One Man's Bookmark

When you’re reading a print book, how do you mark your page? Do you use a bookmark of some type? Or do you dog-ear the page and ignore the disgruntled glare of the librarian? Or do you perhaps turn the book face down and leave it splayed on your nightstand?

I love the variety of bookmarks available these days, and I’m always buying new ones for myself or to leave as little tokens in books that I return to the library. The three-dimensional ones are a lot of fun. I also like the metallic ones and have several of those. I have some that are home-made, including one made from plastic canvas and crochet thread. Some of mine have been around for decades, and some are still in the box – usually the heavier metallic ones come boxed.

The problem I have with bookmarks is that I can never seem to locate one at the time I need it. I could probably fill a small desk drawer with the wide variety of bookmarks in my collection, but I’m not the most organized person in the world, and so they are scattered throughout books, drawers, bedside tables, the car, upstairs bookshelves – well, you get the idea.

I enjoy reading at night, after everyone, including myself, has gone to bed. I pick up a new book from my TBR pile, and find out three hours later that I don’t have a bookmark to serve as a place saver. I don’t want to turn on the light and disturb my husband, and I can find NOTHING in my nightstand without a light, so I usually grab something handy and make do with that. That’s why my bookmarks are all in such pristine condition. I never actually use them.

I do use a wide variety of other items, though, to serve in their place. Have you done that? What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever used for a bookmark? Care to share?

This is a partial list of some of the objects I’ve used to mark my place in a book. Perhaps you can relate. Or perhaps you can always locate your favorite bookmark and have no clue as to how I can be so unorganized.

paper clip – big or small, doesn’t matter. Just no alligator clips.

fingernail file  or Emory board – I use these a lot!

gum wrapper – not so much, but I have.

scrap of paper

spoon – I sometimes eat ice cream while I’m reading.

ponytail holder – the little elastic ones

water bill – one of my husband’s favorite bookmarks, actually.

lottery ticket

pen or pencil – I know! not good, but for an emergency it works

birthday card

sock

square of toilet paper – don’t even ask.

Chuck E Cheese game token

candy bar wrapper

crochet hook – a small one, not those big things.

recipe card – these are actually fun to leave in library books, especially if it’s a recipe for something really tasty!

I know there have been many other things over the years that I’ve used in a pinch, but as you can see, it would probably be a lot better on my reading material if I developed the habit of selecting a bookmark before I actually begin reading my book, rather than putting it off. I’ll work on that. In the meantime, keep reading, and if you feel like it, share some of the more unique items you’ve used for bookmarks.

Happy Reading!

Cordelia Dinsmore