You can't download them from a variety of sellers, only bn.com. You can lend a book out for two weeks though, but only once.

On the Nook you can actually share books with people right? And you can download books from a variety of sellers? I also feel guilty for buying books from Amazon instead of independent bookstores

Jamie, you should get nook instead... lol. Though they aren't shipping out until Feb 1 now. But they are a little different and you can get around 500,000 books for free (anything on Google books). (Can you tell I've been trying to sell these for a while now?)

Having a Kindle is super nice for traveling and I also use it a lot for books I am a little questionable about because if I don't like it I won't be taking up any space on my shelf. I do miss being able to share books though, I always feel guilty when telling a friend about a great book but being unable to loan it out because it was on my Kindle. Also as Matthew said you don't need to justify a gift...they are supposed to be frivolous and not completely necessary.

You make a very good point! Haha

Well, that would be the purpose of gifts; things you can't justify owning. "Don't blame me! My stepdad got it for me."

That's how I feel. The only reason I'd want one is that it would be nice for vacations so that I wouldn't have to bring a huge stack of books. I mean, I always have a book in my purse, so I feel like I'd only use it when I'm going away. I'm not sure if that justifies getting one.

I for one could not forgo the feeling of a book in my hands

My stepdad said he would buy me a Kindle for Christmas if I wanted it. I really want it because I love the idea. However, I'm the type of person that I like getting books for cheap at used bookstores or online and after I've read them I like to put them on Paperbackswap unless they are my absolute favorite and I'll read them again. That is the only reason I do not want a Kindle..I don't want to have to buy books that I might not really like and then they are just there and I can't swap them out!

Someone..advise me! lol

Tami, that was what my grad school asked for, though they accepted them if they were just mailed in. Though, when I applied for scholarships from the ALA, they asked for e-mail addresses so they could send the recommending professors (or whoever) for their recommendations. Although they sent them in and it still hasn't said they've gotten it...

I was just wondering, has anyone else applied for a Master's degree? The school up the road that I have to go to for mine needs 3 letters of recommendation along with the application. Just found out they want the name and email address of the people that will write them, and they send an email to that person requesting it. Does that sound odd to anyone else?

I can only guess that they do that so people don't write out their own, but still, it seems rude to just sic some school onto people. I guess I will just ask everyone if it is okay that they receive this request through email. Kind of give them a warning it is coming!

Hahahaha, guys, ye HAVE to check this out! It'll give ye a laugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8C7ZTbsF...

You'll have to prove you're 18, but it's not a vulgar video..(although it is a bit rude), it's just really funny!

Didn't you know anything over 2 years old is "Vintage" to those under or around 16? :)

I felt old when I was listening to a Beacon Street Girls book (I work at that company) and one of the characters mentioned "vintage hip-hop." I was thinking, what would that even be? And then they mentioned Salt 'n Peppa, Ice T and some other fairly recent artist that was around while I was growing up in the 90s. Seriously, what the hell. lol

What I would give for someone to mistake me for being something older than 15! lol. I'm 24 and I look like I'm 12. lol

I officially feel old. Today I stopped at the store to pick something up and noticed that they had those chocolate Christmas countdown calendars. I love those. So I decided to get one. When I went to buy it the cashier asked if I had a "little one" at home. Ouch. I'm only 20 and I've always been told I look young for my age, but apparently not today. I blame it on crunch week.

I have some Jahovah's Witnesses as customers and they always come in for lunch when they are on their adventures and were always really nice and non-secular (the only way I knew they were JW is because one of the kids was in my brothers class). But one day they have this other person with them and while I turn around the make her sandwich she starts talking to me about their religion. I answer with a lot of uh-huhs trying not to offend or encourage her, but then when I turn around to give her her food she gives me a pamphlet and tries to make me read it right then in case I have any questions.

I had a former missionary for the LDS church that I used to work with. He would invite the Jahovah's Witness missionaries in and listen to them, if they would in turn listen to him. Usually they declined. He said once he had someone accept though.

When it comes to things like that though, SBG, you only have to SEEM like you know what you're doing haha.

Really? I didn't think so. I felt very unsure and as I said, flustered and flabbergasted. All I could say is "we're Christians ... we have Bibles ... no thanks ..." is about it, said something along those lines a couple times.


And lots of people have Bibles ... it doesn't always mean anything. Heck, I have three I think. Does it mean I read everyday? No, unfortunately, it doesn't. I so don't always know what I'm doing. XD

SBG, like Tahleen said. "We have Bibles." That's funny, and it certainly got the point across! :)

Mathew. Yup. I imagine that mention of animal sacrifice would be very effective. lol.

Jamie wrote: "Yeah, that's type of door to door I find ineffective..too pushy does not resonate well with me. How does your religion approach the door to door? (Ps. I hope I didn't offend you with my statement..as far as door to door all I've ever seen is the pushy type and that to me is terrible ineffective) "

Oh not at all! I can understand where you are coming from. If it's not done with the right attitude, it's not going to be effective.

With my religion they go door to door, or tracting as they call it. They'll knock on the door and they have a message, "We are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we have a message we'd like to share with you." If the people are interested they have pamphlets to give them, or they set up a time to come back and teach them more about our religion. If they aren't interested, they leave. I've actually been out "tracting" with some of our missionaries before, they were teaching a girl who lives near me and wanted me to come with so that when she came to church she'd know someone. It was really pretty cool.

Matthew that is awesome. You're my hero of the day.

And SBG, that's pretty funny. "We have Bibles." I think that's a good way to let them know you're all set, honestly. It implies that you know what you're doing.

Kimberly wrote: "Well I think the going door to door is effective, thought I know I'm totally biased because my religion is known for that. But we've had other people from other religions come to our door to try an..."

Yeah, that's type of door to door I find ineffective..too pushy does not resonate well with me. How does your religion approach the door to door? (Ps. I hope I didn't offend you with my statement..as far as door to door all I've ever seen is the pushy type and that to me is terrible ineffective)

Of course they were men, if they were girls I probably would've come up with a different scheme. Perhaps an animal sacrifice reference casually dropped during conversation.

lol. At least tell me they were men? And not some poor girls?

I admit, crossing my legs may have been a little too much.

btw Matthew, that's hilarious. I've had friends serve as missionaries and they've come home with stories of encountering people like you. hehe.

Well I think the going door to door is effective, thought I know I'm totally biased because my religion is known for that. But we've had other people from other religions come to our door to try and give us handouts. I try to be nice, because I understand that they just want to share something they really care about, but it's annoying when they get pushy. We had some Jehovah's Witnesses (if you belong to this religion, I don't mean to offend at all!) we told them we weren't interested (We even had a bunch of guests over for a party at that time) they stuck their foot in the door when we tried to close it and tried to push their way into our house! Now that is too pushy! But I guess they were just enthusiastic. :)

I made sure that some stopped coming to my house by inviting them in for tea, listening to them intently, and asking them questions...all while wearing a towel. I've since watched them deliberately skip me over.

Yeah, it is always awkward. You don't want to be rude but you don't want to sound overly enthusiastic because then they might try and talk to you for longer than you'd like.

Yeah, I was just petrified and didn't know what to say. I felt I'd be rude if I didn't at least take the tract thing but I wouldn't've looked at it anyhow.

There is something that really irritates me about people coming to my door to give me things like that. I don't care what religion is doing it. I'm a Christian and even if Christians came up to my door to try and witness to me..I'd really be annoyed. I just don't think it's a very effective way to try and share your religion/faith/beliefs with somebody.

Idk..I'm sure others will disagree..and that's fine. It's just something personally that doesn't sit well with me.

Some ladies giving out tracts came to our door. I was so confused ... at first I thought they were delivering flowers 'cause my dad buys flowers for my mom like every two weeks or month or something.

I was like "um, no thanks ... we're Christians, we've got Bibles ..." I wasn't sure if they were like Jehovah's Witness's or what. All I know is I sounded like an idiot. XD
There were so many other things I could've said, so many other ways to put that I already have a relationship with God and all and the best I could come up with was "we're Christians, I have a Bible" (because, apparently, just owning a Bible somehow makes you a Christian/means you have a relationship with Him? lol fail on my part).
And they were like "could we leave this with you anyways, it's got explanations for why there's suffering in the world and Bible verses to go along with it" and I was like "no, thanks," and they said alright and left.

...
I was so flabbergasted.

My poor sister. When I worked at Rite Aid back in the day, we needed help for the season. Her first day was Black Friday and she had about 15 minutes of someone helping her learn the register, then she was on her own.

I like that day. I liked being way too busy to do anything.

haha yes..especially a day of doom if you work retail. You know, in some stores the workers were frazzled and rude but I was really impressed with the PacSun outlet. THere was a huge line wrapped around the whole store and you couldn't move but they were sooo helpful when I was trying to find something for my little sister and they were super friendly and having fun. The one guy kept coming up with a big bucket of candy for all the people in line. They were having so much fun there.

Kimberly, I didn't know that's why it was called Black Friday. I thought it was because it was like a day of doom :P

Thanks Kimberly. Holy crap!

I'm listening to a Ludovico Einaudi song, it's so beautiful, I've listened to it like 50 times in a row!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmxFAT581...

Great explanation! I'm glad you fielded that question. Your answer is perfect.

The outlets that we went to opened at midnight. It was just insanity. People were double parking people in, parking on curbs, making parking spots everywhere and anywhere, and actually parking on the nearest highway and walking down. It was ridiculous. Good thing we got there early to get a real spot!

Roisu wrote: "Jamie, what's Black Friday?"

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. The stores always open super early and have really good sales. They are notorious for having mad rushes of people. The stores will often open at 4 in the morning, and people will camp outside all night to make sure they are the first ones in the store.

The reason it is called Black Friday is because it is the first day that the store's income goes out of the red (meaning that they are losing money) and into goes into the black, meaning that they are making money.

Jamie, what's Black Friday?

My Thanksgiving was great! I spent the weekend down at my Grandparents house. It was a small dinner compared to other years, we only had nine of us, but it was still great!

Tahleen, I'm glad you liked the cookies!

My Thanksgiving was ok. I went to my boyfriend's family for the first time. So I know what you mean, Jamie. I spent most of the time working on a paper though. Kinda sucked.

Roisu, Not a problem. I hope that helped.

My Thanksgiving was great. We ended up with 4 people coming for dinner and 2 more joined after dinner for desert and games. We played the game apples to apples and for the last 1/2 hour or so there was a 6 year old helping people, and one of our guests had to explain to her how handcuffs could be sultry (he explained that sultry can mean hot and sweaty and how people are probably pretty nervous when they get handcuffed by the police so that might make them sweat) it was hilarious.

Thanks a million for explaining, Lori! :-)

Mine was good! It's funny going to a Thanksgiving that is not your own family. First, it's just bizarre because you are used to your own food and your own traditions. For instance, my boyfriends family never watches the Macy's day parade. They all think I'm weird for sure because I am so insistent on watching it. Secondly, it's just funny when you don't really understand all the extended family dynamics and who doesn't like who. It's awkward but funny.

But it was good. And we were crazy and went out Black Friday shopping. We were so tempted to buy a tv. lol.

My Thanksgiving was pretty good. Good food. Once the entire family got to my grandparents' house, we lasted 20 minutes before someone said something snippy. I didn't go shopping on Friday. I did homework. And then I almost lost tree decorating privileges because my mom felt I had a bad attitude. Of course, she overlooked the fact that she caused my bad attitude and my dad's bad attitude when they were hanging the outside lights.

How was your Thanksgiving? I know you spent it with the boy.

Roisu, Back when the Pilgrims first landed in America in 16something or other (maybe 1624?) they had a really hard time because the land and crops in America were different. A bunch of them died. They befriended the Indians, who showed them how to plant food. After the harvest they decided to have a special meal in thanksgiving of their good fortune. It wasn't really a big huge national holiday until the 1900s, although maybe it was observed by people (I don't know).

The story, of course, ignores what happens next (the death of many Indians from disease, etc and then shipping them off to the shittiest bits of real estate, ie Oklahoma), but that's revisionist history for you.

However, I'd say that nowadays, most people don't really focus on the true meaning behind Thanksgiving and they focus on stuffing their faces, watching the Macy's parade, and all of the football games.

I have some vague idea about what Thanksgiving is, but I don't really know...what is it? What do ye celebrate?