Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Some day, my Nook will come
Yes, we bought a Nook. A Nook, not a Kindle, because Barnes and Noble is a blue company and Amazon is red (based on which politicians they fund), and more significantly, the Nook allows you to download free stuff from the Google Book Project / Project Gutenberg, and we like us some old books. Karen just got done reading Tarzan, Return of Tarzan, She, Return of She (am I getting those titles right? I don’t know! It’s late, I’m tired, you get the idea), and now she’s reading an Emile Zola novel. Oh, and the Nook let’s you loan out ebooks to friends.
We have a Sony ebook reader (that’s what Karen has been using to read the aforementioned books), but I dislike the dark gray text on the light gray background. I want black on white! And no, this is not simply a must-have compulsion for new gadgetry. We don’t own an iPhone. We have an iPod but we don’t use it (I won it at a supermarket, actually). I confess that when I heard about Apple’s upcoming tablet, I was intrigued, but I doubt I’ll get that, either. Knowing Apple, it’ll probably cost $4000.
Sometimes I think I should get some of this newfangled crap just to stay au courant. But then I remember that I have a Twitter account and a Facebook account that I never use. Not that I pay anything for these things, but it disturbs me sometimes to think of the fossilized footprints I’ve left on the web. Do yourself a favor and never google “angstwolf.” Some of those recipes (like the guacamole) are better off forgotten.
I’m going to bed.
D.
PS: Why do I really want a Nook? Because I’m fed up with buying books. Physical space books, that is. I have boxes and boxes of ’em and I don’t want to have even more boxes of ’em.
I need to donate.
We have boxes and boxes of books, too. And long ago ran out of shelving. Which is why I’ve become a regular patron of our local library. I like the feel of a paperback in my hands (full disclosure here: I’ve never read anything on a handheld, so I’m not positive I’d dislike it, but the idea of it doesn’t thrill me). I also regularly request that the library order certain books that I’m looking for, so I’m also supporting the authors in that respect — they still get their royalties (which is a big deal for me, obviously).
(And speaking of libraries, ours will take donations of gently used books. Have you looked into that option for yours?)
We are going to see an explosion of handheld devices – I think the days of the laptop computer are numbered. I took a look at the promo video for the Nook, and it looks impressive. We could sure use one, our house is filled to the brim with books.
The Nook was intriguing, but then I found out it was based on Google’s OS and I decided that Google really doesn’t need to know what I’m reading.
I’m awaiting Apple’s tablet…
I’ll still hold on to my physical books, though. That way, when an EMP attack comes, I’ll still have stuff to read.
Fahrenheit 451.
Yes, I’m repeating myself – free those books! Old age homes (or whatever they call them now – I’m sure there’s a PC term), homeless shelters, detention centers, prisons (info at http://www.ejusa.org.), hospitals, soldiers in the field (several sites assist with this option), maybe B-field has a literacy program?, etc.
There’s a website for people who release books into the wild (aka leave them places for people to pick up). The books are given a unique ID number and the finder can log in to the site http://www.bookcrossing.com and report having found the book. Sounds a wee bit like trainspotting, but less one-sided.
No Kindle for me. I do too much reading on screens at work.
I googled angstwolf!
I googled angstwolf recipes!
Yeah, I hear y’all.
Re: angstwolf, that was my very first web presence, IIRC. Certainly my first “creative outlet” web presence, since doctorhoffman.com* is more of a professional deal and not a creative bit.
*also kind of a fossil, since I never update it and should probably put it into mothballs once and for all, except I still get the occasional email from someone thanking me for the info.