Before I could decide on what deep and meaningful (and of course, informative) first post I was going to put on this blog, a topic literally fell into my lap.
” Somebodies and Nobodies - Overcoming the Abuse of Rank” by Robert W.Fuller.
(Amazon entry: here).
No, I’m not going to go into a tirade about management hierarchy and the curruption of interoffice relations through the creation of rank (phew). The content of the book is actually completely irrelevant; it’s the little yellow sticker on its spine reading ‘bookcrossing.com’ that has played to my kleptomaniac tendencies.
Bookcrossing for those of you unfamiliar with the website, or the general movement of ‘literature karma’ is ‘the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise’ (it’s even in the OED!).
I first came across the idea earlier this year whilst on a weekend break to Paris when I found a children’s book on a bench on the Champs-Elysées. Following the instructions on a sticker attached to the inside cover I went to http://www.bookcrossing.com/ and entered the unique Bookcrossing ID number. This then returned a complete log of every person ever to have read that copy, detailing where they picked it up and where they eventually ‘dropped’ it - it turns out the book has seen more of the world than I have, having originated in Arizona, USA. Sadly, it’s still sat on a shelf in my bedroom in Coventry, UK. Perhaps I should think about leaving them somewhere - suggestions on a postcard/comment entry please.
For anyone geeky curious enough to discover where my latest find has come from,go to www.bookcrossing.com and enter the ID number: 919 212 8881. Or on the more proactive side, go hunt for dropped book near you. Apparently, 187 books have been dropped in the Coventry area in the last 3 days!
As for my comment on the practice of literary communism in general, I find it very cool, particularly if you imagine the ramifications of dropping other mediums in a similiar way. As a friend so eloquently pointed out “just try it with CD’s and watch the RIAA positively assplode”.
In other News
If you ever find yourself bored in a meeting, the Developer’s Guide to Surviving Meetings recommends a quick game of ‘Buzzword Bingo’:
Buzzword Bingo. In this fun game, you map out a 4×4 grid of office-speak catchphrases. Like “ASAP” or “B2B” or “Enterprise Solutions” or “monetize.” Whenever any of these phrases is mentioned, you strike them through, and as soon as you hit 4 in a row (vertical, horizontal or diagonal) you jump up and scream “Bingo.”
I dare you.
when they arrive. Ideas floating around for ways to use the cards also includes leaving them on the tube or train to generate traffic to the photographer’s flickr userpage.