Literati VS. Kindle....NO CONTEST!!

Howdy, folks!

Hope you all had a good day today.  It got to a STEAMY 114 degrees here in Phoenix, so I did the smart thing and stayed inside!!  :0)

The other day, I was reading through my comments and saw one that had referred to my post when I got the e-reader called "Literati" by Sharper Image for Christmas.  I now have a BLESSED Kindle, so I thought I'd do a little post reviewing the two in case anyone is looking for a good e-reader.  I have had the pleasure (with the Kindle) and the horror (with the Literati) of using both.  Let me tell you, in short, DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE LITERATI!!!!!

Yep, I feel THAT strongly about it.  I purchased it with my Christmas money because it was on sale for $79.99 at a department store online.  I thought, "Wow!  That's a great deal!"  If you are like me and pinching whatever pennies you have, you are looking for sales wherever you can find them.   So I ordered it (despite the reviews that dissed it from other people.  I figured everyone has their own experiences, both good and bad, with things) and when it came, the problems began.  At first, just minor ones that I thought I could live with.  The first problem was it wouldn't hook up to the wireless in the house, so I couldn't buy books from Kobo (the store it uses) from the device.  I could get the books with the computer and use the USB cord to sync them over to the Literati.   OK, no problem.  So I tried the device outside the house at a cafe that had free WI-FI.  The damn thing STILL wouldn't hook up.  I figured, well, as long as I can get the books on the device with the computer, it would work out OK.  And I really liked with how it had a back light, so I could read at night and not disturb my husband.  You can read my earlier posts on it (pictures included) by going to "Story Topics" to the right of my blog and clicking on "Literati" if you'd like.

Anyway, time goes on and I purchased about 10 books and had no problems with reading them on the Literati.  Then, came the second problem, which was a little harder to deal with.  The battery life on the thing is only about SIX hours.  So right when you get to the good part of your book, you have to stop and charge up!  You can still read while charging, but the power cord wasn't long enough to reach my outlet to the bed, where I do my reading.  Bummer!  I read a lot, so this problem was NOT good!  But what could I do?  I had already passed the return period, and they would just return another unit that would probably do the same thing.  So I put up with this until about a month ago when the third and final problem surfaced.  One I could NOT live with!   I went to turn the unit on and it was dead.  This was after I had fully charged it, too!  So I tried to turn the machine on by hooking it up to the power cord and the thing still wouldn't turn on.  I finally found out the power cord had a short in it and I had to practically jam the cord into the machine and hold it really, really tight in order for it to turn on.  JUNK!!!!!!  I was so mad, I threw the thing against the bed (I wanted to throw it against the wall, but didn't want to damage the wall!) and saved up for a Kindle.  I was lucky enough that Amazon had it on sale and I got free shipping, too.  I am in hog heaven with my Kindle.  It's lightweight, easy to read, the wireless works (imagine that!) and the books are even cheaper than what I was paying on the Literati.  The battery life for the Kindle is wonderful.  I've had it for over a month now and have had to charge it just once.  And that's with the reading that I do!!!  I can even play music on it and have it read to me!!   So I learned a BIG lesson......don't fall for cheap stuff.  Save for what you really want.....and I wanted a Kindle all along and should have gotten it a long time ago.  I did have a little difficulty getting the Literati books that I bought off the Literati, as it is incompatible with the Kindle format, but I downloaded a free program that helped me convert the files over so I didn't lose any money on the books I bought with the Literati.   Yeah!!!!  And my hubby is sooooo sweet....he got me a beautiful burgandy case with a light (that runs off the Kindle, so no batteries needed!) for my Kindle.  I took some pics.  You will notice that Mr. Jack had to be in one of them, too!!!  He is such a vain kitty!!!!

 Here is the Kindle screen, without the light

 

Mr. Jack watching over my precious Kindle!!

Here is a pic with the light wand extended.  Cool, huh?  Even Jack thought so!!  And he's hard to please...ha!

Hope this little review helps those that are e-reader shopping.  I love my Kindle!  I take it everywhere and imagine having your whole bookshelf in one little unit?  Whoever invented this gem I'm sure is pretty rich!!!  Wish it were me!  Ha!

Have a great night (or day) everyone!!!
Stay cool!
Hugs,

Lazy Day

Hello, everyone!  I'm so sorry about my last post where I got so excited over so many things that NOBODY can fix, it seems.  I really appreciate y'all listening to me, though.  And thank you Dad and Gina for calling me last night, I needed a big lift and you two did that.  Sorry to cut the call short, though, to go to the bathroom.  And then I got really nauseated and stayed that way all night.  I kept waking up and feeling even sicker.  My joints were stiff and the neuropathy in my feet were on fire!  I got up for awhile and rubbed lotion into my feet and legs to get circulation going and it did help a little bit.  I took a pain pill and a nausea pill and went back to bed.  Oh, if only I could sleep on my sides or stomach like I used to!!!  I've been laying on my back for over a year now.  And I'm so tired of it!!  If I move that way (on my sides or stomach) in the night, the "fire" and tingling in my legs wakes me up.

That pretty much is it in my world.  I still feel "half mast" today and am taking it really easy.   I think I'll go put my feel up and read a book.  I finally got that Literati figured out, so I'll read from that.  Hope you all have a great day!!!

I'm going to close this post with the newest single out on my all time favorite band's new album, "Gravity."  So without further ado, here's WESTLIFE singing "Safe."

God bless!

I found this wonderful siggy in my mailbox
this morning from my almost-step-mom, Gina.  Isn't it beautiful?  I LOVE it!!  Thank you, Gina!!!

Today's A Better Day - I Think!

Hello, my dear friends!

Sorry about my tirade yesterday about the e-reader.  Oh, how I wanted to throw it out the window!!  I still do, but not as badly.  At least I managed to get some help via chat support with Adobe Digital Editions.  Part of the problem was I had over-activated the device, so it wouldn't accept anything onto the reader because the books are naturally copy-right material.  And Adobe has to accept each piece of equipment that will be taking these books.  Once my tech support guy re-activated my account, I could put books back onto the reader.  Yay for that.  A lot of the books have either NO covers or generic, so picking out a book is like going to a book shelf with a blind fold on.  What you grab is what you get!!  But a least I think I can make it now until I save up a hundred years for the Nook I want so badly. (This being a hint to my dad, Gina, my hubby, and anyone who will take pity on me!!  A nook would help me recover very nicely from the big scary surgery I might be having soon.....).

I did have a chuckle in all my distress yesterday.  My assistant, who shall remain nameless, was helping me to no end:

Helping me do WHAT, I have NO idea!!  I guess he thought he would fit in there for a nice, cozy nap.  He's in the box that I was going to package that hunk of junk Literati in and he beat me to it.  That's a cat for ya!!  :0)

 

I don't think I have a single box or purse that this cat HASN'T been in.  He doesn't care if he fits really well into it at all, either!  That's my boy!!

No other news to report, except that I changed Frankie's pain patch down to 125mcg yesterday and he has vomited twice since.  I guess it takes time to leave the body, if this is indeed the cause of the vomiting.  I don't think we'll ever know.  He sees his doctor (primary care) on Monday, who will probably refer him out to a gastro-intestinal doctor.

I still haven't heard about my surgery yet.  My legs are slightly better, now that I am back on to the 15mg of Prednisone.  As soon as I hear, I'll drop it back down to 10mg.  It's such a hard drug to live without!!!

Hope you all are having a great day.  I got the special page up for my dad & Gina.  I don't know if they have seen it yet, but I hope they like it.  Everyone else please go take a peak at it.  Let me know what you think.  :0)

Have a good night and I'll see how I'm doing tomorrow.  I may participate in Java's "Meet Me On Monday" blog hop.  That is so fun!!  But we shall see how the ole' back and legs are doing.

God bless ya all!

Until next post,

Aggravated!

Hello, friends!!

I hope I didn't spell aggravated wrong, but I really AM too aggravated to care!!  So please forgive me if I spell things wrong.  :0)

Remember me talking about in an earlier post about the Literati e-reader I got for Christmas?  Well, that rotten thing has been nothing but a big pain in my big butt!!  I have spent the good part of three days now trying to get the damn thing to work.  I did NOTHING else but work on that damn thing.  I didn't even get to my blogging. (Sorry!) Or my email or anything else I enjoy about the computer.  The problem, I think, is the wireless feature does NOT work....it's only worked ONCE since I got it and now all is says is it can't sync to the server.  I can't get it on our network, the Quest password is too long and the Literati won't accept it.  So I tried some wi-fi aound town and even then it wouldn't accept it.  So much for that.  So I tried the sync route, that has to work, right?  WRONG!  It had errors syncing with its own service!!!  And then if I was lucky enough to get a book on the Literati, it didn't have a cover.  What's a book without a cover?  Yeeeeesh!!!  So I'm sending this piece of **** back to where I bought it.  I have to send it Fed-Ex, how they sent it to me and put insurance on it.  If anyone wants to steal that thing, they are in for a treat!  LOL......so that's what I've been up to recently.  I'm going back to good ole' books.  You can't beat the smell of a brand new book, and it has a title on it!  :0)  Maybe someday I can get what I really want.....a Nook.  But they are too expensive for me.  I got the Literati for $79.99, but look what happened there!!

Enough of that!  I've had enough headache over it.  It's done with.  I still haven't heard from the bariatric clinic, so hopefully next week.  I wish it would worry up so I can get the testing done.  I'll have to have an ABG (arterial blood gas) and those hurt so bad, I've heard.  They poke you on the inner side of wrist and go deep down in to get the artery.  Sounds fun, huh?  And then I'll need an upper GI, which is the same test my husband needs.  He sees his primary doc on Monday, thank God.  I told him we could go in as a husband-wife special on upper GI's!!

Frankie is doing the same....still vomiting almost every day.  We tried everything.  We talked it over with his pain specialist and we are going to decrease the amount of Fentanyl that he gets via skin patch.  Today I change his patches.  His appetite is incredibly great and he eats all that he used to, just smaller portions.  So I don't get what is going on.  We may NEVER find out why and he'll go on puking his guts out over the toilet every day.  Very frustrating for him and for me.   We both just wish for one good day between us and so far haven't found it!!  So please pray for us.

As for me.....what's with this FREEZING COLD?  I mean, yesterday morning it was COLDER here than in Flagstaff at 21 degrees!!  My dad sure isn't doing a very good job at getting the north gate closed.... :0)  We kid him about that when the weather is rotten by saying he needs to keep that gate closed!  LOL.  Because of this cold, I've been so stiff I can't even move around.  My joints feel fused together.  To stand up and walk is torture.  So I jumped up the prednisone to 15mg until I hear from the bariatric clinic.  When I have an actual date for the surgery, then I'll wean back down.  It was crazy of me to lower it when it's so cold out.  I mean, why be more miserable than you have to?

Well, that about wraps it up.  I'm going to be doing another page on my blog...it's going to be a special surprise for two important people in my life.  So be watching for it!!!

Here's some pics of Jackie.  The first one is him with my new pink tote/purse.  I found I was carrying so many things and they were bursting out of my old one.  I tried by leaving some of them out, but whenever I went somewhere, I would need the things I left at home!!  So my idea was to carry a tote bag.  And so far I love it....so does Jack!!
The second picture is of Frankie and Jackie doing what they do best....laying on the bed!!  My two lazy bones!!!  I don't have that much energy, either, to tell you the truth!!

Isn't that a neat tote/purse?  I love the color.  I got it at Walmart on sale for $9.00.  I love Walmart...especially since they have those carts you can use in the store.  :0)

Two peas in a pod!!

Well, folks, hope you have a great weekend and I hope it is pain free for everyone!!  I'll leave you with two words that mean so much to me:  PAIN SUCKS!!

Big soft hugs,
God bless ya all!

Me? Self Confidence?!

Hello, everyone!

I want to apologize for the totally depressing post I left on my blog yesterday.  But I guess that is what a blog is for, right?  Getting it all out on your chest.  And boy, do I have a big chest....ooops, maybe I said that wrong!!!  LOL... I have A LOT to get OFF my chest!  There we go.  Anyway, among one of our wonderful Christmas gifts we got a web cam which I love playing with.  I still learning the very basics and have signed up with Skype and Google Talk and Yahoo Messenger.  I talked with my dad and his girlfriend like that the other day and we had a blast.  So I'm gonna like this web cam, I believe!!

Any hoo, I've been doing self portraits and found that I can add flowers or finger prints around the border of the photo.  I LOVE the finger print one (I can't believe I'm saying this about a picture of ME!!) and will post it here on this blog.  I've already gone and used it for my profile photo on all my things...blogger, Yahoo, Google.  It feels good to be true to yourself and I do believe the prednisone is helping by not making my face as "roundish."
Here is the picture in question, in all its glory.......

So for all you "web cammers" out there want to connect on the web with me, I'd love it!  So far I've only talked to my dad.  If so, drop me a comment or email (found in the "about me" section in the side bar) and we'll set up details.  I'm so excited.  I hope my friends Lorie Bronson and Ellen Barttells has a web cam.   So please let me know if you want to join the fun!!!

I also got another great Christmas gift from checks my in-laws gave to Frankie and I.  It's called a "Sharper Image Literati E Reader" and I am totally in love with it.  For one thing, it's in color and has a gorgeous full 7 inch screen.  It doesn't play music, but I wouldn't want that anyway.  I find music very distracting when I'm in the middle of a good book.  The only thing is, I can't use the wireless here in the house because Qwest's code is too long for the Literati to understand.  So we have to go out to the Library or someplace that offers free wi-fi.  Bummer!  But I've bought about 7 e-books so far and all went in without a problem.  I'm about half way to having my full Janet Evanovich collection into the reader.  It just is sooooo, soooo cool to have my whole library at my fingertips.  I've seen the negative reports, but frankly, people are awfully picky.  We all want different things.  And so far, the Literati meets my needs.  I just need to figure out how to have the computer write to the SD memory card so I can get more room in the reader. I purchased "The Guinness Book" and that takes up almost all the memory space on the Literati!  So I took it off and am now trying to figure out how to save it to the SD card so I can play it on the reader.  If any of you are a computer buff, and would like to help, thank you!  :0)  Here's some photos I took of my new "gem."

The box is most unique I've seen...a gigantic book!!

Here is the Literati itself.  It even came with its own leather case.  Wow!

So if you are like me and love to read, but don't have the $240 dollars for a COLOR Nook from Barnes & Noble OR even the $139 NO COLOR Kindle from Amazon, then this is for you.  It cost me $79.99, plus shipping. I ordered it from Boscov's Department store in Pennsylvania and they were very quick to get my order out.  Thank God!  I about assaulted the Fed Ex guy when he delievered it!!  :0) Can't beat a fantastic deal like that!!!

Now on to some somber news.  I called the Social Security Disability court to cancel my hearing for the 26th, and I have to write a letter to the judge and let her know and why.  I stated my reasons being about the bariatric surgery (which is going NOWHERE again!) and that I have no lawyer at present because I fired the last because we couldn't see eye to eye on everything.  No even eye to NOSE!  LOL!  I just couldn't let it go on my records that I am severely depressed and needing psychiatric care every month....I would never get another job as a nurse no matter where I went!!

AND, Dr. Wigal still hasn't sent her part of the records, so I had to play phone tag again.  First with the bariatric clinic to see if they, HA-HA, got anything.  Then if not, I'd call her butt again and see what the hold up is.  Good thing - I see her next Thursday, so I can get things moving in person, hopefully.

I will end this post with a very favorite song of mine, sang by a very favorite Irish boy band of mine named "Westlife", that raises my spirits every time I hear it.  So go away depression and don't come back any other day!!!!!!

Hope you all have a great day!  :0)
God bless!!

Siggy bar by Helena!