My Christmas List (work in progress)

If you ever find yourself thinking hmm.. what should I buy for my fabulous friend, Rachel?... Well.. this list is for you. You're welcome.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1AOQTZFVR74C2

The Designer's Prayer

Armani who art in Hermes,
Hallowed be thy Gucci.

Thy Cartier watch, Thy Prada bag,
On Rodeo, as it is in Tiffany's.

Give us this day our Visa Platinum,
...And forgive us our overdraft,
As we forgive those who decline our Mastercard.

Lead us not into JCPenney, and deliver us from Kohls.

For thine is the Chanel, the Gaultier, and the Versace, For Dolce and Gabbana...

Amex

(Not So) Tiny Dancer

So this past weekend, I attended the 20th anniversary recital which I believe I have previously referenced. It was so much fun. I love being in the spotlight and I also love getting my hair and make-up did. At our studio, I had 3 BFFs: Sara, Christina, and Maegan. We were the original "Mean Girls" and guess what? nothing's changed!

 So, anyway, here are a few pics from this weekend....

Dance Recital

When I was in school, I took dance for ten years. I absolutely loved it and miss all of my old dance friends. This weekend is River City Performing Arts' 20th anniversary and has invited back alumni to dance in their recital. I am so excited. I just hope I don't make a total ass out of myself. There won't be alcohol there so surely I should be okay. It's only people who competed, and most of them got dance scholarships and still dance, but the only time I dance is when it is alcohol-induced or when I'm in my car, so I'd say I'm at a slight disadvantage.

I was put in the back row a lot and my mom assured me this was only because I was taller than the other girls. However, considering I was overweight and fell down a lot, I have a feeling she might have been stretching the truth. I started competing in the 5th grade and here are a few pictures of some of the dances through the years..

I am the one in the PINK tights, the 4th from the right.. Apparently I didn't get the memo that we had to wear tan tights. This was at my last dance recital and talked all the girls into messing up their costumes as a joke to freak out our instructors.

This picture was from our Christmas party, my junior year. The ensemble danced for the younger girls and our parents. I'm actually not in the back row this time!! Wow a miracle.

This was a modern dance used in competition in 2002. Not to brag or anything, but we got 1st place every time.

This picture is from my favorite dance ever. The song was "Come out and Play" and it was so fun to learn. Our costumes were super cute. We also competed with this song and, again, gold medal.

This was from the "Dance Masters of America" competition in Atlanta in 2002. These competitions were so fun. We usually got there on Friday to rehearse, Saturday morning we had dance seminars with "famous" choreographers and then Saturday night we had our competition. Sunday morning we had more seminars and then we were dismissed.

Twitter and an awkward celebrity encounter

I haven't updated until today because I am a little obsessed with Twitter. It is super fun! It's all current and in the moment and who doesn't love that? Plus, I'm following many of my favorite celebrity friends and it kind of feels like we're best friends. The only downside is that Twitter sort of ASKS for an oversharing of information, and, as you can tell by my website, I like to over share. Here is a link if you can't get enough of me:

http://twitter.com/@racheltapscott

So, last Wednesday, my favorite author ever was in Birmingham. Since none of my friends wanted to spend Cinco de Mayo at a book discussion, my mom offered to go with me. Plus, she really likes the author, too. On the way to Birmingham, I'm mentally preparing for what I'm going to say when I meet J. Lancaster. For some reason, I get all kinds of fan-girl crazy whenever I meet someone even remotely famous, and the small voice of reason (the one that tells me not to say everything running through my head) quickly diminishes. It is really embarassing. For example, when I met Carrie Underwood in 2008, I blurted out that if I lived in Nashville, we'd totally be best friends and that I loved her jeans. She looked at me like I was an effing psycho, and I sort of see where she'd be weirded out.

Anyway, when we were in line, I had my game face on, and I was almost ready to talk to her. I had two different monologues I could have delivered to her, and at this point I still wasn't positive as to which direction this would take. All of a sudden, we were next in line, and I go up to her, books in hand, and I literally forget my name. I stand there like a total idiot, while my mom, all calm, cool and collected, talks to her like they are BFFs...

This is the picture of me and Jen. The reason it is black and white and awful is because I was so nervous I was raining sweat. My hair was flat, my makeup looked awful, and I was shinier than patent leather. Oh well, I still have meeting Lauren Conrad in my future.

Owen Wilson's brother sucks

If it weren't for the iPhone, I would totally break up with AT&T. They are SO out to get me...somehow my bill was triple what it was last month! I can't help it that I'm more popular in the spring and your stupid rollover minutes expire. Not only that, AT&T..your service? It ain't that great. I mean, like, how do I lose my signal three times on the way to Target? I'll bet the reason we haven't heard from Osama bin Laden has less to do with the fact that he's hiding and more to do with him using AT&T.

I'm listening to music from "Glee" right now. That show is so good. I mean, how do you NOT love a show where the lead character is named "Rachel"? Plus, it has opened my eyes (and ears) to music other than Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood. Who knew?

Speaking of music, this is a list of songs on a new playlist I made today:

• "The House That Built Me" Miranda Lambert
• "Imma Be" Black Eyed Peas
• "Summer Gurls" Katy Perry
• "Your Love Is My Drug" Ke$ha.. BTW, putting a currency sign in your name is kind of genius, except how in the world do you pronounce the dollar sign?
• "Baby" and "Eenie Meanie" Justin Bieber
• "Airplanes" B.O.B.
• "Falling Slowly" The Frames... Crystal and Lee performed this last night. Amazing!

A Movie About My Life

If they made a movie about your life, who would you want to play you? This is what I've come up with..

Shiloh Jolie Pitt would play me as a baby.

Blake Lively would play me as a teenager.

Carrie Underwood (obviously)would play me now.

Lauren Conrad would play my BFF.

Cam from "Modern Family" would play my gay BFF.

Jennifer Aniston would play older me.

Oprah would play successful, older black me.

Jude Law would play my first husband.

Meryl Streep would play me on my deathbed. In my Malibu home. With my husband Joe Jonas weeping by my side.

Ellen Degeneres would definitely do my eulogy and maybe Lady GaGa would perform.

Adventures in Babysitting

I found a free iPhone app that lets you record videos. This one is from when I got to babysit Bradley and Drew during their Spring Break. It was so much fun.

Lovin' Me Some Birthdays..

My mom's birthday was yesterday, and today is my brother Brad's birthday. Last night we had our usual Monday Family Night and celebrated both of their birthdays.

BTW, I'm SO glad that my birthday does not fall close to any other family member's birthdays.. I would not share the celebration spotlight with anyone else. Maybe I'm a bit of a brat. Oh look, the story came back to revolve around me.. weird.. that never happens.

So anyways, it was their birthday last night and I posted a few pictures from the par-tay. I got my mom some earrings, a cross picture with a Bible verse on it and a very large wine glass with her initial on it. (To answer your questions...yes i'm the favorite..yes I gave the gift she'd get the most use out of.. and yes, I like irony). I got brad a visor that he wanted and a t-shirt that says....

It was a hit. I totally rock at gift-giving. Too bad they don't have a job for that. Stacey tried (and succeeded) at stealing my thunder by giving him a floating cooler with cup holders all the way around it. I won't mention that I helped her pick it out. Oops.

The birthday boy with Bradley..

My mom and Stacey

Drew is not embarrassed to kiss Aunt Rachel.. Bradley? Way too cool.

Last but definitely not least.. Birthday Girl.. BTW, she said "It's My Birthday, Yall" (in her best Britney Spears voice, of course) about a hundred times. She better be glad it was her birthday.

Things That Annoy Me

• Adults with braces
• Lisps
• Stupid people.. I mean, since when is it MY fault that you grew up eating lead paint chips?
• Redneck Alabama fans.. get over yourself, seriously.
• My credit score..Perhaps my first mistake was taking financial advice from a book called "Confessions of A Shopoholic"
• Anyone with an "Alabama" room in their house.. Really? A whole room devoted to a stupid football team (btw, this would NEVER be said of Auburn.. War Eagle)? There should never be a room dedicated to a team, unless that team is Team Rachel, of course.
• Personalized car tags
• Thunder stealers.. everyone knows it's really all about me.
• Cleaning.. unless it is cleaning out the liquor cabinet, my bank account or my DVR
• All things Nickelodeon
• Leann Rimes.. squint much?
• Disney haters...It's called the Happiest Place on Earth for a reason
• Cotton balls
• Winking...winking is only acceptable if you're a cougar or a rapper
• Vocal skills...only because I don't have any of these skills and how else am I going to win American Idol
• People who snore
• Passing gas in my presence
• The Family Guy

Idol Recap, Etc.

I'd rather be punched in the stomach than have to watch Siobhoan ever perform again on American Idol. Girl, what are you thinking? And don't even get me started on your outfit. You are a hot mess.

Hey Katie Stephens.. Accessorize much? Repeat after me: When in doubt, do without!

I hope Andrew and Siobhoan get kicked to the curb tonight. I'm nervous, though, because I voted for Crystal (only 63 times because I was texting) and every call except one went through. My mom voted for Aaron (totally illegal), Casey (run for your life, casey, run,) and Lee. She says she bases her decisions on their singing capabilities but if you saw how excited she gets when Aaron and Casey come on screen, you'd quickly see through her lies. Sorry, Jolly.

I have a certain cousin that I think looks just like Adam Lambert. I believe I am the only person who thinks this.

In other news, Kate Gosselin is supposedly getting a new TV show. They are going to call it "Twist of Fate." The premise of the show is based on Kate going around to help women/mothers in need, and walking a mile in their shoes. Kate, why don't you try walking a mile in your own shoes? Why the face? Do you realize you have 8 freaking kids? You're a MILF: Mom I'd Like to Forget.

AI and T&D

Don't forget American Idol tonight!! Bowersox Rocks! (Only because Paige got voted off and because Crystal is really good and she could use her fame/money to invest in a set of veneers and a serious dreadlock intervention.)

Oh, one more thing.. I take back every mean word I ever said about Tori and Dean. After watching them take Liam and Stella (Monkey and Buggy) and the Guncles on a road trip across the US...

only to redecorate Patsy's house....

I realize that you don't have to be beautiful on the outside to be beautiful on the inside. (wow, cheesy run on sentence, anyone?)

I mean, it helps to be beautiful on the outside, and I don't think Donna Martin looks like a horse. I only said that because I am totally jealous that she weighs less than 100 pounds.

Plus, T feels like she has no family. The mother-figure in her life is a large black woman. Tori, if you want a mom, I have one available. She considers you "the daughter she never had," so she'll be glad to step up to the plate.

Can we say creepy?

No, I'm not joking. Apparently you can buy tombstones that talk. Unfortunately, this information is correct.. but I haven't even gotten to the unfortunate part yet... the reason I know the above information is, in fact, true is because I am currently working for my mother (can we say uptight micromanager? I mean, since when is it a crime to leave the "closed" sign up all day and use the office to blow-dry my hair, apply make-up, and practice my vocal skills so that I'm ready to try out for American Idol for the 4th time?)

Anyway, isn't that totally weird? Why the face would you even get the tombstone to say? If mine talked it might say: I'm not dead! Grab a shovel and get me the heck out of here; OR...Hey grandkids, I'd love to see you but I'm slowly disintegrating into the ground; Or maybe even something like...I never liked you anyway, A-hole.

Act a fool

I love April Fool's day. What's not to love about this day? It is the one day out of the year that you can make up complete lies to all of your friends and family and get away with it... which, now that I'm thinking about it, is not THAT much different than any other day.. except today you can do it and not look like a total psycho.

I try not to let the glory of this day get into my head too much because the stories could run wild. Did I mention I am wholly unsuccessful at this?

Lesson learned: Don't joke about death, emergency surgery, or "The Office" being cancelled.

I'm going to see the MILEY CYRUS movie, "The Last Song," tonight w/ my cousin, Courtney. I'd like to say that she is my younger cousin and I'm only going because my teenage cousin loves Miley and needs a driver. However, this is not the case..she is actually older than I am. But whatever. It's not like we're going to see the Hannah Montana movie (which, btw, is totally awesome.. i got it the day it came out on dvd and i've seen it 4 times). I think i've perfected my "serious Miley" face, which is displayed in the movie trailer. It involves smooshing your lips and squishing your nose and squinting your eyes.

OMG... Carrie Underwood is going to be in a movie!!!! (And NO, this is NOT an April Fools joke.. I would NEVER joke about my girl Carrie) I am so excited. It is called "Soul Surfer" and it is about that girl that got her arm bitten off by a whale or something. I don't know the details about the actual story, but I DO know that she is playing a youth minister. She also guest starred in "How I Met Your Mother," that's the show with Dougie Houser in it. And, to add to the list of things me and Carrie have in common thus why we should be best friends.. she played a pharmaceutical sales rep! I mean, is this fate or what??

Did anyone see Idol last night? I was hoping Usher would do a back flip, but it didn't happen. Also, when did Diddy become "Diddy Dirty Money"? I mean, look, d-bag... quit changing your freaking name. You're not THAT cool. Plus, if you were in preschool you'd totally have trouble learning how to pronounce and much less, spell, that name. We already let you switch three times from"Puff Daddy" to "Puffy" to "Diddy".. Dude, you're cut off. You need to go to name rehab. Despite our creative differences, I WILL give you a shout out for your "hey what up girl?" part in TikTok. I love that song.. you can't NOT be in a good mood when you listen to that song.

Unless my mom is singing it.. then you can be in a bad mood. Blah Blah Blah.

To-Do List for Tuesday and other random words of wisdom

So, I heard on the news the other day that according to new studies, if it takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, it doubles your risk of dying. Did I mention I didn't sleep at all that night? I feel like I'm turning into freaking New York City. Ambien, anyone?

Anyway, last night, after trying to NOT think of death and also trying to fall asleep within 30 minutes and then failing, I decided to make a to-do list for today.

Here is my to-do list:

• Call doctors office to get prescription refilled
• Check on churches for any openings in December for Wes and KaiLeigha's wedding
• Email music guy from church because I completely forgot to return his call last week
• Go online and look at savings/checking accounts
• Pay phone bill online
• Update blog
• Pick up RX from doctor's office and take to pharmacy
• Walk for at least 30 minutes
• Make a new workout mix for my iPod
• Talk about how awesome my aunt Sara is on my website because SO many people read it, that's why I have 3 followers!

Long story short, I lost a $5 bet with myself that I'd actually get ANYTHING on the above to-do list done today. So... am I actually being productive? More like being Punk'd. Where's Ashton Kutcher? Well played, Kelso. Well played.

FYI, the only things I've gotten accomplished from my to-do list are updating this website and giving a shout-out to my aunt. Hey Sara.....Holla!!!

As far as the other 9 items listed... Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

I should have put "Watch American Idol" on my to-do list. I could have totally marked that off my list. Even though my girl, Paige, got voted off last week and at this point I will like to play the racism card here because I've never gotten to use it before. Wow, that felt good. Speaking of black people, it's story time.

Up until about 4 years ago, I always wondered why Black Friday was in November instead of February. (And don't get me started on what happened this past Black Friday) I never understood why my mom and her sisters would meet at 5 AM to eat breakfast the day after Thanksgiving and be gone until I woke up around noon.

I only have one black friend, Terrance, and I thought...it's about damn time. My bro-worker would finally have a day to relax and celebrate his blackness. My next thought was, "Stupid me, I forgot to get him a gift" and, to quote Andy Bernard.. "Do not test my politeness". When I went to the mall to get him a FUBU hat, it was a disaster. I also got a fifty percent discount. That's when I realized what Black Friday was.

America, Please stop embarrassing me!

Who hasn't seen the infamous MTV show, "Jersey Shore"? I realize it is embarassing... kind of like asking your dad to go buy you a box of tampons... but, let's face it, YOU have seen this show. Now, two of the cast members are signed on to write a book together. "JWoww" and Ronnie are writing a book entitled Never Fall in Love at the Jersey Shore. I suppose in this "situation", two idiots are better than one.

Side note: These pictures have been photoshopped. Hey JWoww and Ronnie, too bad you can't go back and photoshop your lives with better decisions.

The book is supposed to be about dating and how to achieve their classy lifestyle. It is basically a guide to being a "guido," as they so proudly refer to themselves. I would like to think that a few chapters of the book could be called the following:

"Get your Tan On",

"Your hair extensions should never look as fake as your Chanel bag",

"Fist Pumping 101",

"Who knew diseases could live in da hot tub? How to talk to your MD about your 'situation'",

and, finally

"How to allow your brain to be devoid of any intelligence whatsoever."

Wow, apparently these days, almost anyone can get a book deal. Look out, New York Times Bestseller's List... I'm next.

The Skank Side

I know this is SO two weeks ago, but I have to address this, considering there is now new information to the story. Sandra Bullock's soon to be ex-husband, Jesse James chose to cheat on her with a hot mess named Michelle "Bombshell" McGee.

Supposedly Michelle is a white supremacist... I find this odd considering the fact that she is covered in multi-colored tattoos. And speaking of her tattoos.. Michelle, you look like the freaking cartoon strips in the newspaper. Funny enough, Jesse James is a huge fan of cartoons. Hey Jesse, did you know that the newspapers come STD free and typically don't cost you a divorce? Just a thought you jackass.

You know what Michelle? You're disgusting.

Did I mention that she was supposedly raised Amish? Just think... I bet her conservative, Amish mother is so proud to have raised a Nazi, porn star daughter, who is now famous for cheating on the husband of America's sweetheart.

And get this..supposedly she is selling her story to the tabloids.... shocker.

In the article, she claims she was hooking up with Jesse to make a better life for herself. You go girl... have an affair with a married man and then lose custody of your 5-year-old son. And by the way, who would let this fine piece procreate?

And to put the icing on the cake, she supposedly sold her story for $30,000... I mean really, Michelle... what are you going to do with 30K, buy a Honda Accord?

Trouble in Paradise

Tori and Dean.. Oh, where do I begin? I have been a fan of them since my mom got me hooked on their TV show. So, word is they're having marital problems. I mean, if T and Dean can't work it out, is there hope for any of us?

Tori has supposedly told her husband that she wants the "old Dean" back (whatever that means).

Word on the street is that he has been spending more and more time riding his motorcycle, rather than hanging with T, Buggy and Monkey. Now let's all take a time-out right now and think about this...I mean, have you seen the show? Seriously, he isn't even a good driver. He might as well be Asian. He wrecked his bike like 3 times last season. And, as much as I love Tori... maybe he keeps crashing his bike because his wife looks like a cross between a horse and Aaron Spelling.

Tori is the money maker in the family. Dean is kind of a loser (although I DO think he is sweet and a good father to buggy and monkey). I mean, you know things are getting pretty bad if his movies can't even make it to the Lifetime network. An insider has said that Tori couldn't leave Dean because it would be a huge embarrassment to their family and also because Dean has nowhere to go. Nowhere to go? How about he go back to the family he abandoned in Canada.

Perfect Princess Party

So, Tuesday was my sweet cousin's 3rd birthday party. Sidney Grace is a little princess in every sense of the word, so of course she and her closest 3 year-old friends deserved the royal treatment!

Her first guest was her cousin, Sydney. Look at how cute they are!!

They made the cutest mirrors, complete with fur trimming and bedazzled decorations.

They also had a beautiful table adorned with their personalized place settings, Princess champagne glasses, and an array of food fit for a princess, of course.

The invitation said to dress like a princess. Naturally, I searched my closet and the closest thing I could find was a skanky Halloween costume from college, and deemed this inappropriate for anything other than the trash can. Boy was I in luck when I arrived (dressed like a teenager..yes, I realize I am in living in denial of my real age) and all of the other moms were dressed in normal clothing.

Sorry, Courtney but I have to call you out (and I would expect the same thing from you). On the way to the party, I rode with Courtney and Sydney to Birmingham. I parked my car at the back corner of her driveway. She opens up the garage door and starts backing out.. by this point we were already in deep conversation (imagine that) and the next thing we know, she actually hit my car. So, I got in a wreck, but I wasn't even in my car when it happened. I was in the car that hit my car. For some reason I find this funny. Side note: this isn't the actual cars involved and not nearly as bad as the actual incident..but I wanted to bring some drama to this post and I found this on the internet.

Pants on the ground

Sportscasters ponder the moral ramifications of Tiger cheating on his wife. while my favorite, the tabloids explore the steamier side of the issue...happily speculating on the whens, wheres, who (re)s, and which cocktail waitresses. Fans want to understand what made him stray, while sponsors scramble to determine if he can still sell sneakers and Gatorade. Me? I only have one question for the Tiger and I've summed it up in a letter to him.

Dear Mr. Woods,

Were you really THAT anxious to part with $300 million dollars?

Now I’m not telling you how to run your business or your life, Tiger. But I just have to ask why you would sign and then knowingly violate a $300 million dollar prenuptial agreement? I'm sorry, but I just have to wonder.... Were you really THAT tired of seeing so many zeroes on your bank account statements? Or do you hate the world of financial institutions and you simply ran out of mattresses to stuff? Was it hard to keep your pants up when your pockets were so filled with gold? Were you Larry Platt's inspiration for his award-winning song, "Pants on the Ground"?

The only logical explanation is that your money’s a burden to you and you’re desperate to unload it. If this is the case, perhaps you could have considered these fine alternatives?

According to the Senator of Louisiana, $300 million is exactly what it’ll take to remedy the shortfalls in their budget. If you weren’t on the hook for the prenup, you could totally write the Great State a check. I bet they’d all run out and buy Buicks, Nikes, and Gatorade with the money you saved them. Plus, the folks in NOLA would treat you like a king at Mardi Gras, giving you all the beads you could carry. You’d be so beloved, every girl on Bourbon Street would flash you. Since that sounds like the kind of thing you’d be into, everyone wins!

For $300 million bucks, you could have funded HUD’s Recovery Act, which (I believe) is aimed at both giving homes to homeless families and preventing them from facing the kind of crisis that eventually lead to homelessness. Home-wrecker?....more like a home-saver!

A while back the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $100 million dollars to help fix polio. Seriously Tiger, are you going to let some browser-crashing-nerd steal your thunder? Or are you going to fork over so many bills those future generations of blindfolded swimmers will think that “polio” is what comes after “Marco”?

The cliché-loving part of me would just really like to take that last $100 million to buy the world a Coke. However, according to a recent estimate (which was retrieved from WikiPedia so you know it's true), it would cost around $6.5 billion to purchase one twenty-ounce bottle for every single person living on Earth. I GUESS people could share, but that would cause multiple people to place their lips on the same thing, which, funnily enough, is how you got yourself in trouble in the first place,mister. Maybe we should just forget that suggestion.

So, I guess I’d take that $100 million dollars and buy Elin something pretty… like an island. An island far, far away from you.

The devil reads Kindle

Asking me to choose between a traditional book and a Kindle is like asking me which of my nephews I love most.

Bradley is a sweet and loving nephew, whereas Drew (who is also as sweet) is always there to provide entertainment or pose for any sort of photo opportunity (just like his aunt Rachel). Both nephews serve a purpose — much like books and Kindles.

If forced to choose between a book and a Kindle, I'd opt for the comfort and ease of bound pages. I mean, I can't break a book if I drop it on a tile or hardwood floor. I don't have to have a charger to read a book..or lose a charger and not be able to read my story for a week. And if books no longer existed, what would happen to my shelves? Books are highly entertaining and decorative, and not to mention... they make you look smart, sort of like wearing glasses. Let's face it, I need all the help I can get when it comes to looking smart. Also, they're pretty much the only item guaranteed not to explode, at least according to new TSA guidelines. What's not to love?

I hesitated before asking for a Kindle. I wasn't worried that the digital phenomenon would ruin literature as we know it. Rather, my concern centered on using an electronic device while in the bathtub. Fortunately, the splash-proof cover solved this problem and I gave in.

I didn't understand the Kindle's true value until I finished an e-book late one night. In sixty seconds — and without the benefit of pants — I had brand-new reading material at my fingertips. As there's no book jacket, people can't tell if I'm reading Shakespeare or L.A. Candy. And with the Kindle's built-in dictionary, I don't spend a hundred pages sitting on my lazy butt and wondering what the heck "perfidy" means anymore.

For me, the biggest benefit of my Kindle is immediacy. I'm extremely impulsive. I must have whatever I want whenever I want it (You might wonder, how is that different than any other aspect of your life? Good question). Case in point: Last night, after a glass (or bottle) of wine, I craved a classic novel (I know what you're thinking and I agree that this is a stretch). Drink in one hand, Kindle in the other, I snatched up free copies of everything from Little Women to The Art of War (not that I EVER in a million years plan on reading the latter). Had I done the same thing in a bookstore, I'd have ended up in jail, not in bed. Granted, these historic writers don't get paid on free downloads. But, let's face it, they're dead; they don't need money.

I admit I don’t get the same satisfaction as holding a hardcover book in my hands, but I'm a big fan of saving $10-$15 on a new release. Because of the lower prices Amazon has to offer, and the fact that you get to see the book's cover, I'm sold. And despite what people say, I ALWAYS judge a book by its cover.