Ahenry wrote: "I am around chapter 5 right now (Dave continues to have a hard time at night, and I can't read past 12, and I am busy sewing till 11-11:30). I thought I would cry when I had to put it down last ni..."

I know! Patch is super scary and bad! One of the reasons I like him, I think. That's not to say that I don't love the good guys too! My admiration for my precious Po and Jenn's Miach is evidence of that. Patch is just one of the bad boys I feel for. :)

Heheheheh. Yeah, the books with deadlines always come first...

Julie, I like the Kindle, but like Sans, I find that I just really love having a book in my hand and seeing the pages and looking at my book marker and knowing whether I am 1/2 through or 2/3 through or almost finished. That is hard to tell on a Kindle and my compulsive side missed that.

Reading at length did not present a problem for my eyes or with headaches.

I think the biggest setback with the Kindle for me was the going back to the library. It's free. Other than that, I buy all my books through Amazon and find the Kindle prices comparable to paperback prices, which is the only kind of book I'll buy for the house. Hardbacks and mass paperbacks take up too much room in my shelves. So far, I haven't been able to give the Kindle a fair shake, but I think I will really try when it's my turn to have it back. No matter how many library books I have at home that are due! :)

I know! Books are getting crazy expensive. I have mass markets that I bought 10 years ago and the cover price is $2.50. The same book, reprinted, is $7.99 now. And I never buy hardcovers unless they're YA books now, for the same reason. That's where the e-readers come in handy. You can get a bestseller that's only available in hardback for $10-12. And you don't have to deal with the dust cover and the bulk of hardbacks.

Oh, wow. It never hit me quite so strongly before, but I just got to thinking how utterly ridiculous it is to have to pay THIRTY DOLLARS for a hardcover book. That's just highway robbery. I guess I'm lucky that I only seem to bother with new releases in YA, which are more like 17.99 even in hardcover. Ack.

Hmmm. The Nook has the same type of screen - e-ink, or e-paper, I forget what they call it - not backlit, so it shouldn't cause eye strain like a computer screen.

The books are priced differently for the Nook as well. I noticed a while back that Barnes and Noble dropped their new releases to 9.99 for ebooks, and then Amazon had to do it too to stay competitive (at least it appeared B&N was first, I could be wrong). That's less than half the price for a hardcover new release - those are climbing close to 30 bucks these days (sometimes more, like the big bio on Ted Kennedy, which is 35). Other books are like you said, maybe 10-25% cheaper. There are also lots of classics you can get for free because they are in public domain. I can see how it would be really cost effective for someone who runs out and buys lots of hardcovers all the time, but I'm not sure how it works out for someone who buys most of their books as cheaply as possible, at yard sales, secondhand stores, and places like half.com, etc.

Actually, the screens on the Kindle (can't speak for the Nook) are not like computer screens at all. The words look like words printed on a page, not like pixels. It's quite comfortable to read on, even after I've been staring at a computer all day.

Julie, I do enjoy the Kindle, but nothing can replace holding a book for me. One of my main complaints is having to be delicate with it. I do keep my books in good shape, but I don't care that much if they get banged around in my bag or luggage.

It's pretty much the same weight as a regular paperback and it keeps your place in multiple books. I love it for traveling. I usually pack 4-5 books for each trip I go on, but I can also just take the Kindle and have more options at my fingertips.

Kindle book prices are usually 10-25% cheaper than printed books (with the exception being mass markets - some are marked down, some are the same cost). Again, I can't speak for the Nook. This has come in handy when Jen and I are interested in a book but don't want to pay $17 for a copy. We usually get them for $10-12 instead.

I'm happy we have the Kindle but I still buy a lot of printed books. If it's a question of expense, I'd base it on how many books you usually buy in a month and how much traveling you do.

I know that I could never get an e-reader. I start to get headaches from reading online too much, and with a history of seizures, I don't want to push anything that feels funny like that. Whenever something is online, I have to print it out if it is more than a page or so. I think an e-reader would be similar.

One cool thing that makes me wish I could, though, is that it apparently reads sheet music too. So, if you play piano like me and my girls, it is super cool. Our piano teacher wants one just so she doesn't have to flip pages while playing (apparently it is just a quick touch of a button).

Ok, a question I have wanted to ask everyone:

Opinions on e-readers?

I know Sans and...JennAY I think? are sharing a Kindle. What do you think of it? Do you miss holding an actual book while you're reading it?

I have been doing a lot of looking into Kindle and Barnes and Noble's new nook reader... leaning toward the nook actually. But I don't know if there's a point in me making the leap yet. (I have seen both of Sony's eReader models in person and didn't like them.)

I did have a weird experience recently.... I just read Envy (from the Luxe series) and I have a hardcover edition. As I was reading it I kept thinking, jeez, this is kind of heavy and hard to hold comfortably... I kinda wish I could be reading this on an e-reader. I also kept running into words I'd like to look up and thinking how I could do that on an e-reader, too. (Yup, too lazy to get up to find an actual dictionary or even go to dictionary.com!)

The biggest drawback for me right now is price. The cost of the reader itself, plus the cost of the books. I am a used-bookstore, bag-day-sale sort of book buyer for the most part, and it is a major drawback to me that there are no bag day sales for ebooks! :( At least with the nook they let you lend the books to other nook users, but I will guarantee that I won't know anyone who has one.

Any thoughts?

I am around chapter 5 right now (Dave continues to have a hard time at night, and I can't read past 12, and I am busy sewing till 11-11:30). I thought I would cry when I had to put it down last night.

V, I find Patch very hot, but he also is scary as h*ll.

Awwwww, thanks for the update, Viola. :D I'm sure it's beautiful!

Aaaaaaaaaaack, I was going to avoid Hush, Hush because I read a bad review of it somewhere on Goodreads but I trust you girls over anyone else on Goodreads. So I guess I'll have to give it a shot now... heheheh. I think we only have one copy of it at work though, so I'll probably wait for the library.

Melis, I'm sorry to hear about your hair, but I'm sure that Viola is right and that your hair is still very, very pretty. I have long hair, and am pretty particular about cuts, so I know how it feel when the stylist cuts it a way you do not like. It's almost traumatic! :( I hope it grows out fast or that you get a cut to make the style more to your liking!

I'm sure you still look very pretty! :)

I'm one of the few that didn't LOVE Hush, Hush, but I know I'm in the minority here. I didn't hate it though! :)

Just for the record, in regards to Melis's hair...

it looks lovely. It truly does.

It is much shorter as her hair was very long before the cut. It's still long, but the stylist didn't just trim it as our dear Melis requested. Still, after the hard work and time she put into styling it today, Melis has pretty, pretty hair. :)

Just didn't want any of you to worry. :)

Melis, I would love it if you could mail me the ARC. Do you still have my address? Let me know if you don't.

V-
No I try to avoid the reviews past "I loved this book" because I don't want to be spoiled. But I think I was even hooked in the freaking prologue of this one. I CANNOT wait to read it tonight.

Lisa -

I have the ARC copy and I would be happy to amil it to you if want. And Viola is right.....I LOVED this book! It was very hard to put down.

Man! Another book my library doesn't have. I thought it funny that Amazon connected it to one of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument books. You know how they say if you buy this book with this one you can save????? That's what they did. They also had video preview of the book. No talking just music and words on the screen. So many books so little time.

Angie, I went NUTS for Hush, Hush! Did you see my review??? Melis loved it too. I hate the name Patch, but I'm still totally hot for him. Enjoy!

Okay, it is a book called Hush, Hush and I started it last night at 11:30 (stupid, stupid, stupid) and made myself stop reading at 12. I would have read through the night, but my DH has sleep disorders and they have been acting up recently, so I wanted to turn the lights out "early". But man, those first couple chapters were awesome.

Spill Angie. We're waiting and I'm not good at waiting. Impatient is my middle name. :) Has anyone else read it?

No teasing, Angie! What is it????

Okay, you know how a few books will draw you in from the first couple chapters and you KNOW you will love them. (Happened with HP and Twilight for me, and to a lesser extent City of Bones). Well, I have those tingles right now. I don't want to say which book in case I end up hating it, but it had me after the first chapter.

Perhaps when I see you tomorrow I should bring a photo of me with my Brenda Walsh hairdo. It was BAD! Crazy bangs!

Thanks Lisa and Viola...I don't feel so alone now...And I'm sure you're right, after a couple of weeks I'll feel better about it. Hopefully! But right now I just feel like I have two haircuts. One that stops above my shoulders and another one that goes about 3 inches further.

I can say this though, at least I don't have triangle bangs to go along with the rest of the cut :)

Yes, I can attest that Melis does have very long beautiful hair. It has that nice natural wave I always tried to achieve with a gazillion perms back in the day. No such luck for me!

Melis, I'm sure it doesn't look too bad. Do I need to come and see you to prove it?!!? I will! I have to come in anyway because I've been restricted again! Geesh!

In college, I had hair all one length down to the middle of my back, and I decided I wanted bangs, but they cut them in a triangle instead of straight across, and I freaked out and cried my head off because I thought I looked like Brenda Walsh from 90210!

A year or so ago, I died my hair at home, and it looked dark brown with a reddish tint. Like crayon red. It was bad!!!!!

I've had my hair crazy too, and like you said, it's just hair, but I've cried too. When I've really hated it, it always seems better in about two weeks. Hang in there! I'm sure it isn't that bad! I'm going to come and see it.

Melis, I've even gotten upset with beauticians for messing up my daughter's hair. She now has it all one length. They did a horrible job with her bangs. I asked it be just trimmed and the lady decided that meant she could change the amount of bangs she had. Have you ever seen the triangular cut for bangs? It is not pretty. When I complained the lady said that was the way she'd been taught. Consequently, I have had my hair cut the same way for years because the last person who cut it did a horrible job. My hair is all one length except for a thin line of bangs. I give very specific instructions before I let anyone cut it and have never had the courage to change it since. :(

I feel for you.

So, I just have to vent a little bit and say that I got my hair cut yesterday and it was bad! I have really long hair, Viola can attest to that and this girl goes and puts in all these really short layers...it's so not good. I know in the scheme of things it's not a big deal, my hair will grow but I cried yesterday and today while I was fixing it. I'm just curious, am I the only one who's done this? Cried for days over a haircut?

*big, long sigh*

Not only that but it was done by my new boyfriends friend. I'm trying not to be annoyed at him as he's the one who talked me into it but I just don't know what to think. I feel like it's rude not to go back to her as she'll know that I didn't like it and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but I don't think I'll be able to do it. And to top it off it's my birthday soon and christmas time so lots of photos.

Okay, I'm done with my rant. I feel a little better now. Thanks for listening :)

Yup, we're maybe 20 mins from Corning, but the baseball museum (in Cooperstown) is at least an hour from here (North).

Julie Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ wrote: "Oh, farther down, uhhh, near Elmira? If you take the flat part of NY state, find the middle of the flat part and put your finger about 1/2 an inch above the border with PA, that's where we are! :) ..."

ah, your in the middle part. I think we were planing on a visit to corning factory which is near you and I think there are some baseball museums too.

Ahenry wrote: "The peppermint chip milkshakes at Chick-fil-a were CLEARLY sent to me by Satan in an attempt to make me gluttonously fat. Must...avoid...all...Chick-fil-a...restaurants."

that's how I felt about Star buck's Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino with Chocolate Whipped Cream
..I swear they add some addictive ingredient like crack so you have to keep going back and getting more.

Oh, farther down, uhhh, near Elmira? If you take the flat part of NY state, find the middle of the flat part and put your finger about 1/2 an inch above the border with PA, that's where we are! :) There are a lot of Tim Horton's in Upstate NY, but there isn't one where I am.

I live in NC so I have Sonics, and Chick-fil-A,
but one thing I don't have that I wish we did is a Tim Horton's! You northerners are so lucky.


which part of upstate Ny Julie? I'm originally from the Buffalo area

We don't have Chick-fil-A or Sonic here in Upstate NY either. Well, I've seen a Chick-fil-A before, just not anywhere around where I live... but the first Sonic I ever went to was on a trip to North Carolina.

I lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve Shamrock shakes.

Also, I want to cry because Taco Bell has stopped making Blackjack Tacos.

Ahenry wrote: "They just started making them in a smaller size around here. Thank God!"
LMFAO

sorry I don't know why but i just felt like laughing really hard...I may be overtired

Not better than Shamrock shakes, but on par. Definitely.

And totally agree with you Ang, abstinence is the best policy for me. My addictive nature couldn't handle just getting one. LOL

They just started making them in a smaller size around here. Thank God!

I'll have to get a couple to split them amongst the kids and me. Luckily, when it comes to CFA shakes I can't drink a whole one or I'll get a tummy ache. Too rich for me.

We don't have a Chick-fil-a or a Sonic here in Seattle. I think we might be missing something good.

I do get the Chick-fil-a calendar every year and that is somethin good! Nothin like cows dressed as Tubs and Cocket!

I don't know what they are but let me tell you about these.

First, I love CFA milkshakes even more than the ones you get at locally owned milkshake places. So they take that yummy goodness and add peppermint flavoring. Then there are these teeny flakes of chocolate chips and peppermint candies. So you drink it like a milkshake, but then there are moments of crunchy goodness in between. It was amazing!

But....now I want to try one... Darn! I didn't know about them till you said something. Are they better than Shamrock shakes?

Abstinence is the best policy, cause once you've done it once...

Ahenry wrote: "The peppermint chip milkshakes at Chick-fil-a were CLEARLY sent to me by Satan in an attempt to make me gluttonously fat. Must...avoid...all...Chick-fil-a...restaurants."

My roommate and I had this exact same thought. There's a Chick-fil-a on the corner right by us. We have banished the evil and stayed the course so far.

The peppermint chip milkshakes at Chick-fil-a were CLEARLY sent to me by Satan in an attempt to make me gluttonously fat. Must...avoid...all...Chick-fil-a...restaurants.

LOL Maybe you'll start a trend.

It started hurting bad last night, but I took three motrin and babied it. Today it feels better, but we'll see how it holds up after activity.

On a weird note, my toothbrush apparently was touching the soap last night because now my breath is not only pleasantly minty, but has a hint of lavendar...

Hope it gets better on it's own,but sounds questionable. The seeing stars doesn't sound good.:(

Oh man, I could almost hear it when I read your description... aaaaaaaaaaack! I hope you're doing better and/or visiting the doctor!

Uh-oh. Fingers crossed, but I did that with my knee. I left it alone for years and it got steadily worse until I had to have surgery on it to remove the torn cartilage.

So, I went to the grocery store and reached around to get the case of soda from the bottom of the cart and heard this ripping sound from my elbow and felt shooting pain. It didn't last long, and I think it will be okay, but a couple of times in the last hour, I moved in such a way that I saw stars.

I have weird cartelidge (carteledge?) as it is. Had issues before where I needed to wear slings and stabilizers for wrists and thumbs in the past and my knee has given out on me from time to time since I was a kid. I am just hoping this doesn't warrant a doctor visit. :(

Back to work tomorrow. BOOOOO!!! Hope everyone had a great holiday too!