If you were late you had to look-em-in the eye and pay your fine when you returned 'em.

I hear those NYC librarians will eat your liver if you return Twilight late...

No, they don't, but it's the perception that they might that will paralyze many people.

Right. I mean, library fines don't paralyze me, but other situations do, and the longer it goes, the harder it is to do anything about it, and the worse it gets.

Don't try to apply regular, sane person logic to it. It doesn't work. Chances are, the person being oh-so-avoidant KNOWS in the non-broken part of the brain that they are being crazy about it, but the broken part's louder.

InonLN, I have used a nail set on half the floor. Hands sore, but strangely the small of my back and hips are getting stiff too.

I'm like that with pretty much everything.

I feel bad and dread dealing iwth it and so I put it off, and then it gets worse and so I put it off. It's not the library books themselves, or even the librarians, it's just my own weird avoidance issues.

Something I'll need to deal with in therapy. Seriously I'm like this about other things to but it's just, like ripping off a bandaid, I'd rather not take off the band aid and deal with whatever is causing me stress rather than getting it over with.

I feel bad and guilty and I don't like dealing iwth those feelings so I just ignore and put off as long as possible, and then it gets really bad and I deal with it and it would have been easier if I'd just dealt with it but...

Also when I end up wtih really overdue library books it's usually because I'm depressed or generally not feeling well, the past books I had out that were originally due back in December but I was really stressed out about my job and frustrated that my class had gone badly and generally was just going home and not doing anything and not dealing with anything.

And then it was 3 months latera nd the books were still out and I finally dealt with it.

Don't try to apply regular, sane person logic to it.

I guess that's the part of my brain that doesn't understand it. But your explanation makes sense.

But then I think, if you know the library is going to create a situation where the avoidy thing is going to be exacerbated, then -- why not avoid the library?

As well they should, if you spend more than a week reading that crap, you're a threat to the gene pool. Do they mix it with fava beans and a nice chianti?

I hear those NYC librarians will eat your liver if you return Twilight late...

Only from October to March

Do they mix it with fava beans and a nice chianti?

Nah -- New York librarians are hardcore and just eat it raw, like carpaccio.

I feel bad and guilty and I don't like dealing iwth those feelings so I just ignore and put off as long as possible, and then it gets really bad and I deal with it and it would have been easier if I'd just dealt with it but...

I think a lot of people are like this about one thing or another. I know I can be about financial stuff.

I hear those NYC librarians will eat your liver if you return Twilight late...

Only from October to March

Because they're tastier with a Mallomar?

Ohio librarians eat patron livers all year round.