How Did I Live Without It?

My wonderful, adoring husband bought me a Kindle Fire for Christmas last year. He did it to prove he loves me. OK, so maybe I begged a little (or a lot).  I think he may be regretting that decision. Someone asked him how I liked it and he told them "My God, she even sleeps with it!" (He sounded a little disgusted at the time.) To be fair, I don't plan on sleeping with it, I just happen to fall asleep while reading (or playing Mah Jong or Angry Birds or checking Facebook, etc.). It's really not my fault.

I have always been an avid reader, the bookworm kid in school. As soon as I could read, I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. It was an obsession. I can spend hours in a used bookstore or library and never get enough. I've got piles of books at home that I've read over & over. I can't part with them, because I know I'll want to read them again someday. I usually have quite a few library fines, too. I will go to the library and check out way too many books. I never quite seem to be able to fit them all in, but I can't bear to return them until I've read them. Occasionally, it will be so bad that the library will put a hold on my account until I pay the fine. Kinda silly, isn't it?

When the first e-readers came out, I turned my nose up at them. I love the feel of a book in my hands, the pictures on the covers, everything all of us silly book snobs said when e-readers were new. But I saw how much fun my son was having with his iPod and all the cool things it could do & I wanted something like that too. I sure as hell wasn't going to pay the money for an iPod or an iPhone, but I still wanted something I could play with. Then the Kindle Fire came out. You couldn't beat the price and it looked like it did enough of what I would like that I wanted one. Best thing I ever did! I love this thing!

When I first got my Kindle, I downloaded all the free books I could find and all the free apps that everyone had been talking about, like Angry Birds.  I think I read one book right away, but then spent the next month just playing games. Once I got that out of my system, (OK, mostly out), I started checking into audio books and library books. Needless to say, I am hooked. I usually have two books going at once now: one audio book that I listen to while driving in my car (I commute two hours a day) and one digital book that I read on my breaks and at lunch. I don't know how I keep them straight. That's the problem with OCD personalities, we can't do anything small. Go big, or go home!

So needless to say, I give the Kindle Fire a standing ovation. I love it and don't know how I lived without it!

Better Than Martha

I am not a "domestic goddess" in any way, shape or form. I can't keep up with the dishes, laundry, kids, animals, etc. I work full time, commute almost 2 hours a day, and spend way too much time on my Kindle and Facebook. So needless to say, I've never been a big fan of women like Martha Stewart.

I know Martha has a lot of fans who think she is the greatest thing ever, but she comes across to me as a snobby perfectionist. I'll never forget the first time I saw her on Good Morning America many moons ago. She was showing Joan Lunden (I told you it was a looong time ago) how to make grits. Joan mentioned that she liked to eat grits for breakfast with a little butter, sugar and milk. This was also my favorite way to eat grits. Martha gave her a snobby look and told her in no uncertain terms that this was the wrong way to eat grits. Let me tell you, if this is wrong, I don't want to be right! How can there be a wrong way to eat grits? I mean, there are lots of people out there who eat different ways than me, but I wouldn't tell them they were wrong....just that I prefer it a different way.

I did try to give Martha a second chance when Oprah took notice of her. Come on, Oprah is amazing and if Oprah likes Martha, I should too, right? Nope, just couldn't do it. I'm sure I've gotten some helpful hints over the years (can't think of any right now), but I always felt as if I was being told that I was doing everything wrong. I remember one show when Martha demonstrated the proper way to vacuum. I'll admit, I tried it her way, and then decided there wasn't enough time in the day or antidepressants in my medicine cabinet to keep up with Martha. So I gave up on Martha, except to make fun of her when she was privileged enough to go to prison.

Imagine my delight when I wandered across the website for Ree Drummond - "The Pioneer Woman."  I feel as if I've met a kindred soul! She lives the ranch life in Oklahoma, has four children and a rugged, manly husband. She is funny, loves photography and cooks food that looks more comforting and delicious than gourmet. I think I have a crush!

I love that she calls her husband "Marlboro Man" and has him write his own posts on the day to day ranch operations. I don't live on a ranch, but I grew up in ranch country and it's always been one of my dreams to be able to have my own ranch. I also love that Ree posts photos of her family and animals and writes funny little poetry about them just because she wants to. She's not afraid to make fun of herself or seem a little corny.

I'm sure that there are people out there who feel the same way about PW that I feel about Martha, but you know what? I'm OK with that. She makes me laugh and that's what counts. So, thank you Ree, for entertaining me and brightening my days a little bit.