An iPadded Blog Post

So I got an iPad for Christmas, officially making me the coolest I've been since I got my first Radio Flyer wagon back nineteen-ought-six. I wanted to take a picture of my iPad (I named him "Star Trek"*) to share with all of you out in the blogoverse, but it turns out he's a little shy. So you'll have to settle with a Google picture.

I'm not really much of a technophile. Well, I did get an iPod shuffle when the iPod first came out, which hasn't been put to much use. Oh, and I guess I do have a Blu-Ray player - if you count my PS3, which I only got so I could play a Batman video game. So I was at first kind of resistant to getting a tablet. However, now that I've got one in my hot little mitts, I'm pretty sure that my life will now be different. FOREVER.

Or, you know, until the novelty wears off or whatever.

I spent all day yesterday fiddling around with the machine (with an obligatory 30-second time out to think about Jesus, since it was his birthday and all). Very quickly, I discovered that the iPad is the most expensive Christmas present anyone's ever given me. And that's most expensive FOR ME, not for the gift giver, although I'm sure it was pricey for them, too... What I'm saying is I've already dropped probably $80 or so getting my rig pimped out.

Truth is, I've actually wanted one of these little gizmos for quite some time. Now that I've got one, I plan on getting a good deal of use from it. As for what I'm going to use it for... well...

Writing

I used to spend a lot of idle time riding the bus. I got a lot of reading done. Now that I have a device that's actually portable (as opposed to that "laptop" thing I used to lug around), I think I can get a lot of writing done, as well.

Reading

I've kinda loved being in a book club. The problem with it, though, is that I buy a lot of the books we read. Now, in and of itself, that's not a problem... except when I come across a book I've no desire to read again. It winds up just lying around on my shelf, untouched and unloved. Like me.

Well, except for the "untouched" part. People found out I hate being touched and now they WILL NOT STOP.

Anyway, if nothing else, I save on shelf space.

Gaming

I specifically did NOT want to get any games for my iPad. I've got Nintendos and Playstations and my weekly Saw re-enactments to satiate my gaming jonesing...

But look at World of Goo! COME ON!

Music

I've not been much of a music collector, actually, but I'm starting to get into it again - usually on a song-by-song basis. I found an interesting dilemma, though - I tend to only listen to music when I drive, and I like to drive angry. I don't want to OWN any angry music, though, so I find I'm conflicted as to what I'd actually want to buy.

But it's like the old saying goes - "Have iTunes gift card, will buy lots of Kimbra."

Comics

No lie, folks - the comic book apps may be the primary reason I wanted an iThing. See, collecting comics is expensive, and digital comics are...slightly cheaper.

But digital comics also have Dusting Nguyen's Li'l Gotham series, and it's just ADORABLE.

This wasn't supposed to be an advertisement for the iPad, but that's kind of what it turned into. Sorry, but the iPad may very well have been my second-favorite gift I got this Christmas. After my brand-new cookbooks.

* - No, I didn't.