Lately, I've been getting a rush whenever I step into a bookstore--and I'm not talking those places selling office supplies. I'm talking purist bookstores--those that sell nothing but books lining shelves and shelves. I walk in and feel my pulse quicken, my stomach tighten, and my eyes dart around, taking in the beautiful sight of all those glorious titles. It's a lot like getting a high-school crush all over again. It's both an exhilirating and frustrating experience--so many books, so little time and cash!

When I was younger, I was one of the more bookish ones--I actually used my library card, often going through more than one in a school-year. (All hail the queen of dorks!) Somewhere along the way, though, I stopped reading as much as I should have, and now I regret those years wasted without enough literature occupying my time.

But the nerd is back, and she's got a partner this time. H has surprisingly turned into quite the nerd himself, feeling the same excitement as he steps into a bookstore. Whereas we used to spend our time at the mall going to Nike and Olyimpic Gold, he now asks, "May bookstore ba dito?" whenever we're at a mall. (If you had told me when we started going out that this was going to happen a few years down the line, I never would've believed it.) So this is where we've been hanging out lately, sometimes coming out with a bag of books...and empty wallets.

A rundown of our regular haunts:

• Powerbooks - It will always hold a special place in my heart because it was pretty much the first of its kind, plus it's owned by Nanay Coring's family! (She's such a sweetheart.) Pulling out from here is a breeze now, maybe because I've done it so many times. And I love it when they go on sale!
  
• Fully Booked - I love this place because I've got a discount card. Haha. I recommended it to a friend whose dream is to bump into the man of his (yes, his) dreams at a bookstore--the one in Power Plant seems to have quite a few customers that, er, might be his type.
• A Different Bookstore - Visiting this store is always a pleasant experience--it's much smaller than the other massive stores, but the salespeople really know their stuff. And I've also got a discount card. Hehe.
  
• Bestsellers - The newest bookstore in the market, it's on the fourth floor of Galleria, where the trade hall used to be. (I'm ecstatic that Galle now has its own bookstore! I no longer have to trudge to Megamall!) It's got two floors, a friendly staff, and an impressive selection of food/cook books. I'm sure it's got an impressive selection of other types of books as well, but this was one of the things that stuck during my most recent visit.

This Sunday, I'm looking forward to another bookstore trip, and I'm already bracing myself for the expense! But it's all good. I've realized that I get a different sort of fulfillment from buying books than from purchasing shoes, for example. The mark of a true nerd.