminds me I forget to mention Sherlock Holmes . Pam

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sweetiepye profile image
sweetiepye
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MAS_Nurse profile image
MAS_Nurse

Hello sweetiepye

Thanks for your message. What a huge job you are doing . Yes it sounds as if you are a real book lover, it must have been so hard to decide what to keep and what had to go. You are keeping an eclectic mix of books. Now it is an interesting thought about what our books say about us, indeed if we have any books in these times. You have given others so much enjoyment by giving your books away. Perhaps others will have more to say about this.

Take care and good luck with your move. I guess you can sneak in an occasional new title after you move!

sweetiepye profile image
sweetiepye in reply to MAS_Nurse

Thank you for your reply. One of the things that made this easer is knowing I can access anything on line, but sadly you don't get the feel of the book . Audio books have their place, it's almost like stepping into another world. Pam

in reply to sweetiepye

Pam

Good luck with your move, How big is your new place ?.

We just could not get rid our Library now we have over one thousand books and I also have a Windows Five Computer, that is old now and it actually still works. I have further works on CD that play on it. That is all reference as out Library mostly is.

I like the feel of a book, also the smell as they get older, we generally do not buy new books now because of my Short Term Memory problems. Most are picture reference works that refer back into quite serious reference. History, Geography and places we have visited throughout the world. We have fiction and SiFI. That are lodged at the rear of some of the reference section. Hazel has an extensive gardening section that She uses.

I have been downloading stuff that have been destroyed in the Middle East like Palmyra. I just purchased a book, regarding the site, in the late 1800s and that is a interesting book to dwell on.

Shame you are getting rid of serious Works, We get many now from Charity Shops and the National Trust Second hand books supplied by members. We also found a publishing house that deals with Scottish history photographs, we get some there as well. Amazon, we can get our selections there where the post can cost more than the book.

BOB

sweetiepye profile image
sweetiepye in reply to

Well you know I just happened to have missed a few books here and there. My collection of the Miss Read books of which I am very fond. I also have several by Josephine Tey, are you familiar with her mysteries? She has a Detective Grant who has anxiety and panic attacks. He has also made a case for Richard III who was not a monster but rather a victim of Tudor propaganda. Interesting isn't it? The last writer I'll mention is Lillian Beckwith ,who wrote a bout the Hebrides and the hardy people there.. I haven't even mentioned poetry or Jane Austin. I am a decevier

in reply to sweetiepye

I drive a lot in my job, sometimes i listen to an audio book, i really enjoy them. I use kindle too but i still prefer to have a real book in my hand.

hypercat54 profile image
hypercat54

Hi well done Pam. I keep the books by my favourite authors and I have quite a few. I never get rid of any of those. I must have around 1,000 books. Last time I got rid of some I allowed myself to keep half of any subject books such as ghost stories and took the others down the charity shop. I just picked them at random. I must do some more as keep buying new ones at the charity shop. I rarely pay full price for a book anymore. x

sweetiepye profile image
sweetiepye in reply to hypercat54

I shop at discount stores for just about everything or else I shop sales. There are a few good resale shops for books on line and you can find almost anything. It might be a used paper back but that's never bothered me. It's all about the content. The same should apply to people as well. Pam

hypercat54 profile image
hypercat54 in reply to sweetiepye

Completely agree and love your analogy Pam. x

Pam

I have the whole National Geographic site from the end of the American Civil War to now, it is a remarkable set to have and some of the expeditions etc are very interesting. We had the chance of a Telescope to look at the stars and I am reading up on its use at the moment. We paid about forty pounds contribution, that covered the post from the States. Good value, the thing is worth quite a bit if we had to buy it. We have the National Geographic site, it is a great reference tool

We are also Life Members of the National Trust and English Heritage so we have a great deal of reference there as well. Historic Buildings, we have further reference works there.All the sites we have reference works on all properties

We are members of the Royal Geographic their earlier magazines are nice than the ones now.

Personally I would hate to get rid of my Library now, it is there to bring back memories, That is so valuable for me when I have problems remembering where we have been.

It is a nice thing to have when we can just put your feet up and relax on a winter night

BOB

sweetiepye profile image
sweetiepye in reply to

Your description of a winter night is perfect. I forgot my books on the American Revolution and the American Civil War. I have been to many of the battle sites I also forgot the Brontë's , who have given me hours of learning and entertainment.I have many small libraries through out my house. Always a book at hand. pam

in reply to sweetiepye

Pam

We do not have any books like yours, my main collection of SIFI and fiction lives behind the reference as we are now running out of space. I am envious you have or had the selection you had. We could have opened up our own library together. Your books regards American History sound interesting. The American Geographic opened up the reference section and if you are a member you can use their reference section for free. It is a way to go when you lack space. I have been with them now for a long time and I purchased the full collection on CD, that and my collection amounts to the whole collection, the reference is fantastic especially all the research and expeditions level etc.

It is remarkable what we pick up over the years

Mine is basically all research and reference now. As you know I have problems with my memory and Hazel changed the direction of the library, and I am now able to relate to the books that have pictures in them. Mind i use the reference side, when looking at the pictures. So if I was looking at pictures that leads me to the more serious side of my collection. We just purchased about eight registers that relates to churches, houses and castles, including Neolithic sites etc. Then I can now relates to history periods with

connections to who was alive etc. We are having trouble at the moment with setting up how to find different books of referral, we have try to use the library register system and it is not working. Any advice.

Sorry to bore everyone, this above now is one of my main interests as I am restricted what I can do.

BOBxx

En1234 profile image
En1234

Pam!! I think your book choices say a lot about you. And to me your book choices tell me your are a very intelligent woman who only reads things that are worth reading. I myself love anything to do with Henry VIII and all of his wives, especially the story of Anne Boleyn. I have read her story over and over so many times just to see if there is a snippet of something I have missed but she always gets her head chopped off in the end!!

Your story and experiences have been a true inspiration and you have shown that even at your stage in life it is not too late to start over again and I have so much admiration for you. Like a lot of my Health Unlocked friends, I wish I lived close to you so I could pop over for a coffee and bring a gift of a plant or something and just sit and have a good old natter!!

My books are also my friends and when life gets too much I can disappear into someone else's story. Have you read "Still Alice"?? Julianne Moore starred in the movie. It is about a lady with early onset dementia. It is a true story and had me gripped from beginning to end. Some parts are really sad but some parts are really funny but altogether at the end left me feeling that no matter what I should really appreciate the life I have. Good or bad, if I can fix it then I should.

My way of trying to get through the day is by trying to be grateful for all the small things I have eg. My kitchen wall is falling down and really needs to be replastered but at the moment I cannot afford it. My way of dealing with this is to say that at least I can say I am lucky I can SEE it is falling down!! Someone who is blind or going blind does not have that pleasure. I dont know if that makes me sick or somewhat clever but that is how I get along these days, trying to be thankful for the SMALL things!!

Theresa.. XXX

PS. You are too interesting a person to bore anyone out of their minds!!

Love you to bits!! XXXXX

sweetiepye profile image
sweetiepye

Ah Anne Boleyn, The poor girl thought she was a player, but she was played by the best. Those Tudors were more crafty than smart and it worked for them .It is the players behind the scenes that interest me. I'll keep the kettle on. Pam

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