Kindle me Not

My birthday is in 2 weeks and I'm all atwitter with excitement. In the past I've given my father a present suggestion that I want but wouldn't indulge myself in. This year, I thought it would be the Kindle 2. And then I was discussing it with Marc on our long Sunday walk.

The Kindle 2 looked slick - you can download almost any book in a matter of seconds. Talk about instant gratification. I want, "She was a good reader" on my tombstone. However, I can't really flag pages for future reference. Also, after finishing a book I might want to share with Marc, I'd have to lend him my Kindle. What fun is that? We already struggle over the Nintendo DS, "Where did you put it?" "Are you finished with that Soduko yet?" "I've got the highest score in the 20 math calculations, ha!" Does the Kindle record how long it takes to read a book? That could be trouble for this hyper competitive duo.

Then, even if he were to get a Kindle 2 for himself, that wouldn't solve the problem of sharing a good book - as the books aren't transferable. What happens when the Kindle 3 comes out? Can I transfer all my Kindle 2 books? Probably not. This device is sounding less & less appealing.

On the 1/2 filled shelves of our new bookcases sit books from all parts of my life. A picture book of Italy given to me by my Great-Aunt Zada, edited with postcards she had collected on her trips. Across the room are the Greek Plays next to Herodotus - a book that I occasionally reference. My philosophy shelf houses the Bible, a book on Zen, The Elegant Universe and God's Debris. Even if the Kindle let me create virtual bookshelves, they wouldn't be there to amuse my guests. Nor could it provide me with the small and leather-bound book from 1750 that my Grandmother Polly gave me. I haven't been able to read it, as the S's are sometimes F's as was the printing tradition back then, or was that due to their not having formalized spelling by that time?

I imagine that, one day, I will have to switch over to a new book technology. I don't yet think that the Kindle is it. Instead, I'm asking for a larger, traditional composter - something along the lines of this Wibo - sorry NatureMill. It is made out of recycled plastic - all the better! And then, I'll see if my dad is up for giving me this, I think it is a ready to go garden plot, but I need to go check it out. I'm not sure if dirt is included.