Today I would like to say a little something about a few friends that are very near and dear to me. They have gotten me through some of the worst times in my life and have been constant companions through the best. There are only around 20 or so that I call my closest friends, but there are so many more out there that I can hardly begin to imagine the scope.

I am, of course, talking about books.

As I it says above, there are only a few that I hold closest to my heart. I own more than 200 all told, but only a those select few I have read so many times I have either had to buy new copies or stitch them back together with tape and care.

What really worries me, however, is how few people share my passion these days.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for television, movies, the internet and most other forms of visual stimulation that predominate these days. Lately, I can’t seem to stop watching “Sons of Anarchy.”

However, all of this visual stimulation is more numbing on the mind than informative. Maybe I pick up a few tidbits of information here and there, but overall, when I watch something on a screen I just get numb.