Oh, to support a local business

Ivanka Trump just published a book called The Trump Card: Playing to Win In Work and Life this month that has already received many good reviews. I’m intrigued enough to want to spend the money to get it in hardback [uber-rare for me], so the next question was: where should I buy it?

First I considered picking it up from the local Barnes & Noble because I love B&N and want to keep it going. Then I thought about buying it online from a used bookseller in Tennessee through the B&N site, which would save me some money and a little of the gas that goes into shipping. Then I thought about buying it from BetterWorldBooks because they support literacy programs and the shipping is free.

During this hour of indecisiveness (during which I was analyzing whether I really, really wanted this book more than any of the dozens of others on my wish lists), I found the web site IndieBound.org, where you can look up local independent booksellers and retailers. I found Davis Kidd, which is near me and even having a 10% off sale on Thursday, but they are located in a part of town that I despise driving through. Looking for a place closer to my work, though, yielded Landmark Booksellers, a local small business whose hours are listed as "open most days about 9:00 or 10:00 . . . closed most days about 5:00 or 6:00 But some nights we're open till 8:00 or 9:00." Add to this that they are purveyors of rare books as well as new books and offer a special room on book collecting and the care of rare books, well, I'm in love. When I called, the woman who answered the phone said she was with a customer and asked if she could call me back: whoah. Of course I said that would be fine. Then she called back and offered to order the book for me, as any bookstore would.

At this point in the economic slump, most people probably understand the value of shopping locally. It's just nice to see that there are so many options out there to do a good thing in a way that is still convenient. No, I won't be saving any money with this particular option, but maybe I'll be helping in a little way to save that bastion of the American dream, the independently owned business.

Growing Old Is . . .

Watching the year you were born get farther and farther down the pull-down menu on a web form.

Seeing a commercial for new, energy-efficient windows to replace those old, drafty '90s windows.

Realizing the kids who were in kindergarten when you graduated high school have now graduated from high school.

Thinking kids these days don't know what real music is.

Acknowledging that certain clothing is no longer appropriate in public.

Not taking everything so seriously.

Not so bad if you don't think about it too much.