Friday, September 19, 2014

Overheard

While we were in the car today DF started a conversation.

DF: When there is a . . . skeleton, can you clean up all the yucky stuff?
Me: I'm sorry, what?
DF: You know, all the yucky stuff.  Around the tummy.
Me: (pause) So, just clean the stuff away so that only the bones are there?
DF: Yes.
Me: Sure. 
DF: (after a moment of thought) If someone dies at our house, I think we should clean them until they're just bones. 

Notice to any future guests, in the event of your untimely demise at our humble abode, don't worry.  We have a plan in place.

Monday, September 08, 2014

Kindle News

I got my Kindle a little more than four years ago.  I've been very happy with it.  Very.  In those years, I've downloaded more than 100 books onto the device.  The Kindle has been great for my Great Books project, as it's let me make notes in my books guilt free.  It's been a great deal.  (And yes, I still read bound books.  I go back and forth quite easily.)
A couple of weeks ago I ran into a problem.  The batter life was sharply decreased.  It used to be that I'd charge it about once every three weeks or so.  More often if I was using it more, but that only makes sense.  Then something changed it needed to be charged every few days.  Not so good.  The one big downside with the Kindle, in comparison to a physical book, is that if you run out of juice, you can't read from it.  That's not a risk if you're charging once or twice a month.  But the math changes if you need it to happen every other day.  (And besides, the leather cover is starting come apart.)
Well, I thought, the thing is more than four years old.  And I bought it used.  If it was time to replace it, I couldn't really complain about the longevity, could I?  I started talking with the FP Gal and started looking at prices.  They're not that expensive.  Even if you buy a new leather cover!
And then I fixed it.  Or it fixed itself somehow.  I drained the battery out and let it charge overnight and voila!, the charge pattern seemed back to normal.  Good deal, I decided.  I'd just stick with it and hope that no real problems occured.
And then the FP Gal ruined it all.  This weekend she found a Kindle Touch at a garage sale for an excellent price.  She's been thinking of getting one for herself and now she could.  And did.  It's a pretty device.  I don't know if it's better or worse than mine, but I'm still jealous.

To make a long story short (too late!), I just pulled the trigger on a new Kindle for myself.