I've always been obsessive about packing for a vacation. I've gotten better lately--generally I pack only a couple of days before rather than a week before--but it still involves a lot of checklists. (I am having a flashback to the episode of Friends where Monica and the gang go to London. Anyone remember the check! check!?)
While I have a generic checklist saved on my computer that I adjust according to where I'm going and the weather of said location (I know, I know), I always have the most trouble figuring out my books--which ones, how many I'll need. This requires more thought, because I'd hate to lug too many books through numerous airports or get stuck without having enough books to read.
Enter the nook. When eReaders first became popular, I thought that they would be the perfect solution to the above problem. I could download as many as I wanted onto the lightweight device and carry it in my purse, rather than lugging three paperbacks or changing books out of my suitcase.
I have to admit, I haven't used my nook very much since getting it for Christmas. Mostly, it's just easier for me to pick up books at the library and read them without worrying about battery life or maneuvering the touchscreen just right to turn the page. So I had to get the nook ready for the Bahamas, too.
My first step was getting a case for it. I thought about making one quick, but because I have yet to conquer the sewing machine and also wanted something a little more durable, I bought one. Before I even had a nook, I coveted this cover, but it wasn't available in the nook color size. So I settled on this one. It has a durable front and back, yet isn't heavy to carry around, and I like that the way the elastic works. It's quick and easy to open and close it.
And then came the fun part: the books. Rather than picking out multiple paperbacks and having Nathan hide them from me before we left so I wouldn't read them beforehand like my mom used to do for me, I pulled out the nook and started browsing B&N's selection. I had a gift card leftover from my birthday to use on ebooks, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy anything (because I'm cheap . . .). I downloaded some free books that I've been meaning to read--Jane Eyre and Great Expectations--but I also wanted some traditional beach reads.
So, rather than buying anything, I went over to my local library's Web site. Ours is one of the many that have started offering a catalog of ebooks, and I'd browsed it before and found a lot of titles that piqued my interest. And the software seemed easy enough to work.
Well, it was easy, as long as you can read and follow directions. That is not my strong suit, however, so I ended up spending an hour trying to manipulate the software to work on my own, and five minutes getting it to work after reading the directions. Lesson learned.
And so, the nook and I were reading to go. And I have to say, after reading on it so much last week, I'm definitely hooked. I loved being able to carry so many books at a time in my purse, and I even took it up to the martini bar with me while Nathan played in the poker tournament. The battery life was great--I charged it every chance I got at the airport, but it didn't even come close to running out. The only con I can see with traveling with it is that you have to turn it off during takeoff and landing, and it takes longer to get to 10,000 feet than you notice otherwise. So, bring a pen and be prepared to do the sudoku or crossword in the on-flight magazine.
Now, you might be wondering which books I downloaded onto my nook. Check back tomorrow for my full review(s).
While I have a generic checklist saved on my computer that I adjust according to where I'm going and the weather of said location (I know, I know), I always have the most trouble figuring out my books--which ones, how many I'll need. This requires more thought, because I'd hate to lug too many books through numerous airports or get stuck without having enough books to read.
Enter the nook. When eReaders first became popular, I thought that they would be the perfect solution to the above problem. I could download as many as I wanted onto the lightweight device and carry it in my purse, rather than lugging three paperbacks or changing books out of my suitcase.
I have to admit, I haven't used my nook very much since getting it for Christmas. Mostly, it's just easier for me to pick up books at the library and read them without worrying about battery life or maneuvering the touchscreen just right to turn the page. So I had to get the nook ready for the Bahamas, too.
My first step was getting a case for it. I thought about making one quick, but because I have yet to conquer the sewing machine and also wanted something a little more durable, I bought one. Before I even had a nook, I coveted this cover, but it wasn't available in the nook color size. So I settled on this one. It has a durable front and back, yet isn't heavy to carry around, and I like that the way the elastic works. It's quick and easy to open and close it.
And then came the fun part: the books. Rather than picking out multiple paperbacks and having Nathan hide them from me before we left so I wouldn't read them beforehand like my mom used to do for me, I pulled out the nook and started browsing B&N's selection. I had a gift card leftover from my birthday to use on ebooks, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy anything (because I'm cheap . . .). I downloaded some free books that I've been meaning to read--Jane Eyre and Great Expectations--but I also wanted some traditional beach reads.
So, rather than buying anything, I went over to my local library's Web site. Ours is one of the many that have started offering a catalog of ebooks, and I'd browsed it before and found a lot of titles that piqued my interest. And the software seemed easy enough to work.
Well, it was easy, as long as you can read and follow directions. That is not my strong suit, however, so I ended up spending an hour trying to manipulate the software to work on my own, and five minutes getting it to work after reading the directions. Lesson learned.
And so, the nook and I were reading to go. And I have to say, after reading on it so much last week, I'm definitely hooked. I loved being able to carry so many books at a time in my purse, and I even took it up to the martini bar with me while Nathan played in the poker tournament. The battery life was great--I charged it every chance I got at the airport, but it didn't even come close to running out. The only con I can see with traveling with it is that you have to turn it off during takeoff and landing, and it takes longer to get to 10,000 feet than you notice otherwise. So, bring a pen and be prepared to do the sudoku or crossword in the on-flight magazine.
Now, you might be wondering which books I downloaded onto my nook. Check back tomorrow for my full review(s).
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