Books and More!

On this lovely Thursday, I have stumbled across many websites that I deem worth sharing. So here I am, sharing them with you. Whoever you are, if you're out there. If you like any of these websites, let me know. Don't be scared to comment! That's the only way I know there are actually people out there who read this thing, which, let's be honest, I kinda hope there are. Tell your friends! Kim's Kitchen Sink is the place to be! Rock on.

Without further ado, your Thursday Things:

• BookCrossing - A really neat idea, as far as I'm concerned. BookCrossing was developed as a sort of response to those Where's George websites that track dollar bills, allowing people to feel connected to the rest of the world, seeing where their money was (literally) going. BookCrossing works in a similar way: you log into the site and enter the information for the book you want to "send out into the wild." You can leave the book on a street corner (neatly labeled with a BookCrossing "free book" sticker, or in a ziplock of your own devices) or give it to a friend, book circle, used bookstore, etc. When someone finds or receives the BookCrossing-labeled book, they (hopefully) go to the website and write a little note about where it was found, if they read it, etc. etc. etc. Theoretically, you're doing a good deed by sending books you no longer read out into the world, and people are getting free books, and you get to see where your books are going. Sounds fun, no? There is also the option to go hunting for books, wherein you look up your city and see where people have left books. It's kinda cool--you can see that someone left a book on the front steps of the Equinox fitness club, for example. Run down to that corner and see it's still there! How fun! There are currently no released books wandering wild in Berkeley, so I'm seriously considering going through my book collection and releasing one. Keep your eyes peeled :)
• Along these same booky lines, check out Book Journals. If you're into journals, or maybe want to get started in the world of pouring your soul out on the pages of your secret diary, this could be a good place to start. At $13 each, they're more expensive than my taste allows, besides the fact that I don't write in my paper journal much, and I have about 5 empty ones at home anyway, but they'd make a nice gift. The covers are made from recycled book covers. Pretty cool.
  
• Need some coupons? Maybe the thing you're about to buy is on this website. Save a buck or two!
• Did you miss your favorite TV show? Don't have money for TiVo? There's a good chance that you can watch it for free online. I haven't played around too much here yet, but a friend from work says you can watch movies too. She recommends this one in particular for TV shows. They've got quite an extensive list.
  
• And in the spirit of budgeting, I present some frugal fun in the form of The Best Frugality Tips, Frugal Lunch, and Cheap but Great Dates.
  
• My friend Myles is very smart. Also, he is very funny. He writes things that make me laugh. His puppet-related antics are comical as well. And he is one mean improv-er. You should check out Weak Nights, a blog he and his similarly smart and funny friends write. Also, check out How Do I Say This. Started by these same folk, this video-site helps people tell other people things they don't know how to put into words. Like, "how do i tell my friend he's a bad actor and should quite?" I'm sure I'll write a whole blog about this someday.
  
• In hopes of becoming More Adventurous (thanks, Rilo Kiley), I'm seeking free or cheap things to do in the Bay Area. I found several things to get myself started, just by browsing the old Google for a few minutes. For starters, free museum days! I love museums, and it's about time I started going to them again! There is also free sailboat rides around the Berkeley marina area on Sundays, as well as several walking tours of San Francisco--that would help me not be so Overwhelmed and Generally Lost and Scared of the City, wouldn't it? And there are always tours of breweries, wineries, and chocolatiers! Adventures around every corner!
  

In closing, in the immortal words of Ace of Base: "Life is demanding without understanding. No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong. And where do you belong?"