Things there should be a name for

[hartleyhare]

... the feeling you get when someone offers to lend you a book that you have neither the desire nor the time to read, especially when it's someone you like and you're too polite to refuse.

Comments

[vinaigrettegirl]

Helplessness?

Bibliopetrifaction: "I'm sorry, but I'm suffering from bibliopetrifaction: all the piles of books I haven't yet read are turning into stone as it is, and soon I shall be immured alive."

[hartleyhare]

It is really quite paralysing. I don't even have time to read the books I actually want to read.

(I need to reply to your e-mail, btw. Will do so later!)

[zoefruitcake]

I think it's called 'chick lit'

[hartleyhare]

Ha! Pink covers make me go ooergh.

[charlosmum]

There should be a name!

When something like that is pressed upon me -- also happens with entire TV series recorded on DVDs -- I politely take them and hope for the best... and invariably return them unread/unwatched. Did so just a week or so ago and said, ruefully: "Thanks for these, but I realise I'm just never going to be able to watch them and I didn't want to keep them any longer."

However, I'm afraid I'm often the person doing the offering...

[hartleyhare]

Oh, youch - entire series would be painful. What baffles me, as someone who is extremely time-poor, is that anyone would presume that someone else had so many hours of their life going spare that they'd want to spend them watching something they'd never shown any interest in. Mr H and I bought a DVD (the excellent Kitchen Stories, which I saw at the cinema a couple of years ago) to watch on Christmas Day, and still haven't got round to watching it.

[charlosmum]

I suppose the people who do the offering are just as busy, if not more so, than I am. I'm just the least organised person I know. I boggle at all the things I cannot get done, compared to others.

I haven't seen Kitchen Stories...

[callmemadam]

I can't think of a word for it but I now always say, "That's so kind of you but I don't borrow books any more because I don't lend them, either." Mean? No, just that I've lost too many books.

[hartleyhare]

I know the feeling. Most of the books I've lost have been to students, too, although there is one colleague in particular who must have at least four of my books on her shelves.

[charlosmum]

I have a friend who has made "no borrowing" a policy, too. She often has to insist rather forcefully that she cannot borrow it, especially when the would-be lender is really enthusiastic. This comes after having lost (or inadvertently ruined) and replaced so many books that she didn't even want to read or borrow in the first place! She may well still lend, but I know she absolutely does not borrow.

[buzzy_bee]

Random Hi! comment here.

bopeepsheep has suggested I add you as we have many friends (and biscuits and cakes) in common as well as both having 2 year olds.

[hartleyhare]

Hello! Have friended you back and added you to the_mother_ship - good to meet you!