plenty of bookmarks

I like shopping for books. My favorite gift to get is an Amazon gift card. It used to be a Tower Records gift certificate back when I was buying plenty of records and CDs and sometimes books, but Tower is nevermore and besides, I'd just as soon window-shop at my computer. 

What I like to do is while away the hours browsing the Amazon.com website - does it get any better than seeing virtually everything that's out there, often having the opportunity to read excerpts plus customer reviews? I'm so hooked looking for books and sometimes music, I have to remind myself that there are a whole bunch of other shopping categories there. 

Anyway, last night I was wondering if there was a stack of index cards lying around. You see, they have made my easiest and most affordable bookmarks in the past. What I'll do is get out the paper cutter and cut the cards into inch or so wide strips and voila! Instant bookmarks! I suppose another option would be to simply use sheets of paper and cut them into strips; although that would work fine, the card stock of index cards works perfectly. Yes, I do have a small collection of actual bookmarks, but they are kind of fancy and I'm a little hesitant to use them in a practical sense. 

So, after wondering about the availability of index cards, I had an epiphany: why not cut up greeting cards? I've never quite known what to do with them after initially enjoying them - as part of a gift, for the holidays, or for whatever occasion. Sometimes they might even be thrown into the recycle bin. I had a roommate in college who would open a card, read it, perhaps take out the check that was included, then immediately throw the card into the trash. Well, I'm much too sentimental to ever do that. But what to do with the card? 

And now I'll have in mind to use them as bookmarks! Sure, I'll be cutting them into not-too-thin strips, but I'll still have them in my possession and make use of them. They are the right card stock thickness and I can't wait to see how this all works. Of course, some cards are too nice to cut up, but I have several plain ones that accompanied my latest Amazon gift cards...