The Hive by Charles Burns
Krazy & Ignatz, 1916 - 1918 by George Herriman
The High Window by Raymond Chandler
Book of Longing by Leonard Cohen
Ghostwritten by David Mitchell
Four Novellas of Fear by Cornell Woolrich
La Vie en Rose
Justified, season 2
I need to get a copy of the new Chris Ware book, but I should really try to stay away from amazon for a couple of months. It's so easy, just a couple of clicks, there's no physical counting of hard earned money. There should be a step before the final confirmation, where you're asked, "You really need this item? Really? Seriously, you need it? You can't live without it? Well, go ahead then, if you think it'll make you happy!"
I have the same situation. Started in 2005. Bought almost anything I just had a interest in. Then developed a system to avoid it. But took too long and waste lots of hard earned money too. I make that same questions you posted to myself, but find they are very difficult to answer. One day I think I can´t live without reading the Hive, for example, and the next one I don´t have the same thought. A thing that worked for me is to make 2 wish list: one in a separate document (like Word P.) where I put everything and the other online. That helps to get rid of some of the anxiety and keep cool. Another thing that works for me is to keep the wishlist going for a year. And every month check it and remove things. The downside is that some books go out of stock. There was a great American Elf strip where Kochalka got angry at himself for buying the big Gary Panter book and then realizing he didn´t really want it.
ReplyDeleteThis is my wishlist for this year so far:
ReplyDeleteKrazy & Ignatz 1922-1924 by George Herriman
Building Stories by Chris Ware
The Cartoon Utopia by Ron Rege, Jr
The Hypo by Noah Van Sciver
J. D. Salinger by Kenneth Slawenski
The Beatles Anthology by The Beatles
The Carter Family by Frank M. Young
The new King Cat issue.
Don´t know if I want The Voyeurs, by Gabrielle Bell, since I hace the zines.
That's a nice list. Yes, waiting a year is a good idea, but there will be exceptions. I'm not sure if I can wait that long for Building Stories. Dvds are easier. Waiting a year is mostly not a problem. Homeland season 1 is currently 22 pounds on amazon.co.uk, I can wait until it's around 10 pounds. Moonrise Kingdom is 12 pounds, I can wait for it to be around 5.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's strange, this feeling of guilt, almost, about buying stuff, even if I now can afford it. I have to tell myself, you don't own a car, you don't spend money on gasoline, it's okay if you buy a book or two. Ah, yes, that's right. Okay, good, I will, then.
But there's been plenty of those Kochalka moments, where I get the book, artbooks mostly, look at it and go, what did you need this for again?
Agree with Building stories. Same feeling. And with Cartoon Utopia. I think that will be the best book of de year for me.
ReplyDeleteHello Jason! Have you seen 'Margaret' (dir. Kenneth Lonergan)? I was bowled over by it. You might enjoy it. One for your next Amazon splurge perhaps.
ReplyDeleteHi, Tom. No, haven't seen Margaret. I'll put it on my list.
ReplyDeleteI always have dozens of items on my wishlist. I buy or get bought 1 or 2 and add 3 or 4! I almost always feel i need them! Books I find hard not to buy on release,nothing worse than missing a hardback or limited edition then looking for it for years on ebay!
ReplyDeleteAh, haven't bought a single thing on ebay! That's one obsession I've managed to avoid...
ReplyDeleteMaybe a good thing! I lost out to 3 copys of the Iron Wagon on ebay before I "won" one. Just picked up a copy of Beto's Birdland this week,I had been looking for a few years! oh yes it can get obsessive!
ReplyDelete