Take a Break

 "Can I get a time out, Ref?"

It’s never too late in the year to take a vacation.  I’m not talking about a few days from work, I am talking about a few days away from it all. Sometimes life gets a little tough, throws us a few punches, and can get a little overwhelming whether it is spouse woes, financial woes, kid woes, work woes, a neighbor’s tree woes, on and on and on. Sometimes we need to take some time out for ourselves.

A break, somewhere isolated for a few days with my husband and some friends, that is what we are taking advantage of. I am so excited. Gatlinburg, Tennessee is our destination. It’s not fancy, glittery, and glam like a great vacation city such as Las Vegas or Miami, but I am expecting our vacation to be calm, soothing, and relaxing.

(This is our first vacation without the baby so I am a bit nervous. I do have my family and friends to help us out while we are away. I promise not to call home, too much!)

I am, however, expecting cool breezes, refreshing mountain air, warm fireplaces, and plenty of cocktails. We planned this trip months and months in advance and time is ticking down to departure day. I have been watching the calendars and counting down the days.

My idea of a vacation?

 It could be two days, three days, a weekend excursion, or whatever as long as it is 50 miles from my house, it is a vacation.

I am pretty simple. When I go out of town, I don’t have to stay at the fanciest chateaus or 5 Star hotels (although it would be nice.) As long as the dwellings are clean, crime free, and bug free, I am happy! I do enjoy scenery such as rivers, lakes, lakes and open fields. I always seek out the fame foods of the town I am visiting. For example, if I go to Atlanta, I want some Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. If I go to New York, I am seeking out pretzel joints and street food. When we went to Biloxi, Ms, my husband sought out seafood (I am allergic to shellfish.) If someone comes to Memphis, they are looking for the barbecue. I don't know what they eat in Gatlingburg, maybe raccoon or squirrel, something caught and cooked. (Just kidding, Gatlingburg citizens.)

The economy is blah, and some of us are broke, so we have to be realistic. If we don’t have it, we just don’t have it. We have to work with what we got. Maybe one day in the future, we can take that trip to Vegas or South Beach.  This time it’s East Tennessee. I am more than excited. I have never stayed at a cabin, in the woods, in the mountain.

 Now, if you are wanting that elaborate vacation, go ahead and plan ahead.  Websites such as Expedia.com offers great vacation getaways. Call me ‘cheap’, but I am always looking for deals (I love the internet.)

I know this was brief but I know a lot of you readers are in the same boat as I. You want to get away, but don’t have a lot of money. Well, you can always save up for your vacation for next year or simply get away if only for a few days, stay in a hotel, get pampered, sit by the pool while it’s still a little warm. I guarantee you will be so happy that you did.

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E Readers (The Evolution of The Way We Read and Store Books)

E Readers (The Evolution of The Way We Read and Store Books)

We all remember back in the day school days when we had to carry a backpack filled with books. We also remember our parent houses filled with book shelves and book cases. Some of us had to pay hundreds of dollars for ungrad and graduate school books to haul them all over campus. Well, those books still cost a lot of money, but now we have the convenience of the e Reader. These technological innovative ideas have revolutionized the way we read books. School literature, novels, Bibles, encyclopedias, and much more are available with the touch of a button, for a price, on these mini handheld devices.

 
   Where did the idea of eBooks originate from? The eBook originated in 1971 by Michael Hart at the University of Illinois (Wikipedia, 2011). Hart was given extra computer time on the school’s mainframe and while trying to figure out a use for his resources, he typed out the entire Declaration of Independence in a digital format. Shortly after, Project Gutenberg began and an array of books was put into digital format.

   In the beginning, eBooks were on for certain scholastic groups, political references, and small devote interest group readers, but today almost anything that was copy written in the last 70 years is available on an eBook.

(You can find more interesting information about Michael Hart at www.projectgutenberg.com)

Why get an e Reader?
As I said in the beginning, with an e Reader you have the convenience of carrying around hundreds or even thousands of books around in your purse, backpack, or briefcase.  You can travel and take along with you a mini library in your e Reader and still have space in your luggage for those extra outfits and shoes.

Books are easily downloaded from various websites. Some e Readers offer the power of WiFi, which always come in handy.

I have read that one can get easily distracted while reading an e Reader. Well, you can get easily distracted while reading a regular book as well.

Another plus is that it is very easy to turn pages with your fingertips and save your last page read on an e Reader. You won’t have to be bogged down with corner folds in your books or bookmarks trying to save your place in your book.

 If you are tired of the dull gray screen, some e Readers now offer color screens with less glare.

e Reader vs. I Pad or a Tablet?

A consumer is going to pay for what they really want, especially if it involves electronics. I Pads are cool, but expensive. Some tablets are fairly priced and they serve a duel purpose. Some e Readers are pricey, but if you shop around you can find one that is efficient and not as expensive. You may prefer an e Reader if you don't want to be interrupted with emails and instant messages.

What are some e Reader choices?

The Kindle: price range: $89-$400 

This is one of the most popular e Readers offered by Amazon.com.

You can read it in the sunlight with no glare. The font is better than the previous Kindle. It has an enhanced PDF reader, and the pages turn 20% faster than the previous model.



Pandigital E Reader and Tablet 7" or 9" (In color) 

You can find this item at J. Simone's

 This e Reader/Tablet price range: $150- $250.
It is Android powered and WiFi capable. It offers a touchscreen, rechargeable battery, and a full virtual keyboard.

SONY PRS-950SC Daily Edition Reader
You can find this item and others like it at Amazon.com
Price range: $200-$400

This 3G mobile reading device offers an anti-glare easy page turning touchscreen.
Easy to highlight pages and take notes.

SKYTEX Primer 7" Color E-reader and Media Player
Price Range: $69-$129


This e Reader has a duel purpose. It is an e Reader with a media player! This device is unique because it offers a built in mic and recording software. You can also store audio/music files. It also offers plug and play into your PC.


If you decide to get an e Reader, protect your e Reader! There are products available to help you protect your e Readers from scratches, smuges, bumps, and bruises.
J. Simone's offer a variety of e Reader protectors, covers and sleeves.

Please check us out at www.vendio.com/stores/jsimones!

At J.Simone's the customer is our #1 priority!

www.vendio.com/stores/jsimones