Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It is such a pleasure to be able to browse an online used books site and find so many books that I haven't read, and many of them are under $5.00 with free shipping!
It is such a pleasure to be able to browse an online used books site and find so many books that I haven't read, and many of them are under $5.00 with free shipping!
Same here, books. Whenever I travel somewhere, I first seek the local public library and a used-book bookstore that carries books in English. More than half of my books are outright geographic, or have a strong sense of place, often where I have been, and can vividly travel back via the book (eg, recently read: an excelent historical-futuristic novel by a young man with an unpronouncable Thai name, Bangkok Wakes to Rain). If you have 3,000 books, they are also an excellent sound insulation in a condo. Moving with 3,000 books is and isn't a pain: is because they are heavy, isn't because they are very easy to pack. I do not like e-books, and read them very infrequently, usually just the stuff that has been long out of print, and not easily found for a reasonable price (trying to get through Sven Hedin: Trans Himalaya, published 1909, on Project Gutenberg website that has free reproductions of old books, but it is miserable and annoying to read that way, no way to readily go back and forth, and forget it when you need to refer to a map or illustration while reading the text). Anyway, yes, paper books are my main cheap thrill, and in fact one most uselful thing that has gotten me through life (in every sense of that expression).
I use Spotify; all the music in the world for about $10 per month. Type in the name of any song and it's instantly there. Also, they automatically create a playlist for you based on your choices. They also allow downloads to your phone so it's useful on long flights. (remember those? )
I'm listening right now on my Bose QC-35 headset. The fidelity is fabulous!
Many of the songs from my youth in the 50s-70s have been re-mastered. I can hear details and subtle differences quite easily. For the cost of buying them one beer per month it's quite a good deal.
We pick a direction and drive for an hour or two and stop at anything that interests us. It could be a historical marker, a hiking or bike path trailhead, or perhaps stroll down a small town downtown area.
Some points of interest are noted to visit later. We discover some real jewels and a number of duds.
We pick a direction and drive for an hour or two and stop at anything that interests us. It could be a historical marker, a hiking or bike path trailhead, or perhaps stroll down a small town downtown area.
Some points of interest are noted to visit later. We discover some real jewels and a number of duds.
What a great idea.
We kind of do this, but usually do research ahead of time just to have some ideas. Quite a few have become return visits.
Also, I do love reading and have developed a preference for ebooks and reading on my kindle. I have always been a library user and even with the pandemic and closed libraries for in person, the ebooks kept me going.
So that's a real constant "splurge" that costs nothing.
I only recently tried spotify and using earbuds and I feel like I finally understand what people were raving about. I have the free version and am still not totally familiar with it (or using the wireless buds- fit and all) but it's a delight. I forgot how much I missed music.
And one more really little one--- that I love---
I love coffee and could drink it all day long. However I have learned that caffeine is great to me only in limited amounts. So, I have my 2 regular morning cups and then switch to decaf.
With the warmer weather I use instant decaf coffee, add cold water, and then- milk and ice cubes. Sometimes I add the sugar free syrup as well which I get the sugar free syrup at TJM/Ross for $3.99.
I used to find it a treat to stop at Starbucks for coffee or iced coffee, but that has stopped for me since the pandemic. I did go back once last year and was so turned off to the service and experience.
Living large.
Also, thank you for starting this thread and for each contribution. It's very needed and very welcome.
Books and Netflix. I bought a Nook reader in January, 2020- great timing since they library closed to the public a couple of months later. I'm still happily downloading library books and my granddaughters borrow the Nook when I visit so they can borrow the latest Disney-themed books. So much for my plan for them to download high-quality literature.
I dropped cable after my husband died- he liked team sports so we had a pretty expensive package. I'm a happy camper with Netflix- I can always find something I like when I run through a series. I've even found some in French and German. I share the account with DS and DDIL since it can be used on two devices at once. I hear rumblings that they may crack down on sharing outside of the household but for now I think it's legitimate.
Books aren't a splurge. They are a necessity. They are life.
A jerk chicken/jerk salmon plate with rice and beans and fried plantains...that's a splurge. I've missed Jamaican food so much.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
