NLB will be having its annual sale at Expo this Saturday. As I flipped through the Life! pages just now, I reminisced the times when I was a little girl...

About 18 years ago, book sales were rare. They only came about once a year & will be held at the old, non-airconditioned WTC at the now Harbourfront. Bapak used to take me there (before the 2 siblings came along) when the book sales coincided with his off days. I would think about the books, days before I actually got to the sale. And then I'd go row by row, browsing, checking out the book covers, before I decide on which 2-3 books to buy. Those books would be my precious reads for the next few days.

I'd get so excited with the new purchases & write my name on it. They'd accompany me during mealtimes, bored times & near bedtimes. Such childlike pleasure! I miss those times.

Now, book sales are aplenty. Oh heck, all sales are aplenty. Kino has a perpetual 20% sale, MPH is having a mega sale now too. Of course, periodic book sales organised by companies all year round.

Kids nowadays get whatever they want. Books are thrown all over the place, unappreciated. It's true, when things are easy to get, you don't really appreciate them.

I refrain from buying books these days, mainly because I'm running out of space to keep them in. And perhaps being a scrooge is another reason. I'd rather just borrow them, or get them through yahoo, or borrow from Mak's library. Mak's an avid reader and the titles she purchases can be interesting.

But of course, when I feel the desire to get a new, crisp book, I'll trot down to one of those bookstores & get a nice new read. There have been occasions too, where I'd impulse buy on one or two books.

No matter what, childhood memories of buying books at the one and only annual book sale, will always remain sweet.