My Atomic (Bomb) Habit

In James Clear’s Atomic Habits, he mentioned how “habits are like the atoms of our lives. Each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement. At first, these tiny routines seem insignificant, but soon they build on each other and fuel bigger wins that multiply to a degree that far outweighs the cost of their initial investment. They are both small and mighty.”

Last year, during the height of the pandemic, when everyone was encouraged to stay inside their houses due to the coronavirus scare, I have developed two habits: plants and books. But of out of these two, buying and hoarding books has become the most addictive for me.

One of the industries that really flourished during the pandemic was the online selling. Everything, from food, house supplies, clothes to just about anything you could think of…can be ordered and delivered at your doorstep.

When it comes to online books, whether it’s new or secondhand, I made sure I am part of it. I discovered that I can get really good titles for half or even a fourth of the original price. And usually, because books are sold cheap, there were many buyers. The technique is to buy it ahead of the other customers and be there ahead of the uploading time. Also, you need to have a fast Internet connection to beat the other buyers. First to comment “mine” usually gets the book. It was fun and fulfilling especially if you get the title that you really want.

I have acquired quite a few titles because of this habit. Nah, not a few…a lot! My TBR has tripled its usual size. My room is a scattered version of brain. There are books everywhere. But I am happy, so who cares. ^_^

A Book Street in Busan

This is like “heaven on earth”, an alley lined with crammed bookshops of all kinds.

During the Korean War, when Busan became the provisional capital, refugees sold and bought books to make a living. This place became a go-to place to buy and sell used books before the publishing industry was fully established and people had higher standards of living.

Now, Bosu-dong Book Street is a famous book street wherein you can buy used and rare books. Prices of books are scaled according to the conditions of the book or bargaining. There are English titles but you need to be a little patient scavenging them from these heaps. I was happy to get two books before I headed back to Jeonju, Gabriel García Márquez ’s Love in the Time of Cholera and Shin Kyung-sook’s Please Look After Mom (in Hangul).