Wherein I go all OCD again

I'm not much of a journaler, despite being a writer. I think it all stems back from the way my sister's Dear Diary lock was so easily pickable. Even then I realized, Huh. If I can do this to HERS, then she can do this to MINE.

Still, I've always admired readers who keep journals about what they read when, along with little comments about the book. Plus, it would be very helpful whenever I wanted to read a book again or recommend it to someone. Like, for instance, the novel PLAINSONG by Kent Haruf. I read it several years ago, loved it, and wanted to recommend it. But I couldn't.

Why? I couldn't remember the title, except that it had "song" in it. Or the author, except that it was a German sounding name. All I could remember was that it was about two old ranchers who take in a pregnant teenager, and two brothers whose mom has left them.

Ever tried to google that? The worst thing was, I'd forgotten this title before, and then remembered it, looked it up and realized the book was an award-winner. I told myself I wouldn't forget it ... and then I did.

So that's why I decided to resuscitate my Goodreads account. You can see, way down there in the corner, the widget that shows the books I've read. In an ideal world, that would reflect the books I've just FINISHED reading, but alas, if you click on it, you'll think I've been glomming Dick Francis.

I'm trying to remember my favorite books and authors and put them all in there ... so that's the reason I'm heavy on the Dick Francis.

The best thing about Goodreads is the connection you get with other people who feel EXACTLY the same way about a book as you do. Isn't that weird? How you can meet a total stranger who's reading a book you love, and you find out that SHE loves the book, too, and it's almost an instant connection?

The problem is, of course, that the people I'm following read the most interesting sounding stuff. Tack them onto the end of my long, long To Be Read pile, and the TBR is about to fall over. And then there is that obsessive adding of ALL the books I've ever read.

It is quite a lovely feeling of closure to be able, once you've finished reading a book, to click "read" on your Goodreads account and pass judgment with stars -- 1? no, 2? Oh, you know you liked it -- go for three!

Why, yes, I do know that I'm (just a touch) OCD!