You can thank author Kevin Lucia for the above graphic.
Fangoria has a nice write-up about the upcoming film version of CASTAWAYS. Click here to read it.
It occurs to me that I’m downsizing. I closed the forum and changed this website’s content to a more casual, sporadic Blog-style of reportage to further simplify my life, but I’ve also found myself getting rid of things in my personal life. I recently sold my very last box of comic books to Comix Connection. My collection once comprised 28 long boxes, all meticulously bagged and boarded. Now, it consists of a handful of Kamandi and The Defenders back issues that have yet to be reprinted in any sort of archival edition. I’ve also winnowed down my graphic novel collection, keeping only the archival editions for which I have nostalgia or which I’ll re-read several more times before I die. But it doesn’t stop there. My entire personal library has been cataloged on Library Thing. In the last week, I’ve pulled about 300 of those books off the shelves and put them aside as donations for my local libraries.
I’m not sure where this desire to downsize is coming from. I’m in relatively good health for a 43-year old man who has had his share, your share, and everyone’s share of whiskey, women, tobacco, and the occasional drug. I have no plans to die soon, nor have I moved into a smaller home. Indeed, this new house on the river is ten times the size of my previous apartment, and needs filled. And yet, since moving here, I find myself casting things aside, rather than keeping them. It’s all very strange.
For those keeping track, here’s the FAQ Meter for CLICKERS VS ZOMBIES:
You can compare that against yesterday’s Blog entry and see how much I got done in between spending nine hours with my toddler and mowing the lawn. And now I’m going back to it…
Thanks for the library list. Horror is a genre I’ve been meaning to delve in to more, and that list ought to help me do it.
I run in to those downsizing urges every few years or so. For me, it’s paper. I have a very hard time getting rid of it. I was still carrying around third grade math worksheets long in to my twenties. I suppose tossing it out was symbolic of my attempts to build a new life instead of clinging to the old.
Yea!! for Castaways
Sooo…I can still inherit that poster from you, right?
Seriously, though, downsizing is a good thing. I’ve rid my walls of movie posters last year, and only kept the few that really meant something to me…but now they are just rolled up in a tube, in my closet. While my book collection hasn’t dwindled, my “collectible” one has significantly in the past 2 years. I guess it’s all just the process of growing older and growing out of things.
Good on ya to make room for all the great, new stuff in your life. But physically, and mentally.
Don’t think of it as getting rid of things. Think of it as making room for a better and more wondrous life than you had before. Joy takes space. So, let it.
I’ve found myself doing the same thing recently. I’ve found my attatchment to “things” has dwindled as I’ve gotten older. Not that 38 is old of course. I once had a 25 long box collection that is now gone, and I read a lot of things on kindle now for ease of storage and portability. Except, of course, for my limited edition Brian Keene books. Life is change, and we are ever evolving.
Wow, I really like that new Castaways cover. I’m temted to buy a copy of the Deadite edition even though I already have the Leisure edition.
My wife would like me to separate myself from my hoarding ways, and I can fully understand. I’m about to unload all of my DC comics stuff, certainly if they keep up what they’re keeping up. They nearly lost me once.
That said, I have a collection of invisible man related memorabilia and goodies that I’ll die defending.
That is all.
Otherwise, good stuff.
Brain,
I like the new format, I say whatever works for you is worth it. Being a parent is a full time job in itself. I for one feel your pain. Although I don’t write stories, running two website and reviewing everything under the sun takes it toll on me. I’ve been downsizing every year. I much rather spend time with my girls rather than writing reviews on the computer. I do it now as a hobby, but am always looking for ways to make it easy. I shut down my message board years ago, I no longer do interviews, and I cut out reviewing all indie horror films, unless recommended by a friend. Recently I started selling my DVD collection on Amazon. I have over 4000 discs. When my local Blockbuster went out of business they gave me all their shelves. I put them in my basement. I had 22 of them. I fill up six of them, and scarped the rest and made myself 30 bucks. I used to like to just stare at the collection but recently said to myself, am I going to watch all of them again? No! I’m not so about 90% are for sale. I did the same with books, except anything that is signed. Getting a Kindle took care of the book collections and whatever money I’ve made from movies not only pays bill but also went into buying kindle books. I guess it comes with age and the ability to make our lives easier. Less is more.
Livia and Tom said: “Joy takes space. So, let it.” and “Life is change, and we are ever evolving.”
I think these might make up part of my next tattoo.
Yup, you are in a state of growth and evolution where you slip one skin to reveal a newer more pliable skin to better suit your soul’s needs now. Change allows uas to recreate our lives, not recrate what we’ve boxed up for years in a bigger storage bin.
I’m doing the exact same thing, tossing things that should be tossed, selling things I once thought I’d keep, giving away stuff that’s merely taking up room anymore. A lot of books will go away. Of course, I do expect to move again, in the relatively near future, and maybe as far away (or further) than I’ve moved before…
I don’t have much to say on the subject of downsizing not already said by others.
So let me just say that as a person who hates, no, *despises* LOLcats, I am all for the rise of LOLClickers in hopes that they vanquish LOLcats forever.
Clickers Vs. LOLcats, that should be your next book. Just a suggestion.
I’ve been doing the same thing myself for a few years now. Downsizing. My wife and I started a thing where whenever we bring more stuff into our house, we promise to move more stuff out. And then do it. It’s turned into a part-time business for me now to buy and sell books, records, etc. (and it’s enabled me to stay at home and help raise my youngest kid) and all of it stemmed out of having collections that started to take over the house. Once I started publishing, it was even more necessary to clear stuff out for space. I can usually buy or trade what I want for a low price and then read it, etc. and then sell it later. If it’s not something personal and i’m probably never going to read it again then out it goes.
Recently, it was brought to home even more as my mother-in-law had a stroke and had to move into an assisted living home. She had decades of stuff in a much-too large home she lived in by herself for her family to go through. This is what happens when you are gone and never toss anything out or give it away: people go through crap and do just that. And i’d rather try and give it away now or sell it to someone who will cherish it or really needs it then have my wife or kids have to deal with it when i’m gone. Plus, it’s pretty liberating to go through the act of giving it away, selling it, etc. because you realize no matter how cool you think it is or whatever it’s all just stuff. More important is who we are and the other people’s lives we affect.
Plus moving all of those boxes of books and record albums sucks! (Especially the older you get – LOL)