Trying to Find Love in a Tablet

On a recent visit with her family to San Diego, my girlfriend, Anna, shared a great book with me; "The Happiness Project," by Gretchen Rubin.  I've only read the first couple chapters so far, but perhaps you've noticed in my blog that I've been conscious of making the best of being so far away from family, longtime friends and what will always be home.  Let me tell you, spending the afternoon with newer friends, sitting beside a pool on March 4 was definitely a good reason to be grateful and happy today.

I just love pools, beaches, and activities of any kind on any body of water.  Growing up in a resort town on the shores of Lake Michigan has made me a water child, for sure.  Plus I'm a Cancer, which is a water sign.  I also love books.  One of my favorite things to do while relaxing by a pool is read a great book.

I dearly miss books, in fact.  Good old-fashioned, curl the pages back, dogear them all you want, paperback books.  I love to display hardcover books; the colors of the jackets and the art are pleasing to me.  I have books out in my guest room in case my guests can't sleep.  And once upon a time, I even had two large library shelves filled with books in my living room.  My children have all had vast book collections; even Aidan, who is coming of age in the tablet generation. 

I've been trying to get accustomed to reading e-books, but it's just not the same.  I miss hungrily turning each page.  I miss the smell of books; ruffling the pages so the smell wafts up on the breeze it makes.  Books feel warm and like things to be treasured, tablets seem cold and impersonal.  Most of all, I miss passing along a book to a good friend, and receiving one in return.

I'm trying to be hip...after all, I'm writing a BLOG, aren't I?  But let's just say that I'm not in love with my tablet just yet in the same way that I've always enjoyed a love affair with a great book.


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