The Magic Words and my Kindle

My birthday was last week and I just have to tell you about a gift that I wanted but really didn't think I needed. For about ten months I kept coming up with reasons why I didn't need it, why it wouldn't work for me, blah, blah, blah. One night out to dinner with our friends, Dan & Julie, changed all that. After we were seated at our table, Julie asked me if I had a Kindle.Both husbands said, "What's that?"

She went on to explain what it was and how it worked. Of course I'd see Oprah going on and on about hers on her show before Christmas, but I didn't hear any "magic words" that made me fall in love and have to have it. But when Julie said those six magic words, that was it!

What was magic to me? These simple words were: "It can even read to you." What? Something that can read to me so I can "read" while I'm supposed to be cleaning my closet? Read to me when I'm supposed to be cooking dinner (or in my case, assembling food)? Read to me when I'm driving? I don't have to put my book down?

I am never without a book. I'm usually reading several self-help books - latest journey has been into feng shui - several magazines, a great fiction book to escape and I repeat this recipe daily. I won the reading contest in second grade with 200 books (and got good grades!)
Our town has a boutique version of a big-chain store and I'm forever dashing over there for the lastest book I can't live without, often to find that they don't have it in stock. So I get on my computer and order it from Amazon and then wait for it to be delivered. Don't get me wrong, I love getting my deliveries from Amazon, but the passion of the moment when I decide I can't live without "this book" sort of dissipates while waiting for the UPS truck.

So, enter my wonderful husband, the best gift giver in the world - mention something once in passing and the next thing you know, you're unwrapping it - and combine this with my birthday and you guessed it, I got my very own Kindle! I couldn't wait for it to charge to 100% to dive right in. So I plugged it in and discovered for myself how truly great this gift was. I clicked the "Menu" button and went to the Kindle store. I searched for a book that was on my "to read" list and downloaded a free "sample" of the book and within seconds, the sample was waiting for me on my "Home" page. It was just like picking it up off the bookshelf and reading the first chapter! At the end of the sample, I clicked the "Buy Now" and in seconds, my book was ready and waiting on my Kindleat 32% off the regular paperback price - around $4.95. But the best feature, the "magic words", I just had to try out.

After being fully charged in a remarkably short amount of time, I went upstairs to get ready for bed. I pulled up my new book on my Kindle, pressed the "Menu" button, scrolled to the very bottom of the menu, then pressed the "Magic" button - "Start Text-to-Speech". And my Kindlestarted reading my book to me while I washed my face, put on my PJ's, brushed my teeth, picked up the bathroom, and as I got under the covers, I knew I was hooked forever! I can "get my nose out of my book" long enough to get on with my life because my Kindleallows me to read while doing my life. I can even listen with headphones.

The next day I was reading the paper and came across an article for a book I just couldn't live without. I went onto the author's website and he had a link to Amazon. I clicked on the link and there it was - this little box that said "Start reading this book on your Kindlein under a minute". I grabbed my Kindle,downloaded the book in seconds, and my Kindlewas reading it to me as I got on with my life!

Thank you, my wonderful husband, for gifting me with the ability to read and get on with my life at the same time!

P.S. They just came out with a larger version you can pre-order for summer delivery, the Kindle DXwith a 9.7" diagonal screen, that is perfect for downloading and storing textbooks. As my son starts college this fall, how wonderful it would be to have all his textbooks stored in a Kindle DX. So even when he doesn't feel like studying, he can turn on the "Text to Speech", put in his headphones, and get on with his daily routine, all the while studying away. Do I see straight "A's" in his future? A mom can only dream - and get him a Kindle DXto make it a real possibility!