Some interesting things for quarantine

Some interesting curatorial things have popped up over the last few days:

First, Bookshop, a marketplace for books from independent booksellers around the country. I love bookstores. I love bookstores, and libraries, and any place where the smell of ink and old pages seems to blend into something ephemeral.

However, I also like the convenience of shopping online, coupled with the availability of just about any book, in print or otherwise, given you’re willing to pay the price. And, often, the prices tend to be a little cheaper on Amazon.

The price factor may not sway towards Bookshop’s favor, but the sudden increase in online availability could be a boon to struggling booksellers during this COVID-19 crisis.

I’ll explore some of the elements of competition between Amazon, Bookshop, and brick-and-mortar stores at a later date. That’s a lot of info to cull through. But, if you’re interested in buying books, give Bookshop a chance.

Second, if you’re not in a place financially to purchase new books (hello unemployment waiting period…), visit The Internet Archive for their National Emergency Library! I love this place. I haven’t done a lot of actual reading, beyond just browsing digital collections. But, wow. There is so much material here that it’s amazing. And right now, it’s complete access to library collections due to the crisis.

Third, this hefty article on productivity from Stephen Wolfram. The man knows his stuff. Back around 2014, I was introduced to a lot of the neat features of the Wolfram Alpha programming that helped my iPhone’s Siri function.

I’m constantly trying to improve my productivity and routines, partially because it’s so easy for me to fall back into bad habits. At times, it’s difficult for me to… SQUIRREL!

But seriously, making little improvements to how you spend your day is in your best interest, always.