Amazon.com

Yesterday I mentioned Kindle, Amazon.com's book reading device. You can download almost any book on this lightweight wireless device in about a minute, and also get newspapers, magazines, and even blogs on it! Kindle has a built-in dictionary (for convenience during reading!) and access to Wikipedia. It's really pretty remarkable, and for people without enough storage space for all their books, it's a nice solution. I'd like to see Kindle feature color fonts and graphics in the future. Amazon.com has always been on the cutting edge. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, it has become an icon of internet businesses. I remember first hearing about Amazon at a class I took about writing books for children, over a decade ago, and wondering about it (again, I was behind the times a bit). Back then, it only sold books and music, I think. Now you can get almost anything and everything on Amazon. It is huge. You can also sell and review products on Amazon. (I sell some books, new and used, and also write reviews for books and other products as well.) It 's a great way to express your views and perhaps help someone else make a decision about buying something. I see Amazon as the starting point of the revolution in shopping. It works because it's easy, convenient, and absolutely brilliant. Who would've thought we'd be able to shop by computer?

Memorial Day Weekend

Greetings!  Today I went to the Padres game (they won after 18 innings!) and later to see friends and family at the beach, so I'm getting to my blog on the late side.   It's been a lovely Memorial Day weekend so far, with a mix of clouds and sun, and weather on the cool side for May.  My mother-in-law showed me her "new toy" again, a Kindle, which she absolutely loves. It's compact and light, and the words on the screen are easy to read.  It would be great for travel or to throw in your purse for times when you have a few spare minutes to read.

I'm finished with West from Home. (Thanks for lending it to me, Lori!) The book features some recipes that I will have to try someday.   It's always fun to try recipes found in stories and books other than cookbooks.  Another friend, Sandie, lent me a copy of The Hidden Target to read (thanks, Sandie!).  This book will be a real departure for me.  According to Sandie, it's a great way to escape.  I can't wait!