Electronic addictions

I am humming Donovan's E-lec-tric-al  Ba-na-na (actually song title is Mellow Yellow ) now that I've titled this post. I hope my post makes more sense than the song lyrics. What does it say about me that I still remember them 40 years later?

But I digress. Digression is my favorite form of exercise.

Today I am admitting my electronic addictions. It began with a Kindle.

I love books. I like the feel and smell of them. I never thought I would enjoy a Kindle but I do. Bound books still appeal to me and I do read them but Kindles are so portable, light and there is only one of them, not a growing accumulation on my shelves. Books are wonderful things to collect but I am in a downsizing state of mind. Traveling with a Kindle is wonderful. I used to travel with multiple books. What if I finished a current book while away from home? Heaven forbid I be without a new book! And what if I didn't like book "A"? Hence the need to pack both "A" and "B". Kindle had lightened my load considerably.

Next came the iPhone, thanks to my son and daughter-in-law.

My previous phone was a flip phone that had served me well for many years but did not text or take photos. I didn't really need those features. At least I thought I didn't. The main reasons for wanting a new phone was the limited volume and short ring before going to voice mail. I don't text often, but I do occasionally find this a nice feature and the camera is so handy that now I would be lost without it.

My last birthday brought me an iPad.

Oh baby...now I can travel and keep up to date with my internet friends without lugging heavy equipment around! I got a taste of that with the phone but reading certainly is easier on the iPad. I've been known to take the iPad to my knitting group to show them something wonderful I've found rather than just talk about it or email a link to everyone as I once did.

These are tools. Conveniences. Are they really addictions or is it the applications that are the source of all evil fun? Yep, it is the apps that cause me to lose track of time. I did download and play Angry Birds to see what all the fuss was about. It was ok, but not really my thing. I still haven't gotten over my kids playing Mario Brothers and *knowing* when to jump to catch an invisible mushroom that dropped coins or something magical. Perhaps Mario Brothers was influenced by Mellow Yellow and both the game and song were created during a druggie's flashback?

I am pure of heart, liver and anything else that collects drugs. Vitamins, Aleve and an occasional Excedrin Migraine don't count. My app addiction isn't drug influenced, it is word related. Mostly.

Even if you don't play, I bet everyone has heard of Words With Friends but what about other word games? Do you know about 7 Little Words, Whirly Word or Moxie? None of these require an opponent which is nice if you are unsure of playing or are filling time while waiting somewhere. I don't recall if any of those three were ever a free download, but none are expensive.

I've just started playing Draw Something, (a game where you draw the word you want another player to recognize similar to playing Pictionary) thanks to blogger Empress Bee who just today mentioned use of a stylus which will make drawing much easier.

I tell myself I don't need anymore games or distractions but find myself listening to strangers talk about what they're playing. I fear I am hopeless.

Some of you might be wondering about using a Kindle while having an iPad which could also download books, or using a Kindle Fire to browse the internet in place of a separate tablet. If I was just beginning to acquire electronics today, I might not have both and I can't address issues that I haven't personally experienced, but I believe the Kindle is easier on the eyes for extensive reading because it isn't back lit. The Kindle's battery life is much longer, especially with the wireless turned off.

If you are a Kindle reader, do you know about Pixel of Ink, a source for bargain and free Kindle books? Free books are offered daily, I believe three times a day as a rule. They don't always remain free so checking daily is a good habit.

One last word (or 50) about things being free. Sometimes you get what you pay for. I don't mind waiting for an ad to download and click off in exchange for playing a free game but sometimes the books offered at Pixel of Ink are free for a reason. The site is definitely worth checking though and if you find the book isn't to your liking, it is easy enough to delete and pick something else to read. Maybe a blog entry. Maybe mine.