Gift Cards

A friend gave me a gift card for helping her move. It was to Powell's, which is the greatest place in the whole freakin' world. I bought some books I'm really excited to read. I've almost finished two of them. I've received gift cards before and one thing I noticed is that I tend to spend an additional 50% of the value of the gift card. So if I got a gift card for $20 my total purchase would be $30.
There are two exceptions. Books and music gift cards I spend the extra 50% but then there is a latent reinforcing effect. Once I get to the book/music store with the idea I can spend a certain amount of money I find several items that I desperately need. The total amount usually exceeds the gift card by a lot so I cut back on items until I'm at the pyschologically pleasant 50% over mark.
But then those items I didn't buy linger and taunt me. I ended thinking about how I should have got book X instead of book Y. I usually cave within a day and go back to the book store and get another book.
So that's what happened this time. I got a zine by Aaron Cometbus, a kids book called Nasty Book, and The Intentional Stance by Dennett b/c I've been reading about the Model Penal Code and think a lot about what intent means and how important it is for morality. I can actually say Penal without laughing most of the time. I did not get The Encyclopedia of Ordinary Life, Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules, A Portrait of Yo Mama as a Young Man, The Godless Constitution(skipped it until the 2005 edition comes out) or a collection of Neruda poems.
Today when I caved I went and got the Neruda poems. I figured I can check the other books out from the library but I'll need time to digest the Neruda. Any of you smarty pants latino lit people know who does the best translations with the translation on the facing page of the original?
So anyway I ended spending double my gift card amount, and going and getting a CD b/c if I can afford books I can surely afford music. (The Matson Jones CD is wonderful in everyway and y'all should visit their website and download the Italian Song. While you're downloading songs the Hickey website added "Foodstamps and Drink Tickets" which is my favorite Hickey song.) I think I'll cut back on food at the grocery store.
"When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes." Erasmus said that in late 1400s or early 1500s, way before gift cards even existed.