When my day job collides with my passion for books.

Everyone at work knows about my passion for books and reading. Since I work at a school, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Teachers, administration and students all know that I spend the year working towards my goal of at least 100 books read. "What book are you on now Mrs. B?"

I received permission to set up a book basket in the teachers' lounge. I drop books into it that are registered with BookCrossing. They travel for a bit and return. Sometimes I am lucky enough to find new books in the basket, which I register and return to the basket. Some of the books journey out into the wild world, if I am lucky I also am gifted with a journal entry.

The day before we released for summer vacation this year, a teacher handed me a satchel full of books. "For you to register at BookCrossing," she said, "My son found these next to a dumpster at college. I told him I knew who to give them to and to bring them all home!" I took the loot home and discovered 18 new copies of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I have one set aside for my son, who will need it next year for literature class. The remainder I have registered and only a couple remain to be released into the world.

My teacher friend has already emailed me-- I have more books for you to register and release! I guess I need to order more supplies from the BC store as part of my back to school shopping.

Oh, when they ask me next week, I'll tell them I am on book number 62 and that I released 100 books into the wild since the end of May. I might even wear my BC t-shirt that first day we go to set up the classrooms. I'll be the aide with the armload of books for the book basket in the lounge.

Happy Reading y'all!