Friday 27 January 2012

Permission to slack...and eBooks I have to read this year...!

Some people may recall that last year I had an operation to remove a (benign) skin cancer from my forehead. I wrote about it here. Anyway, I have to have another one removed...today! As a result, I'm going to have big black sutures and a swollen forehead for the next week. It gets more manageable later on in the week, but the first twenty four hours tend to require me to stay indoors with some gauze within easy reach to mop up spilled blood. I may feel a tickling on my forehead that happens to be a drop of blood dribbling downward. Also, last time I had to get my mum over to wash dried globules of blood out of my hair. This time, the incision shouldn't be quite so large, and I may be able to handle washing my own hair. But the whole point of all of this is...for the coming week, I'm giving myself permission to skip some of my "weekly tasks". Basically I'm skipping the physical ones, like walking on the beach and then swimming (boo), and also my yoga class (double boo). But really, I don't want to be resting my sutured forehead on a yoga mat! And I'm not allowed to get the sutures wet.

Another thing I wanted to mention was that one of my goals this year is to read a bunch of eBooks I've been collecting over the last year or so. I have to admit I'm not a huge eBook fan, but when you win a free one, or when you had to buy it in eBook format because it's not available in any other format, you're going to read the thing! The books I have on my TBR "eShelf" right now are:


That's a lotta eBook readin' for one like me. haha. But because I've made it a goal this year, it will happen.

Do you prefer eBooks or the real deal? (sorry, that's just how I think of print books...as "real")

32 comments:

  1. I like e-books! I was very surprised, but my nook is lighter and easier to hold. I also love being able to go book shopping from my living room!

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    1. Well, I do that too...just on the Book Depository. haha. Then I have to wait for my books to arrive. I do see your point, of course, but I still like a physical book ;)

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  2. OH man! I am feeling bad for you and your poor head. I am glad you are giving yourself permission to stay away from the weekly tasks. They'll be there waiting for you when you get feeling better. :)

    I need an eReader before I go too crazy with the eBooks. Sounds like you've been getting a lot of reading in tho, and that's good. I will always prefer the "real" deal, but I think eBooks can come in handy too!

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    1. Thanks for the well wishes! At least I'm in no pain, but I do have a swollen / blackening eye right now. haha.

      Yeah, I agree that an eReader would make it a lot easier to handle eBooks. I'm just not sure I want to let go of my precious paperbacks. ;) Then again, I do have hardly any room left on my shelves...

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  3. I hate hardbacks. Always have.
    I LOVE LOVE ebooks and a huge part of that is I've always been a chronic highlighter, and I can highlight away in ebooks. love that.

    BUT sometimes a book cover is just too pretty not to have on my shelf.

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    1. Yeah, generally I prefer paperbacks to a hardcover book. But sometimes if it's a special arty book or something, it can be nice to have a hard cover copy.

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  4. Poor you. Take care of yourself Trisha. I'm not a fan of e-books. I like my battered old paperbacks.

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    1. I already knew I wasn't the only one to feel that way, but always glad to hear it again! ;) Of course, I don't actually have an e-reader of any kind, so maybe I'd feel differently about reading eBooks if I did have a proper reader. ;) But I still love to see my books actually on my shelf!

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  5. Take care of yourself!

    And I love ebooks. They're about the only thing I read lately. Plus, I really don't have room for any more paper books.

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    1. Yes, looking at my overstuffed bookshelves I can definitely understand what you're saying here. ;)

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  6. Thanks for your comments everyone! I think eBooks are great in that they're much more easily accessible, and so on. But for me, personally, I prefer to have an actual paperback in my hands.

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  7. Man, bummer about having another operation. I hope it all goes well and that you don't have too much discomfort.

    Definitely don't like ebooks. One of the days I will blog about my reasons but for now... just sticking to paper books!

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    1. Me too, for the most part (i.e. I kind of have to read these eBooks...)

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  8. Poor you! I once had a mole removed from the side of my head and while I couldn't feel any pain, I could feel and hear the stitches going in...
    Enjoy your blog break and e reading. I much prefer real books, I adore seeing them on my bookshelves and the smell and feel of them.

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    1. Agreed on the "real books" thing!

      And yes, I do believe this time around I felt the stitches going in. It was a bizarre, verging on painful, experience, but it wasn't really pain, as you said. Last time I could just hear them, not feel anything really.

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  9. May you heal quickly, and may this be the last operation needed! Victor Standish, my YA urban fantasy eBook hero, shrilled, "Hey, I am the real deal. Ask my ghoul friend, Alice, who always threatens to make finger sandwiches of me!"

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    1. haha, well they are certainly "real deals" in terms of being real stories! And if I have no choice but to read it in eBook format, I will. It'll just take me a lot longer. ;)

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  10. I've had skin cancer removed from my neck. Not fun, but at least it heals quick. I hope it went smoothly for you. Thanks so much for reading LLS. It is a quick and sweet read. I hope you enjoy it. Let us know how you are doing.

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    1. I've finished put a review on GoodReads! It was a lovely read :)

      Yes, these things do heal quickly - mine take only a week, or even less!

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  11. I still prefer holding a book in my hands and touching the pretty cover!! :)

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  12. I'll take books any way they come, though I love to see them lined up on the shelf. And the covers are better 'in person'. Glad you have time to read this week--though I'm sorry you had surgery!

    ~Debbie

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    1. Thanks Debbie, it was necessary, but it's still a pain! ;) I agree that covers are better in person. But if it has to be an eBook, then I'll still read it!

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  13. I still prefer the real deal. But I've got a long list of writer friends' books I've got to read!

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    1. Yes, I know how you feel on both counts! :)

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  14. Hey Trisha. I'm back from your beautiful state. Man, it'd be hard not to go to the beach as it's so hot, hot, hot! Was pretty trying driving around the Cape in 42 degree heat at times. Was a glorious holiday over all and we hope to get back and see some more in the future.

    Sorry to hear about your op. Nasty. All that sun, hum? I hope you convalesce well and quickly and get into those e-books. Yes, I too prefer the real deal (Luddite?) but have also had to read a ton of e-books for blogger friends this past year and no doubt will do the same this year. I haven't got any of those you mention.

    Anyway me gal, I hope you'll be hale and hearty soon...

    Denise

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    1. Hi Denise - I'm glad you enjoyed my area of the country! I personally have hated this hot weather, but it's been tolerable (read: quite lovely) today. I do have the air-con on again now though. haha.

      Thanks for your well wishes & I'll be happy by Friday morning, which is when this round of sutures are removed!

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  15. I hope you're feeling better :) I went through this similar thing with my mom last August, the ones on her face were benign, the one on her hand was not, scary! But it all worked out, she healed well, and now I have a new awareness of skin cancer. I wish you luck with your healing :)

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    1. Thanks Hope, it's a pain in the butt (or forehead, really) but part of me thinks it's a bit genetic as well! My mum started going through the same thing when she was 29 (a little younger than me).

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  16. Ouch. hope you're feeling better....and as far as ebooks go, I prefer the real thing. They're more cozy. :P

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  17. Hope your head is ok.

    I like paperbacks, but I have a bit of an ocd about how they're arranged on a bookshelf so e-books make me feel cheated. That said, they are convienient.

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  18. Hope you are recovering well.
    I almost despised ebooks until just before Christmas, now I quite like them. Convenient, easy to read in bed. But Theres still something about the smell of ink on paper.

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Thanks for your words, me hearties! and don't forget to leave a link to your blog somewhere I can find it!