An error message, books vs readers and friends

29 December 2013

A strange message has appeared on  my desktop just now as I fired up the lappy. It said that my Dropbox folder was full. I was puzzled because I was supposed to get a two gigs free storage on there and the only files I have in there are the ones I'm currently working on. Then the penny dropped ... it was the folder on my desktop that was full. It won't be now seeing as I have just emptied it!

Well, here's a thing ... I have a Sony Reader and I loved using it. Sadly its stopped working and seeing as it a few years old now it's too late to do anything about. Anyway, we scratched about and found the cash to by two Samsung Galaxy Tabs. Yesterday afternoon while we were sat in the Anker I was having a play with my tab and managed to download a free book onto it and began reading it. It's a Stephen Leather short story collection and it's not bad at all. But it got me to thing ...

These days we are spoiled for choice when it comes to reading materials and to access them. I love to hold and read an actually book, no matter if it's a paper or hardback. Looking at the top of my bedside table there's a stack of 20+ books I've read this year alone - and the stack isn't all of them. I also have piles of unread books everywhere, all waiting for me to get round to reading them. Those piles are added to fairly often too.

I also like magazines and buy lots of them. Yet aging though you can down load them to a reader and at sometime I shall be doing that too. But here's the thing folks, there's nothing like the actual turning of every other page in a book or magazine is there? No matter how good these reader devices get they will never give that same feel of holding a book/magazine and swiping a screen to turn over will never hold the same pleasure as an actual page.

However, there will continue to be a market for both print and reader files. As I said, I have piles of books waiting to be read. But if I go off somewhere for a week or so I can't carry all of those books can I? No, of course not. I would have to choose which ones to take with me, or buy new books while I'm away. But with a reader, or my new tab, I can carry as many books as the micro-sd card will hold; and at 16gig it will hold a good number.

And so for a photo ... 

a shot from under a high tension pylon.

And the Sage sends us more words of wisdom ...

Dear Dogs and Cats,
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note that placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not mean it becomes your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The stairway is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm and disrespect.
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or stick your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. I have been using the bathroom for years--canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.
The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's rear end, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. I cannot stress this enough!