Tale as Old as Time

I had to send my laptop off to be repaired...again...so I've confined myself strictly to Carrier library for a few days. Not that I mind. It's beautiful. In opposition to the clean, clear newness of ECL, Carrier is much more rustic and intelligent and dilapidatedly charming all at once. ECL is an innovation in both technology and appearance, but it doesn't have a history yet. There's this one spot near the back of the library with a gigantic wooden table and vintage green banker lights, secluded from the general traffic. Glass cases containing vintage silk-and-lace women's dresses align the wall and a white statue of Joan of Arc sits magestically in the corner, a testament to the room's historical significance. The lighting is rather dim, but it's a genteel, welcoming feel. It screams of intelligence. To put it simply, it's not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but it's in the understated that one finds beauty. It's my absolute favorite spot on campus. Actually, now that I think about it, it was the spot where I first realized, "Wow. I'm in college." It was sort of a startling revelation, if I remember correctly: wondering how many other people had sat in the same spot I had, with ambitions yet unfulfilled and dreams that had yet to come true. I wonder if they've achieved them now.
But I digress. Now there are people milling about, disrupting it's normal tranquility, so I've moved upstairs to yet another desk surrounded rows of novels in a kaleidoscope of colors and an assortment of authors known and lost to the mind. It's the perfect balance of musty and old-book smell. Oh, and Starbucks of course. Everyone around me is slurping their caffinated coffees and frappachinos, et cetera. Modern amenities and past necessities.
It's snowing outside, and through the condensation on the window I have a perfect view of the English building--Keezell, for those who aren't familiar with campus--and the sun behind the clouds. It's getting gradually darker as the day wears on, and my essay on Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and Porter's Old Mortality gets further and further from being finished.
I just realized I'm a book-nerd. A bilbiophile--that's the word for it. Or perhaps a lover of nostalgia. Hmm. At any rate, I've come to the conclusion that every task you undertake is just a little bit more bearable with a positive outlook...a philosophy I've recently adopted which I highly recommend. I suppose I'm priviledged to have such a beautiful place at my disposal in which to work. No wonder Belle hung out in libraries. Just sharing my thoughts.

xoxo e