# Y'all are My People, and I'm so glad I found you :)



## Malibama

I wrote my first post last night in the "Where has your Kindle been?" thread and the it was suggested I introduce myself here, and I am very good at following directions SOOOOO

Hello Kindlers!

My name is Linda, and I am a middle-aged (ahem, I'm 46) Kindle owner of 13 months; I always tell strangers who ask me about my Kindle that it is the best gift my husband has ever given me - even better than jewelry and I LOVE jewelry so that is really saying something! Since I read at least a book a week, and travel at least half the month, my Kindle has been my constant companion since the day I got her. Actually, I should clarify that last thought: since the day I got my _first_ Kindle THEY have been my constant companion. Because I'm on my third -- two cracked screens have necessitated the replacements. the first Kindle's screen was cracked when my darling husband rolled over on it in bed. I had a fit, admonished his carelessness, bla bla bla -- then about two months later I did the exact same thing - OOPS!

I no longer leave my Kindle resting on beds or couches or chairs -- for obvious reasons, LOL.

My third (and prettiest) Kindle is outfitted in Decal Girl's KAY print, and housed in Oberon's Avenue of Trees cover. I learned about both of these companies while lurking on Kboards, so I am already in your debt.

I am a Kindler who underutilizes the Kindle's capabilities. No listening to music while I read, no audiobooks, no SD card, no PDFs, etc. What I do do is read read read constantly. I did use the Ask Kindle Now Now feature about ten times while it was available, and I've missed it more times than that since it was discontinued 

My husband and I split our time between our home in Malibu, CA and our whitetail ranch an hour north of Mobile, AL, and the rest of the time we are traveling for pleasure. So I read in airline lounges, on planes, in cabs, on the T (while visiting my stepson who is in college in Boston!) and of course at our homes.

In the last year my Kindle has been in North America, Central America, and South America and my favorite reads were Bringing Home the Birkin (Michael Tonello), The Soloist (Steve Lopez), Without You (Anthony Rapp), the Caught Stealing trilogy (Charlie Huston and free on Amazon!), Eat Pray Love (Elizabeth Gilbert), Hope's Boy (Andrew Bridge), and a the absolute top of the list THE MAN IN THE WHITE SHARKSKIN SUIT (Lucette Lagnado). I hear Sharkskin Suit has been optioned for film, and I only wish I had optioned it myself (and I'm not even in the film business, lol)

I love country music and last year had the BEST time at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville! But I also subscribe to the Los Angeles Philharmonic's symphony series -- so I'm well rounded. I'm a Louis Vuitton carrying beach baby/country girl, and oh yes, and my REAL passion is Nia, an exercise modality that incorporates dancing, martial arts, and healing arts!

When I'm not reading I am staring out the window and thanking God for my wonderful life.

I look forward to posting more, and lurking less!

MALIBAMA


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## Kathy

Welcome. What a wonderful life you have.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Welcome again Linda and thanks for the great intro. I have a brother in Mobile and I am 4 1/2 hours north in Birmingham, Al. I was curious about your user name and now it all makes sense. If you have a passion for reading and your Kindle this is *the* place to be!


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## Malibama

Thanks for the welcome Kathy; I am most grateful for my life, it wasn't always rosy which gives me the opportunity to really appreciate my blessings!

You have grandchildren, THAT'S a wonderful life changer, isn't it?  I never had children of my own, though my stepson lived with me full time starting when he was 6.  He's only 19, but I already wonder if I'll be considered his children's "real" grandmother; I've earned it, and I want it, but you never know...


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## Malibama

HEY LINDA (as we say in the south, when we're calling our friends, HEY!)

Lovely to meet another Kindler named Linda, and especially one in Alabama   Glad you figured out my username -- it's also the name of our ranch, The Malibama Ranch.

For a city-born girl who lived most of my life in Beverly Hills it is astounding how country I have become in the 14 years since I met my husband.  My God, the FOOD was terrifying at first, (collard greens?  okra?  macaroni, WHY?)  Now I swear I'm more country than city - and proud of it!  We bought the ranch about a year and a half ago and it's changed our lifestyle so much, all for the good.

Our niece lives in Birmingham, she stayed there after attending Samford.

Do you root for Alabama, or Auburn?  That seems to be what it's all about, isn't it

XOXO,
Linda


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## Kathy

You will be their grandmother in all ways. Grandchildren don't understand the concept of step-grandmother and have a great capacity of love. I have 2 children and 2 step-children. Both of my step-daughters have children and they do consider me as a "real" grandmother. My grandchildren also consider my husband as a "real" grandfather. My husband and I have been together for 19 years and we have 9 grandchildren between us. 8 boys and 1 girl ranging in age 3 months to 16 years. Life is always an adventure and I can tell yours has been a great one.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Hey Linda!

*WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!*


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## Malibama

Well Kathy, you made my cry (thanks for your kind and lovely post), and Linda, you made me spit out the water I was sipping.  GAWD how I miss sweet tea when I'm in California!

I Roll Tide, but only because we have two nieces at Tuscaloosa.  Hope you won't hold that TOO hard against me (and I have nothing identifiable on my truck, etc., unlike most of the folks in Alabama who sport either an Alabama or Auburn sticker on their vehicles!)


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## Neversleepsawink;)

Welcome   I love it here


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## Gables Girl

Hi Linda,

Welcome to the Kindle Klub.  My Kindle hasn't been out of the country as much as yours, but has spent a lot of time in cars, subways, airports, and planes.  I wonder how I traveled with out it.  I know how, I just always had an extra suitcase of books.  It sounds like you have a wonderful time traveling.    I live in Florida so for the SEC it's Go Gators!   Come to Miami and enjoy our Cuban food and Cuban coffee.


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## Lotus

Welcome! The Kindle Boards are definitely a great place to get reading recommendations, especially for freebies and cheapies.


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## KimmyA

Hey Linda! What a cool intro post! Welcome to the boards. 

I'm in SC and a big Clemson Tiger fan.  Though Gables Girl, I have to admit, Tebow is awesome.


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## Malibama

Hi Neversleepsawink, Gables Girl, Lotus, and Kimmy A:

Thanks for the welcomes  

I love Cuban food, and I love Greenville, South Carolina (which I know is just barely in SC!)

One day I must get to Miami...


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## nelamvr6

Welcome!  You came to the right place, these guys are GREAT!!


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Hey Linda, I would never hold that against you! I have several *BAMA * friends. I think it is cool that two of the best SEC teams are in the state of Alabama. I am curious, is your husband from AL, how did ya'll end up in Mobile from CA?

We have a lot in common, I love me some Kenny Chesney and George Strait but also Il Divo, Andrea Borcelli and Mozart. Reading and music are two of my favorite past times and Lord knows I love that good ole southern sweet tea.

What type books do you like?


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## Anju 

Nice to have you here Malibama - even if you are split between two places LOL


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## KCFoggin

Hi there Linda and a warm welcome to you from Myrtle Beach!   I sure hope you keep a lot of foam rubber around this Kindle


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## Leslie

Hi Linda, welcome! Glad to have you here.

Where is Boston is your stepson going to college?

I am interested in the Anthony Rapp book. Was it any good? I am trying to remember...isn't he the guy who was in Rent (Broadway and movie) and wrote a memoir...something to do with his mother and also, didn't he have cancer? I also think he was in Adventures in Babysitting. Please set me straight if I am completely off the mark! LOL

L


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## intinst

Greetings and Welcome!. Sounds like you'll fit in here just fine.


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## Malibama

For LESLIE: Yes, Anthony Rapp was the original Mark Cohen, he also played Mark in the film and was still as brilliant in the role however many years later. The tagline of the book Without You is "A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent." Whether or not you are a Renthead matters little as you are reading, though he does tell many tales of the development of Rent. His memoir is beautifully written; I laughed with him, I cried for him, it is one of my favorite memoirs - and I have read many! It's a brilliant piece of work.

My stepson is at Northeastern University, right smack dab in the middle of Boston! He wanted urban, gritty, to ride public transportation, to experience seasons; quite a change from Malibu, and he absolutely loves it so far. He is a freshman in the five-year coop program where each student spends two or three semesters working in the field of their major. It is an amazing program - 40% of the students change their major after their first six-month coop! Isn't it better to learn you don't like the field you chose while you're still in school, and change up, than after you have your degree and are out of school and toiling away, dying slowly every day at a job you hate? We spent three days at parent orientation and I cannot speak highly enough about NEU - can you tell?

For LINDA: Are we sisters from different mothers, with the same name? Yeah girl. you guessed it right. Though my husband was born in California his family moved to Mobile when he was 14 - and his mother, a brother (and now, his family) and sister (and now, her family) all still live there. We used to visit twice each year: for Mardi Gras and the Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. Then a year and a half ago my husband wanted to buy some whitetail property. He was looking in Illinois, Kansas, the usual places where big bucks roam. I suggested we buy closer to Mobile and miraculously he listened to me and we bought a property 75 minutes from Mobile. We now spend 1/3 of the year at the Malibama and are closer than close with my aging MIL (she's 80,) we have gotten to know our nieces and nephews (attend their sporting events, etc), I could just go on and on about the wonderful changes our ranch purchase have wrought. And I always loved Mobile, but never thought I could live there -- not enough of a city. Well now I spend my time five miles down a dirt road, 20 minutes from blacktop, and 30 minutes from a market - and I love it!

We're going to see Kenny Chesney for the first time this April at the Stagecoach Country Music festival out here in CA and we are really excited about it! Kenny, Brad Paisley, Reba and Kid Rock ("singing sweet home Alabama, all summer long!") are the headliners for the weekend but Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, "chicken fried" Zac Brown, and a score of other artists are performing as well. I'm friends with Jamie O'Neal -- have you heard her new single "Like a Woman" -- it's hot hot hot -- see the video at CMT.com [SORRY FOR THE SHAMELESS PLUG FOR MY PAL]

As you can see from my list of best reads in my intro I read a lot of memoirs. My favorite fiction writers are Gregg Hurwitz (ADORE the Tim Rackley series) and Somerset Maugham. I also got hijacked for three weeks by the Twilight series, a few months back. Like my taste in music, my reading library is diverse! Waiting to be read on my K are Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl, John Adams (loved the HBO miniseries,) An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- again, all over the place. I'm currently reading Quick, Before the Music Stops: How Ballroom Dancing Saved My Life, A Personal Stand (by TRACE ATKINS - YOU'D PROBABLY LOVE THIS!) and Around the World in 80 Dinners.

FOR ALL OF YOU: I used to read a book at a time. As a Kindler I am often reading multiple books at a time, since I can easily carry all of them around with me. Has anyone else changed their reading style as a result of becoming a Kindler?


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

I have just finished Mozart's Wife, Marley and Me, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and Water for Elephants, all I enjoyed. I am currently reading Incidents of a Slave Girl (difficult read but eye opening and sad, about slavery in the South),  and Outlander.

Infidel is a very good book if you haven't read it as well as the Distant Cousin Triology whose author Al Past is a member on KB and will be leading a book klub this spring.

John Adams is on my long, books I plan to read list. I will check out Trace's book. 

I clean house on Saturday morning with CMT blasting and I have seen Jamie O'Neals video.


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## Malibama

Hey Linda!

I just downloaded Incidents of a Slave Girl and Distant Cousin.  Reading your post cost me $5; you are a cheap Kindle date and I thank you for your recommendations 

I have read articles by Ayaan Hirsi Ali and seen her interviewed, and knowing a bit about her story I just don't think I can go there right now, so I ordered the sample to remind me to get back to her book later.

YOU, my dear, have been on a little run of gloomy literature!  First the Slave Girl and then The Reader?  Revolutionary Road?  Both films affected me deeply, and though I hear RR is a masterpiece, but again, I just don't think I can go there right now.  If you've seen the film(s) -- were you still glad you read the books?

Hope you have a fun weekend planned.  Tomorrow night I'm going to hear Leonard Slatkin conduct Hillary Hahn (violin) with the LA Phil and they're playing the Romeo & Juliet overture by Tchaikovsky among other things.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Bill is still in Alabama until Tuesday (God forbid he miss the last few days of hunting, he's only been living there full time since last October!) - and I look forward to this being the last weekend without him.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Hey!
I always read the books first and then decide if I want to see the movie. I want to see The Reader but not RR, don't want to go there, the book was enough. Prior to these I had some light, fun reads. Incidents of a Slave Girl has
affected me more than any of the others. I think it is because I was born and raised in the South. I don't think I will ever get over Infidel, I shed many tears but it was of great interest to me and I'm glad I read it. I think every American woman should read it. I am going to pass on The Caged Virgin.



Your weekend sounds great! Enjoy!


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## Arby

Malibama said:


> For LESLIE: Yes, Anthony Rapp was the original Mark Cohen, he also played Mark in the film and was still as brilliant in the role however many years later. The tagline of the book Without You is "A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent." Whether or not you are a Renthead matters little as you are reading, though he does tell many tales of the development of Rent. His memoir is beautifully written; I laughed with him, I cried for him, it is one of my favorite memoirs - and I have read many! It's a brilliant piece of work.


Have to agree with this review of Rapp's memoir - I also enjoyed it and was moved. I loved the insight into the Rent success story - I am somewhat of a theatre nut so I may be biased. Thanks for sharing these thoughts and welcome to one of the friendliest places on the web!!


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## chynared21

*Hi and welcome aboard...it's so nice to have you here.*


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## drenee

Malibama said:


> Hey Linda!
> 
> I just downloaded Incidents of a Slave Girl and Distant Cousin. Reading your post cost me $5; you are a cheap Kindle date and I thank you for your recommendations


That is too funny.


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## Malibama

In order to catch up with the the Dead Until Dark Book Klub, last night I read until 3:45am. I had caught up about 2am, I was simply enjoying the book so much I couldn't stop reading.

I have wanted to be in a book club for about five years, perhaps longer, but had never been invited into one I wanted to join (I was invited into a few I didn't want to join!)

So I can now cross off one of the items on my "bucket list" -- I'm in a book club, and even better it's a Kindle book_ K_lub -- 

I've been on the KindleBoards less than a week, but y'all have already helped me accomplish a life goal.

Thanks.


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## Angela

Hey Linda/Malibama!! Sorry I was out for a couple of weeks and just getting around to greeting you. Welcome! You, girl, are living hubby's and my dream life!!    It is our desire to be able to divide our time between the lake house and the country home and then the rest of the time travel and enjoy being together! Right now we are living about 200 miles apart during the week as I moved back to our hometown to help take care of my parents and the hubby remained behind in Houston to continue working. We are making it work and we look forward to our weekend time together.  As for those grandkids in your future... don't fret it, girl! We have 2 grandkids born into the family and one through marriage. There is no difference and the word "step" never seems to come up. Grandkids love unconditionally!  

Once again, welcome. Looking forward to seeing you around the boards!


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