12/12   Do you have friends you don't like lending books, DVDs etc to?
        Typically because they don't return them in a reasonable amount of
        time or if you hint you would like something back they don't pick it
        up?  I personally feel if I borrow a book from somebody and they want
        it back I should at soonest reasonable opportunity deliver it to them
        rather than say "oh you can come and get it."  How do you handle
        turning down future requests?
        \_ Just go pick it up that one time, and never lend to them again.
           Simply tell them they don't return your stuff on time.
        \_ I am having the hardest time get my friend return my books...
        \_ I've had to discipline myself to not borrow things from people;
           excactly for the reason that sometimes I forget, or it can get
           damaged.  But yeah, one should return things fast.  -John
        \_ My problem is that I lend things to people and then forget and never
           get them back ever.
        \_ My dad used to tell me an old (Arabic?) saying:
           If you lend a book to someone, they should chop off an arm.
           If you return a lent book, they should chop off both arms.
           I guess the point is that people are generally irresponsible
           and if you want them to read a book, just buy it for them...
           or don't expect it back.
           \_ I own a lot of books so people are often interested in borrow
           \_ I own a lot of books so people are often interested in borrowing
              books from me and it is an asymmetric thing.  Normally it would
              be a pretty efficient area for inter-friend loans ... books
              dont really get worn out, cheap to move, the loan terms are
              usually longer than from library, books are often things you
              want to use rather than own, you usually can spare the book
              for a couple of months.  So it kind sad I am thinking about
              cracking down on this.  It says something about how flakey
              most people are ... people who arent willing to promptly
              return stuff when you issue a recall, people who forget
              the have your books and your are forced to do the recall etc.
              (There have been a couple of cases where I have borrowed a book
              and the other person moved away and I felt really bad.  I think
              the other person has forgotten i had the book.)
              they have your books and wont ever return them unless you
              remember and initiate a recall. (There have been a couple of
              cases where I have borrowed a book and the other person moved
              away and I felt really bad.  I think the other person has
              forgotten i had the book.)  These days if a flakey friend asks
              to borrow something, I just pretend not to hear.  On the other
              hand I have good friends I have loaned very expensive electronic
              and such to.
              \_ I have had similar problems, and I'd add that there is another
                 problem with books and flaky people, which is getting them to
                 read the damn book.  I often loan someone a book that they say
                 they want to read, and six months later they still haven't
                 finished it.  Well, I actually would like to see them read the
                 book, but then it turns into another six months...people need
                 to read more.
                 book, but then it turns into another six months...the bottom
                 line is that most people are lazy, flaky, and watch about
                 24 hours of tv for every hour they spend reading.  And that's
                 just the intelligensia.