New Years Day ritual: Twilight Zone marathon

My favorite Twilight Zone episode is on: "Time enough at last" about the bookworm who survives a nuclear blast. As an extremely near-sighted book lover who can't see without glasses or contacts, I have always identified with the thick glasses-wearing character Henry Bemis who can never find enough time to read.

The episode is from 1959 but still resonates today with its references to the dangers of nuclear war and the anti-intellectualism of Bemis' boss and wife who deride him for his love of reading.

I love my NookColor ebook reader (and its accompanying app for my phone) because it gives me the feeling that I always have reading material at hand. But some have pointed out that as we as a society move more towards books as electronic data, we are just as vulnerable as Henry Bemis and his fragile glasses because a power outage or computer virus could just as easily eliminate our ability to read the written word.

That's why, despite my love for my NookColor, I still love physical books and always will. But in honor of  Henry Bemis, I do have a backup pair of glasses, just in case.

Easing into 2012

Family around, greens & black eye peas on the stove, Twilight Zone marathon on: 2012 is off to a great start.