I was already to write a rave review of the Barnes and Noble Nook e-reader when Monday, B&N dropped the price from $253 to $199. Guess which price we paid. I’ve cooled off a little and decided that if I was happy before the price came down, I shouldn’t be bitter about someone else’s good fortune.

The Nook is quite fabulous and I love it. I have read four books since we got it. Also, I have downloaded the “Poems of Vachael Lindsay” and a collection of Edgar Allan Poe poems and stories.( I have a confession: I enjoy reading poems out-loud – to myself alone and late at night.) Someone asked me Sunday why I liked the Nook. I answered that that was the question I had been asking myself. Not having an answer ready was what had delayed my writing a blog about it. Today, I will try. First I can enlarge the font and I do not have to fool around with a magnifying glass. People with decent vision would discount that. A feature I like so much that I may never go back to a book–book is that it always knows where I stopped reading. With a book, I never got used to using a bookmark and always had to read several pages to find my place. Books to read are easy to find and download. I search through B&N’s website on my Mac until I find a book I am interested in. Then I go to “Shop”on the Nook and search by author and buy the book. It is downloaded to my Nook in seconds. (The gal at telephone “help” walked me through configuring the Nook to use my own router.)

I suppose I should mention the lower price for books plus there are a bunch of “Free” books available. Whatever the reason, I am addicted.

The corporation that includes the CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) in which we live, and over a dozen others, was named “Classic Residence by Hyatt” until last week.. Last week they took a bold step and renamed themselves. The new name, announced with champagne parties across the country in every one of their communities, is Vi (pronounced vee). It landed among current residents like a lead balloon.

Reportedly, two years of market research and name development went into the decision to change and the search for an appropriate name. The results indicated that the baby boomers coming along want a more active lifestyle in their retirement years than currently offered by retirement facilities. But one analysis of the results suggests that while current residents traditionally have moved in at ages averaging in the mid-eighties, the new strategy would target a younger entrance into retirement community living. One can visualize an advertising campaign aimed at sixty year olds that stresses the advantages of using a CCRC as a base for the lifestyle of travel and sports they desire. Current residents may not like some of the change in emphasis needed to make the new positioning a reality, but if done right it should make life more interesting for every generation.


In my personal experience, I resisted moving into this place when I was in my early seventies. I thought I was too young. I thought that moving here was some sort of surrender. Like many others, I soon realized I was wrong and that I retained the freedom to do pretty much what I wanted. I even wished I had made the move sooner.

The name ”Vi” is more than a little bizarre but demonstrates that management is willing to take chances with big change. I think the new positioning will succeed and lead to a shift in the whole industry.

Calling All Inventors!!!

Do you have any idea how many old folks are standing back on the boardwalk wishing they could walk down to the water and out a few yards?

Can't some clever fellow develop a "sand cane" based along the lines of a ski pole which could assist walking in soft sand. A regular cane is no use at all. It sinks in the sand down to china and is a devil to pull out for the next step The right design and you could make billions --- or many just cover your costs and make a lot of people happy. Simply find a good lawyer to write a waiver for buyers to sign agreeing it is the buyers fault if he falls down and drowns.

Beach Day

While talking food and all the current emphasis on eating healthy the other day with a friend, he said that he had no objection to eating “healthy” at home; but by golly, when he went out to eat, he wanted to eat "UNhealthy" and enjoy it! The picture above is just to show that I think he has a useful and valid philosophy. A group of us went over to the beach yesterday for breakfast at John G’s. For Sally and I, it was a reward for a rotten week of hospital tests, tension, and fatigue, Believe me I finished every morsel on that plate.
After breakfast, Sally and I went out to the end of the long fishing pier located right there. It was hot, but beautiful. The ocean was calm and sparklingly clear, contrary to the fears of many. No sign of the Gulf coast’s tar. We both got mild sunburns and Vitamin D to last a week. I slept all afternoon.