Right? It’s such a satisfying feeling to reclaim some shelf space! Huge unhaul energy over here too-it’s like a mini reset for the reading life. Did you end up rediscovering any hidden gems while you were clearing off your shelves?
I don't mean this to sound backhanded, but your commitment to your channel with such little "success" is admirable. Either true love of the game, or relentless persistence !
Not backhanded at all-I really appreciate the compliment! Honestly, I feel like I’ve hit a lot of personal milestones in the last two-plus months. My editing? So much better than when I first started. And managing multiple videos-both Shorts and Long Form-has become something I’m actually proud of (and constantly rethinking). I started the channel to challenge myself to try something new and build up some new, transferable skills. Really, I’m just a generic, middle-aged guy living in an unglamorous city, doing things that make my brain happy. And, seriously, thank you.
@@DrCrankyPantsReads Beautiful! From the little I've seen, the polish and effort is absolutely apparent. Geniune insight delivered consistently and earnestly is a winning formula!
Do me a favor and skip the R. L. Stine video. Oh, the cringe. I mean learning. Definitely learning. And thank you again for your kind words. Much, much appreciated.
I do like a table full of giveaways; picked up a Classical Greek textbook that way. But they're mostly keeping the good stuff and giving away the outdated and faddish. Unhaul vids aren't among my favorites (I might have a hoarding issue 👍), but I enjoyed this. Very thoughtful.
Thank you! I get the appeal of a good giveaway table-finding a gem like a Classical Greek textbook feels like striking gold. And you’re right, sometimes it’s more ‘outdated trends’ than treasures, but it’s always worth a look! I totally understand the mixed feelings about unhaul videos-there’s a fine line between ‘thoughtful curation’ and ‘why am I getting rid of this?!’ I’m glad this one worked for you, though. No judgment on the hoarding front-we’re all book lovers here!
Thank you! Honestly, coming up with those titles might have been the highlight of the unhaul process. If only breaking up with books was always this entertaining!
I go both ways on whether to keep or whether to purge. It often happens I want to reread something I’ve donated, so I get mad at myself for parting with it. I feel like your library collection becomes a record of who you are as a person, a part of your personality, so keeping the meaningful titles is important. But some books are not going to be reread so I donate those to ARC. And space becomes a factor in clearing out overstock. Wish I had room for a library but I don’t. Love to read. As a child I was a book hound. Teaching children to live reading is so important.
Your comment really resonates with me. I’ve definitely felt that pull between keeping books as a kind of personal history and clearing out what I know I won’t revisit. I love how you describe a library collection as a record of who you are-but what really helped me was realizing that I am the record of who I am. It’s how I move through the world, not the things I accumulate, that defines me. That shift, along with knowing my local library is well-stocked, has made it easier for me to let go of books without feeling like I’m letting go of pieces of myself. And space, yes! That’s such a huge factor. I want the things I bring into my life-books included-to enhance my life, not add more work like dusting or moving piles of unread titles. Also: having moved several times, I am an expert at getting my book collection to a manageable size. As for teaching kids to love reading, I’m with you-it’s so important. But I’ve found that what really hooks them is helping them fall in love with the possibilities of what reading and writing can do. When they see these skills as tools for creating, expressing, and reaching their goals, their motivation completely shifts. It’s all about making that connection to their lives and what they want to do with their precious hours. Thank you for such a thoughtful comment-it’s sparked so much (perhaps too much?) reflection for me!
@ loved hearing from you! You explained all the calamities and thoughtfulness of collecting books and the importance of moving through your life without cluttering up too much. Some books have so much personal and impact I can’t part with them. Then there is the Did Not Finish pile. I’ve learned to let them go. It’s good to pass books onto others. Maybe they will be read maybe not. I tend to buy books in hauls but still haven’t read all the titles. The goal Is to live long enough to finish them!! 🤭
@@skylark1250 I love the way you think about books that have had personal impact versus the ones that just don’t make the cut. While people love to poke fun at Marie Kondo, I really took to heart her idea that we can let go of things that have served their purpose. A book you DNFed? It gave you the chance to love it, and now you’re passing that opportunity to someone else. It’s such a freeing mindset, especially when it comes to avoiding the sunk cost fallacy-'I bought this, so I have to finish it.' Says who? Life isn’t infinite, and we should be spending our hours on things that bring us joy, not obligation. And yes, the Did Not Finish pile! Letting those books go is such a small but powerful way to clear mental and physical space for the stories and experiences we do want to invite in. I’m with you on the goal-here’s to reading as much as we can with the time we’ve got.
I agree about Verity. I finished it only because it was one picked to read in a book club I was participating in at the time. But, it was not for me at all.
Oh, you definitely made it further than I did-kudos for finishing it, especially for a book club pick! When I was selling my copy back, the shelves were overflowing with copies, which felt a little... telling. It's always interesting how some books just don’t click for certain readers. What ended up being the vibe in your book club? Was it divisive, or were most people on the same page as you?
@@DrCrankyPantsReads Generally, the members of the book club didn't care for it. The main complaint was all the detailed sex scenes that we weren't expecting and left us feeling kind of icky.
I'm always getting rid of the books I have murdered..broken spines, ripped and dirty pages, and other sorrowful refugees on my limited shelves or on my tattered desk. :\ And Thatcherism... it was a thing.
Those poor, well-loved books! I’ve definitely had a few “refugees” on my shelves that look like they’ve been through their own survival story. I like to think the broken spines and dog-eared pages just mean they’ve been truly lived in. And Thatcherism-it was a thing, for sure. Over here in the States, we had our own parallel in Reaganism, with its shiny promises of prosperity masking the deep divides it created. The ripple effects of both still feel eerily present, don’t they?
That is sad-I always appreciated when HPB gave even a little something for books. Little Free Libraries are a great alternative, though! There’s something nice about imagining your books finding a new home that way. Goodwill works too, but I love the community feel of LFLs. Do you have a favorite one nearby?
Unhauling is definitely a healthy habit-thank you for recognizing that! As for the crooked frames, welcome to life in a 1930s house, where the walls have a personality of their own and are always settling. If you think they’re crooked now, you should see them after a strong windstorm.
Unhauling always feels so good! I did a huge unhaul earlier this year and it was so nice to clear off my shelves.
Right? It’s such a satisfying feeling to reclaim some shelf space! Huge unhaul energy over here too-it’s like a mini reset for the reading life. Did you end up rediscovering any hidden gems while you were clearing off your shelves?
I don't mean this to sound backhanded, but your commitment to your channel with such little "success" is admirable. Either true love of the game, or relentless persistence !
Not backhanded at all-I really appreciate the compliment!
Honestly, I feel like I’ve hit a lot of personal milestones in the last two-plus months. My editing? So much better than when I first started. And managing multiple videos-both Shorts and Long Form-has become something I’m actually proud of (and constantly rethinking). I started the channel to challenge myself to try something new and build up some new, transferable skills. Really, I’m just a generic, middle-aged guy living in an unglamorous city, doing things that make my brain happy.
And, seriously, thank you.
@@DrCrankyPantsReads Beautiful! From the little I've seen, the polish and effort is absolutely apparent. Geniune insight delivered consistently and earnestly is a winning formula!
Do me a favor and skip the R. L. Stine video. Oh, the cringe. I mean learning. Definitely learning.
And thank you again for your kind words. Much, much appreciated.
I do like a table full of giveaways; picked up a Classical Greek textbook that way. But they're mostly keeping the good stuff and giving away the outdated and faddish. Unhaul vids aren't among my favorites (I might have a hoarding issue 👍), but I enjoyed this. Very thoughtful.
Thank you! I get the appeal of a good giveaway table-finding a gem like a Classical Greek textbook feels like striking gold. And you’re right, sometimes it’s more ‘outdated trends’ than treasures, but it’s always worth a look!
I totally understand the mixed feelings about unhaul videos-there’s a fine line between ‘thoughtful curation’ and ‘why am I getting rid of this?!’ I’m glad this one worked for you, though. No judgment on the hoarding front-we’re all book lovers here!
Your chapter titles were hilarious!
Thank you! Honestly, coming up with those titles might have been the highlight of the unhaul process. If only breaking up with books was always this entertaining!
I go both ways on whether to keep or whether to purge. It often happens I want to reread something I’ve donated, so I get mad at myself for parting with it. I feel like your library collection
becomes a record of who you are as a person, a part of your personality, so keeping the meaningful titles is important. But some books are not going to be reread so I donate those to ARC. And space becomes a factor in clearing out overstock. Wish I had room for a library but I don’t. Love to read. As a child I was a book hound. Teaching children to live reading is so important.
Your comment really resonates with me. I’ve definitely felt that pull between keeping books as a kind of personal history and clearing out what I know I won’t revisit. I love how you describe a library collection as a record of who you are-but what really helped me was realizing that I am the record of who I am. It’s how I move through the world, not the things I accumulate, that defines me. That shift, along with knowing my local library is well-stocked, has made it easier for me to let go of books without feeling like I’m letting go of pieces of myself.
And space, yes! That’s such a huge factor. I want the things I bring into my life-books included-to enhance my life, not add more work like dusting or moving piles of unread titles. Also: having moved several times, I am an expert at getting my book collection to a manageable size.
As for teaching kids to love reading, I’m with you-it’s so important. But I’ve found that what really hooks them is helping them fall in love with the possibilities of what reading and writing can do. When they see these skills as tools for creating, expressing, and reaching their goals, their motivation completely shifts. It’s all about making that connection to their lives and what they want to do with their precious hours.
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment-it’s sparked so much (perhaps too much?) reflection for me!
@ loved hearing from you! You explained all the calamities and thoughtfulness of collecting books and the importance of moving through your life without cluttering up too much. Some books have so much personal and impact I can’t part with them. Then there is the Did Not Finish pile. I’ve learned to let them go. It’s good to pass books onto others. Maybe they will be read maybe not. I tend to buy books in hauls but still haven’t read all the titles. The goal
Is to live long enough to finish them!! 🤭
@@skylark1250 I love the way you think about books that have had personal impact versus the ones that just don’t make the cut. While people love to poke fun at Marie Kondo, I really took to heart her idea that we can let go of things that have served their purpose. A book you DNFed? It gave you the chance to love it, and now you’re passing that opportunity to someone else.
It’s such a freeing mindset, especially when it comes to avoiding the sunk cost fallacy-'I bought this, so I have to finish it.' Says who? Life isn’t infinite, and we should be spending our hours on things that bring us joy, not obligation.
And yes, the Did Not Finish pile! Letting those books go is such a small but powerful way to clear mental and physical space for the stories and experiences we do want to invite in. I’m with you on the goal-here’s to reading as much as we can with the time we’ve got.
Look at you VLOG in the wild. And congratulations in holding onto most of your trade-in loot.
Who even am I? And thank you-I’m pretty proud of myself for only bringing home one book. It’s a small miracle, but I’ll take the win!
I agree about Verity. I finished it only because it was one picked to read in a book club I was participating in at the time. But, it was not for me at all.
Oh, you definitely made it further than I did-kudos for finishing it, especially for a book club pick! When I was selling my copy back, the shelves were overflowing with copies, which felt a little... telling. It's always interesting how some books just don’t click for certain readers. What ended up being the vibe in your book club? Was it divisive, or were most people on the same page as you?
@@DrCrankyPantsReads Generally, the members of the book club didn't care for it. The main complaint was all the detailed sex scenes that we weren't expecting and left us feeling kind of icky.
I'm always getting rid of the books I have murdered..broken spines, ripped and dirty pages, and other sorrowful refugees on my limited shelves or on my tattered desk. :\ And Thatcherism... it was a thing.
Those poor, well-loved books! I’ve definitely had a few “refugees” on my shelves that look like they’ve been through their own survival story. I like to think the broken spines and dog-eared pages just mean they’ve been truly lived in.
And Thatcherism-it was a thing, for sure. Over here in the States, we had our own parallel in Reaganism, with its shiny promises of prosperity masking the deep divides it created. The ripple effects of both still feel eerily present, don’t they?
@@DrCrankyPantsReads Yes... history repeats. People tend not to remember. 2025 will be interesting. :\
the local HPB no longer pays for books - sad
Little Free Libraries are the main way for me to rehome unless I donate to Goodwill
That is sad-I always appreciated when HPB gave even a little something for books. Little Free Libraries are a great alternative, though! There’s something nice about imagining your books finding a new home that way. Goodwill works too, but I love the community feel of LFLs. Do you have a favorite one nearby?
Unhauling is a healthy habi
Also the frames on the wall are crooked
Unhauling is definitely a healthy habit-thank you for recognizing that! As for the crooked frames, welcome to life in a 1930s house, where the walls have a personality of their own and are always settling. If you think they’re crooked now, you should see them after a strong windstorm.