Cozy Clicks
Or, How I keep my hands warm during the Winter reading season
I’ve got a quickie for you today.
It’s something that makes me so happy whenever I use it. Absolute joy, I’m telling you.
I settle into bed, pull the covers up to my chin, wrap my Barefoot Dreams blanket around my head like a warm muffle, and turn on my little friend. Then, I announce to the room, “I’m. So. Happy.”
If your mind is in the gutter right now (and, after re-reading the preceding paragraph, I completely understand why it might be), come on out from there.
Because I’m talking about my wintertime Kindle setup. It looks a lot like this, but picture a dusty-rose throw blanket around her head, just her little nose peeking out from beneath it:
It’s a running joke in my home that two parts of my body are cold from mid-October through March: my hands and my butt. My hands get painfully cold on an almost daily basis during the Winter. My productivity plummets, as I have to pause every few minutes to cup my hands together and blow on them like a street urchin in Victorian London. I really should invest in some fingerless gloves. I’d still look like an urchin, but at least I’d be able to get my work done.
So when I stumbled upon a way to keep my hands toastily ensconced beneath layers of blankets while reading a book on my Kindle, it felt as if my bookish prayers had been answered.
And it’s not just the warm hands, friends. Thanks to the gooseneck Kindle holder, I can lie down completely, head on pillow, while reading. No more cricks in my neck or fatigued wrists from holding the tablet. I advance through my book by clicking a small Bluetooth remote that signals to a receiver that’s gently clamped to the edge of the Kindle. It sends a tiny electrical signal onto the Kindle screen, just as it would if my finger touched it. And poof—digital page turned, as if by magic.
It’s so incredibly cozy, friends. I wasn’t kidding about saying, “I’m so happy” out loud when I get into bed now. I’ve always done that whenever I get that overwhelming sense of simultaneous gratitude, contentment, and joy. That’s what this setup does for me.
That’s all. We’re done. I just wanted to share this little bit of happiness with you. Perhaps you or someone you know would enjoy it.
I hope you have a wonderful day! I have to go blow on my hands now.
✨ If you’re here, reading this footnote, I’m ever so grateful. ✨
A free subscription means the world. Truly. Just knowing you’re out there, choosing to read my words, is enough to make me hummingbird-dance across my living room (Bird is used to it).
A paid subscription? That’s next-level kindness. I’ll be so honored I might cry a little and definitely send you something sparkly in the mail if you want. Just say the word. (Seriously—glitter is standing by.)
Not a fan of subscriptions? That’s okay too! You can always buy Bird a treat instead. She accepts tips in the form of snacks and chin scritchies, and I’ll use your support to fuel more writing with a side of crunchies.
Or help for free by tapping the magic buttons! A like, a comment, or a restack tells the Substack algorithm nerd-gods that this little piece deserves some daylight. Every click helps me find more kindred spirits.
Thank you for the restack! <3