You know that determined feeling you have when you park outside the library, the one where you're telling yourself that you're only going in for one book? What's more, you even know which book you're looking for, and exactly where it is shelved so you'll be in and out so speedy, nothing will be tripping you up today. You know that feeling?

I hate that feeling.

Because I know it's a lie.

I tell myself this all the time, and even trick myself into believing it, but even so, my inner self - the one nestled deep down in my brain, happily munching on popcorn and just waiting to revel in the fall out - knows that it is a complete and utter false belief.

All this is my way of saying that I've given up on the pretense. Having added the sixth book to the pile in the crook of my arm, I have secured myself a table and am sitting here telling the world of my inability to control my book gathering tendencies before I delve into my nice little pile.

• Written Lives - Javier Marías
  
• The Country of the Blind and Other Selected Stories - HG Wells
• A Reading Diary - Alberto Manguel
• Letters from a Nut - Ted L. Nancy
• Should We Burn Babar?: Essays on Children's Literature and the Power of Stories - Herbert Kohl
• 80 Great Poems: From Chaucer to Now - Geoff Page

Once upon a time, about a gazillion years ago (or December last year), my friend Brett rang and give me a rather cryptic instruction: “Be out the front at 5 o’clock. I am kidnapping you...”

And that was all the information I got.

Little did I (or even he) know, but ‘kidnapping’ would soon become a recurring thing for the two of us over the coming months. And each time would be announced only by a time and the mention of kidnapping.

As part of my catch-up-a-thon, I thought I would share some of these kidnapping escapes with you.

The Drive-In

Neither Brett nor I had ever been to the drive in before, and as such it made it to both of our 101/1001 lists. Brett, who is pretty good at surprises, thought it might be nice to ‘kidnap’ me and go to the drive in so we could both cross something off our list. We managed to get all the way there before I realised where we were going, so I think he was pretty pleased with himself.

“Wow! I can hear things!”

All in all, we had a lovely evening, and I’m thinking we shall be frequenting the drive in again in the future.

Shakespeare in the Park

Last year Brett, Bethany and I went to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of Sydney’s annual Shakespeare Festival. It was (and correct me if I’m wrong, Brett) Brett’s first live performance of any Shakespeare. We all really enjoyed it and Brett had been itching to go again ever since. Seeing my opportunity to do some kidnapping of my own, I booked us two tickets to go see The Taming of the Shrew and whisked him away…

Birthday Kidnapping

Since today was my birthday, Brett decided that another kidnapping was in order. Again I was given instructions to be ready at a certain time last night for kidnapping. Again I wasn’t given any clues but he did let it slip that the location could be reached for the starting time within half an hour, so naturally I spent quite some time trying to guess what it could have been. I didn’t guess it and was very glad that I didn’t. I always try to guess, but I prefer a good surprise.

When Studio Ghibli announced that it was producing it’s own adaption of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers, we were both very excited. Myself as a huge fan of the story and lover of children’s books, Brett as a massive Hayao Miyazaki fan. We both very much wanted to see Arrietty but were a little concerned about finding a cinema screening it.

Luckily for us, Brett had discovered that a small mountains cinema, which only airs select films on it’s own weird little schedule, was showing it and so - birthday kidnapping! It was such good choosing on his part, and I heartily recommend you go see it if you can, it was beautiful.