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Some related data points, for your consideration:

Amazon to start selling Kindles via AT&T stores. An additional 2000 retail outlets, nation-wide, on top of Best Buy, Target, Staples (and of course the main site).

Rumor circulating that Amazon might start offering a Kindle free to Amazon Prime members. The razor/blade model — here’s the device, since we know we’ll make money on what you purchase to fill it.

26-year-old Amanda Hocking, top selling indie author on Kindle — on pace to make $1 MILLION this year. 100K units per month, priced between 99 cents and 2.99, of which she keeps 70%.

As the first line of the last linked article says: Welcome to disruption.

…and this is exactly the sort of thing that I’ll be covering in my forthcoming podcast, Insurgent Creative, which will launch in April. (was originally going to be March, but I’ve got a house to move in the coming 30 days, and doubt my ability to do both).

I’m one of those people, decried as an example of everything that’s wrong about the cynical world, that considers Valentine’s Day a complete load of bullshit.

Oh, I think it has its place — as a socialization exercise for school-age children — but as an adult holiday? An officially-sanctioned single day where you must demonstrate your affection for your loved one with appropriate gifts of a prescribed minimum-acceptable value? I put it right up there with the Christmas commercials that tell us that if I don’t buy her a car wrapped in a big red bow (or a diamond, or perhaps a diamond-studded car), I’m somehow failing in my duties as husband.

The wife knows this — which of course led to the best Valentine EVER, when I completely went against type and, despite what she knew about my opinion of the holiday, showed up with two dozen roses and a silver “Wonder Woman” ring.

Generally though? I don’t partake, and neither does the wife. We know that we love each other, and display it often, without sanction or official token from Hallmark.

But on this Valentine’s Day, after a particularly stressful weekend (followers on Twitter will be aware that I was admitted to the hospital overnight on Friday with chest pains — I’m OK, it was just a stress-releated anxiety attack, and my blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. are just fine), I wanted to make public declaration of just how lucky I am to have this woman in love with me:

I mean, seriously. Look at her. Now look at the picture of me, over there on the right (or the left, if you’re looking at this on Facebook. Or… well, nowhere, I guess, if you’re looking on Livejournal. Or RSS. Hmm. Never mind — this phrase got away from me a bit).

She’s with me. I know, I can’t believe it either. I’m either very, very lucky — or she’s seriously disturbed… which is still kinda cool, in a gothic-romance, madwoman in the crumbling estate kinda way.

So there you go. Valentine’s Day shmoopiness, completely against type. I love my wife.

Now get offa my lawn, ya dern kids! (*shakes cane*)

Here we go again with another Mix Tape of Teh Interwebs. I need to get back in the habit of posting these earlier in the day.

Autumn finally started creeping in to Kansas — this morning was barely into the 50s. I’m ecstatic, since Fall is my favorite season (one of only ones where I can breathe without difficulty, that’s a big part of it). So, I figured that I to start with this: 10,000 Maniacs – “Like The Weather.”

While I’m in an 80s mood, I figured that I’d post a couple of my favorite tracks from Men Without Hats. Seriously — if “Safety Dance” is all that you know, track down a copy of Rhythm of Youth and give a listen to the other tracks on the album. I wore out two cassette copies and a CD — no joke. Both of these are from that album: Men Without Hats – “I Got The Message”, and Men Without Hats – “Antarctica.”

Back to the present (future) — the lead-off track from the new album from the Austin-based metal band, The Sword. Warp Riders is a sci-fi concept album — which I’m not ashamed to say is what got me to listen. There seems to be an upswing in those recently (Janelle Monae, etc.), and as a geek I heartily approve. Anyway, here is a smoking bit of instrumental mood-setting: The Sword – “Acheron/Unleashing The Orb.”

Cling is an new trip-hop duo from Epping in the UK. I am very, very happy that this isn’t a genre that didn’t die out with the turn of the millennium. I’m a big fan of mixing big beats, ambient synths and smoky female vocals. Cling – “Beyond Your Dreams.”

I’m not sure that mass marketing works on me like it’s supposed to. Here’s another track that I discovered via a television commercial. It didn’t make me want the product that it was selling (Diet Coke, in this case), but made me want to track down the song. Some of you may also know this from the soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer (which I haven’t seen). The Temper Trap – “Sweet Disposition.”

If any of you missed this earlier in the week, I’m going to link to it here. It’s not an mp3, but you can buy the mp3 from iTunes. It’s a collaboration between Ben Folds, Nick Hornby and Pomplamousse, and I love it a LOT. Folds/Hornby & Pomplamousse- “The Things That You Think.”

Enjoy.