Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Free Books & Test Results

So. I'm an avid reader. More addicted to a good book than I am to Farmville. That alone should tell you how addicted I am, LoL. And I love free books. So the library is my best friend. Or rather was. Before I moved to North Dakota. Because here in my town, we have a library that is well lacking in the good books department. Except I can't bad mouth them because for one, the librarian has known me since high school and we adore each other to pieces and number two, their children's section has, not joking, A BILLION books. And they put on a few programs for the kids during the year. So I don't complain. But buying books can get spendy. Especially when the husband was laid off.
I met a friend about a year ago While I was pregnant who is just as much of a fan of reading as I am. Except she spends hundreds of dollars on books a month and has an entire room filled with them. My collection got lost during our move :( So she has saved my mind and has been lending me books by the box. I love it. But I let her send me books that I have not read. Now I'm looking for the books that I like so I can re-build my book collection.
So guess what I found! www.PaperBackSwap.com! It's super simple and super free-ish. I'll explain. So you go on and sign up. Then you take any books you have laying around and list them. When you list 10 books, the site gives you two credits. It takes a credit to order a book. And 2 to order a book on cd or tape. So then after you enter in your books, you go browsing or searching for books you want or enjoy. You order them and then sit back and wait for them to come in. Totally easy and awesome. And that part is free.
So say you are just like me and have used up your two credits. Then what? Well, then you drum up people to join under you, (which ta-da! I'm doing) and/or you enter more books than 10 so you have a better chance of people picking. Once someone orders a book from you, you send it off (the free-ish part comes in here haha) and when they get it, they post that they got it and that gives you more credits. Easy as pie I swear! And luckily, this is where you get rid of the books you don't read, like or don't have room for. I'm using my kid's books muahahaha. My mother bought books for my kids and they aren't that age yet or we don't care for kind of thing. Plus my father has some older books and I did have a few laying around.
Anyways, at least check it out, and if you are interested in joining, please would you do me a favor and sign up under me as your referral so I may get a credit? And definitely pass along the word. I think it's awesome, you should too, lol. Here's my link to use if you choose to sign up:

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?r_by=beccafreak@hotmail.com

If you use the link above to join, I'll get a free book when you post your first ten books (and you'll still get free books for posting them!)

So that's about it. I hope everyone is doing well. Abel has temporarily moved to Portal (in Canada) for at least a few weeks until they get someone else to get out there. I'll be fine with it and just keep reminding myself that it's the best pay out of all the railroad jobs.
And sadly, we did confirm yesterday that my dad has two cancerous tumors in his lungs so lung cancer it is! They have doubled in size in three months so we don't know what's going to happen now or how long he has. I thought I would have freaked out by now. I haven't. I'm trying to stay calm and remind myself that I can handle this. If I couldn't then God wouldn't have chosen me to go through this. So it's a guarantee I can do it. Dad has shown me that I am just like him though. He heard everything and after we walked out of the office his first words were I'm hungry where are we going to eat? Which of course we both busted up in laughter. Figures, he gets a death sentence and cares only for food. That's pretty much me too. Anything to keep your mind clear and not focused on the bad. It seems like a grim thing but dad has been suffering with COPD since I was in the 3rd grade. He was 46-ish. Now, this year he turns 70. He's said it himself. He's tired. Bi-weekly trips to the hospital with at least a 3 day stay. Can't cook or clean, can hardly get to the bathroom and on constant oxygen. THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER SMOKE! Just so you know.
Now we focus on spending all the time we can with each other and I don't let a day pass that I'm not snapping pictures of him and the kids together. I want them to remember their grandpa in someway. I never got to meet my grandparents before they died and I hate that. A kid needs their grandparents. The ones I wanted were dead and the ones I got stuck with didn't appreciate the fact that they were grandparents. Lousy luck.
Anyways, I didm't want this to be a downer. Go join that book site! Do it out of pity ;) And don't feel sad or worry about us, we're doing really well all things considered. You think I could guilt God with ending winter a little early because of this? LoL. I wish.
Lots of love everyone! I shall blog another day....


5 comments:

Justine said...

Hmmm... that book thing sounds pretty cool. Wouldn't work for me though because generally, when I buy a book it's a hardcover. But, if you don't know about betterworldbooks.com, you need to GO now. They sell both new AND used books and shipping is FREEEEEEEEE! Love that site. Just love it.

Beckie, I am so sorry to hear about your dad's diagnosis. I can't even begin to understand what you're going through at this moment, even if you do feel like you're in OK spirits. Did they give him an idea of how long he could last? I'm assuming he's not having any treatment? {{{{{{}}}}}

Justine

Summer said...

I will keep your dad in my prayers!! Cancer stinks!! We had to deal with lung cancer with my FIL 5 years ago and he never smoked....it was rough....

Thanks for the tip on the book club....My hubby loves books.... He reads at least 1 a week.....I read um 1 a mth....not as much as him but I have a 3 year old....so all my reading is when she is in bed and usually by then I am pooped....LOL....

Summer :0)

K8E said...

I'm sorry about your dad, but I completely understand his point of view. My uncle died very slowly over a period of 20 years, losing more of his physical abilities every day, but he kept his mind. By the time he got lung cancer, he was thanking God that it was the end. We got through by remembering he was ready, and you will too.

And I, too, am completely addicted to Farmville and reading, and as soon as I can put Wes down or hand him off, I'm so joining that site. :)

Me said...

Beckie, you're awesome. Seriously. ;-)

And do you think there's a high demand for trashy romance novels? I may just join since I have about 7 million...And no money with which to buy more.

I know! Maybe I will go through them, list the ones I don't care about and swap for ones I'm interested in! Okay. It may take me a while to get there, I have other, more pressing matters (like cleaning my house, which may take days...) to attend to, but then, yes. I will fo' sho' sign up under you. :-)

le Chef said...

If I had an ounce of commitment I would do the book thing, but I know I'll never actually get to it.
Sorry to hear about your dad. Take the time to make the memories.
Your in our thoughts.
Hugs