What Are You Addicted to?

Recently the medical profession was involved in a fierce fight over classifying video game addiction as an actually psychiatric disorder. As I watched doctors arguing that changes in the brain could be viewed in MRIs of video game players I started thinking about whether I had any addictions. The closest I come is a really strong desire to eat chocolate or use my lip balm all the time. Then I realized I had an unacknowledged addiction, that dirty little secret that affects so many librarians. I’m sure you’ve guessed by now; its reading. I have stacks of books on my bedside table, a few cookbooks scattered in the kitchen, magazines in the bathroom, loaded bookshelves in the living room, and a stack of books in the guest bedroom. “They are for guests,” I tell my husband, “who might want something to read”. Really they are my emergency stash. I can’t imagine anything worse than running out of stuff to read. Ask any librarian about the “storm surge”. Just as some people run to the grocery store to stock up before a big storm, the Library sees a flood of people coming in to stock up on that other essential; reading materials.

I remember watching an episode of The Odd Couple when I was very young. What struck me with such impact that I can remember it now, was the plight of Oscar Madison. For some reason he was staying at a monastery where there was nothing to read. Poor Oscar was so desperate he began reading his toothpaste tube. I feel your pain, big guy.

"I can't go to sleep without reading. No magazines in the "brother john?" Oscar Madison.