Day 695

I'm not sure if you know about the serious addiction I have. I am seriously and completely addicted to buying books. Ask my sister Marissa...after year and year again of buying her books for Christmas presents, she finally told me that if I was planning on getting her another book, then don't bother getting her anything. I mean, come on--how can anything be better? The history of Gucci for the uber-stylish sister. It'd be my idea of heaven.

I love all books and all there is about them. The smell of books straight out of the library. The crisp feel of opening one's cover for the first time. The comfort of curling up with an old favorite on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

I love historical novels, well read classics, beautifully designed coffee table books. I love political biographies, page turning mysteries, and all works of design and fashion and travel. I even love trashy romance novels and tween favorites (nerd, I know, but huge fan of Harry Potter and the Twilight sagas).

The perfect gift? All I need is an antique work of any of the above, as long as it reflects a bit of me. Bonus points for a first edition. Even just walking into a bookstore will calm and rejuvenate me. It's very therapeutic.

And the point of my tale? Well, my new digestive-friendly diet has me trying to practice more self-control in all aspects of my life. More gym time, more organized house, less wasting time. So today, I had an errand to run after work. Errand was completed quicker than expected, so I had time to kill before my yoga class.

So what did I do? That's right, I skipped on over to Barnes and Noble for a quick browse. Ten minutes after my yoga class had started, I was standing in the front of the store with two magazines and three books in hand: Thomas Friedman's new life-changer, "Hot, Flat, and Crowded," Candace Bushnell's new New York saga, "One Fifth Avenue," and Amanda Foreman's "The Duchess," the historical drama which the new Kiera Knightly movie was based on. This is, of course, after swapping back and forth between a few other dishy picks.

And the point to all this madness? I bought zero! Gold stars for me! I stood there with my hands full and decided this pattern has got to stop. As of today, I can only buy a book when I have finished the one I'm currently reading. And right now, I'm already in the middle of two books: Jane Austen's "Emma" and "The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner" by David Bach. So, until these two are finished, I will not be buying even one more work.

How's that for self-control? I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of myself. And although I missed my yoga class, I did eventually make it to the gym for a run and some time in the weight room. Yeah me! I guess my "Homeowner" manual is paying off--maybe discipline is my new game. After all, I've got to save to actually have a place of my own one day. Now let's see how long this will actually last...