Oh, iPad, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

Last Friday afternoon, as I explained to a colleague my vivacious love for my iPad, I was struck by how much of my affection had to do with my minimal paper consumption of late.

This industry consumes an incredible amount of paper, a single study could range from using 100 sheets of paper to an entire ream- and that’s just on the day of research, the amount of paper wasted on a single project is incalculable… Or at least it used to be.

Don’t get me wrong, I am one of those people who love to hand write notes to people and still love sending snail mail to folks, but I do detest contributing paper waste, more so when the contents of my paper waste are filled with trivial, pedestrian ideas.

Nowadays, I prefer sending myself quick email reminders through my phone, or take notes with my iPad, or compose and refine my work through my laptop- saving paper for stuff that really matters.

I know that a lot of people say that these new technologies are the downfall of the publishing companies, I simply see it as the hopeful beginning of the demise of mediocrity.

I have all my current magazine subscriptions through my iPad without being encumbered by the decision of throwing the edition out or saving it for some unforeseeable reason in the future. Now, all I have to do is back the editions up on my hard drive and I could revisit them in the future.  I have my favorite books stored here as well, all books of which I have beautiful copies of at home, but are either a. Too heavy/bulky to carry around b. Not sure when I’m in the mood to read again and therefore always leave at home.

Now, if I ever feel like I need to read Jane Austen or Jared Diamond, I could simply pull up my favorite books on this little device and just as easily switch back to the article I was reading on National Geographic magazine.

I would still pay a visit to my favorite old bookstore in Evanston, IL, whenever I’m in town- still salivate over signed first editions, and will probably continue to buy books for the rest of my life- but this time, I only buy the stuff that I want to keep forever- that is the books I want to eventually pass on to my children and, etc…

And in the end, no more reams of paper wasted on my grocery list, or printing out that one page document that I need to read over without having to pull out my gigantic laptop, or what have you.

I love books, and I know there are many people who refuse to give up their alliance with their paper companions because of nostalgic reasons, but as much as I love the texture and the scent of old books, which was a dilemma I faced as well upon contemplating purchase of the IPad, I absorb the book and it’s content in a more convenient, and efficient medium this way- and hey, who am I not to jump on the gravy train?