Love of Reading

Got my son a kindle for Christmas.  I saved up my swagbucks so I got a good deal.  I used to tell the kids that Santa didn't bring electronics because the elves couldn't make them but now that they are teens, that story doesn't fly anymore!  They do still get Santa gifts, as long as they still believe!  My daughter had trouble with this until my son said, " You'll get one less gift unless you tell mom you still believe in Santa!" She decided letting me play Santa was a small price to pay for one extra gift!

I didn't know what to think about the Kindle at first.  I thought I would never want one and would resist not having a book in  my  hand.  Until I got his and began to play with it!  Man, could I really use that!  And there are so many classics that are free to download that I could read and re-read.  I'll never give up my old fashioned books but I can see how this new technology is going to quickly overtake the market.  I usually don't go anywhere without a book in my purse.  With a Kindle, I could take a library with me!

I also realized this semester that my k12 kids can download my class book on their e-reader device!  Textbook companies beware! Soon you won't get away with charging over one hundred dollars for a book that will be out of date tomorrow, it will be available to download for twenty-five!  I really believe this is going to revolutionize the textbook industry.  When I was a Chemistry major in college, I remember lugging around a backpack full of books.  Organic chemistry class had three different textbooks along with various notebooks and that was just one class!  If I had a Kindle back in the eighties, that would have been sweet and my back probably wouldn't be out-of-wack today! 

I don't always jump on the bandwagon for new products.  Just because it's new technology doesn't mean it's better than what's out there.  I don't own every new kitchen gadget because, quite honestly, sometimes those new gadgets are actually harder to work and clean than doing it by hand.  I teach in physical science that a machine is supposed to make your work easier, but many of the new gadgets do the opposite.  Not so with these new reading devices. I've been really surprised.  I look at his Kindle with envy. I want one!

I'm pretty sure the next Amazon swagbucks are going to buy me a Kindle!  I love reading and so do my kids so anything that gets them and me to read more I'm all for!