The Amazon Kindle

Yes, I finally got one. It was a Christmas present from my parents for the child that never ceases to amaze in the geek realm. I've been a software developer 8 years this coming February of 2011, and I will be finishing up my Masters in Library and Information Science in May of 2011.

So, needless to say, Amazon's Kindle (3G and Wifi enabled) at first glance held all the power and glory and awesomeness that someone like me dreams about. It has not failed to live up to my dreams. I received the small white device with a leather cover which I deem absolutely necessary (Black Leather is sleek and professional).

While I'm torn between my love of technology and love of paper, I have found that one need not stand as an absolute substitute for another. I have books I'd rather have in paper format. But, books such as Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services Step by Step are phenomenally easier to handle on my Kindle and allow me to roam airports when traveling for work without having to carry on or check a huge book.

So why the Kindle over the Nook or iPAD? The Kindle accommodates my eyes and migraine headaches, and it uses next to no battery life. It is very thin and fits easily in my purse, yet I do not have to strain to read it. The Nook is nice if you do prefer a color screen and fancier feel. The iPAD is amazing, and I still want one, but if you are just interested mostly in reading, the Kindle is a less expensive, easier to operate option. There is also the Kno Tablet, but that is in a glorious and unattainable league of its own for me at the moment.

Another unintended advantage is that it helps me to read through my ADHD. I do take my prescription medication as directed, but other sufferers know that some days, it just takes more effort to focus. Because the pages are short, my mind is kept busy enough to keep from being distracted from page to the next. Before, I would almost certainly doze off or give up on books that are straight text, however I would read through encyclopedia style books with ease due to the quickly shifting subjects and changing formats. The Kindle provides this very simple format that forces me to focus without my realizing. I see this opening up my ability to enjoy reading more and more in the near future.

I definitely recommend this device for the frequent traveler and for parents on the go. It's great to have on you while waiting in the doctor's office and stuck with their magazines or while being stuck in an airport and forced to choose from the overpriced selection at a news store.

Don't Run the Air

I'm lying in my bed in the dark in my 3rd floor apartment looking out at some of the prettiest cookie cutter townhomes you can find in the Indianapolis area. Each porch light is on and seemingly aiming with all their might up to my room. And, there is that kid who's been allowed to dribble a basketball just below...

Being single, I'm watching the bills. I was taught at a young age the tips for saving money with the electric bill. Of course, one of the best ways is to open up the windows and not "run the air" as we Southerners called it. Of course, that lets all the light and noise in as well.

Lying here, I remember how miserable the South Georgia heat and humidity was when I was a child. My Granny, who had spent a poor, hard life raising her four children alone, would care for us when our parents worked nights. My sister and I would sleep in one bed in one corner of the room, while Granny slept in her bed on the other side of the room. Of course, Granny rarely ran the air, but she would position oscillating fans at our bed to keep us cool. "Can you feel that?" she would say as she tried to aim the fans at us just right. I know we would sweat through the sheets, and sometimes it was miserable, but I would love to spend one more night like that. I had the comfort of having my sister close by, and my Granny was there to protect us all. While she worshipped an Almighty God, she slept with a shotgun close by for anyone who dared come near her babies.

For now, I'll just keep her memory with me and continue to share her stories. She would be proud of my recent $53.14 light bill.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am watching a History Channel show talking about the assassination of Dr. King. Every time I hear him speak, I am so moved. There was the obvious natural born charisma he possessed, but the words he spoke were so profound and so long awaited.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Inauguration of President Obama last year at this time. I remember at the Freedom Celebration, it was so amazing to think that I was standing in such an historical moment and place where there were not just black and not just white attending, but there was such a myriad of colors to be seen. It was America as it should be, as it was meant to be. It was a common gathering of people celebrating the progress of a nation where anyone can be anything they want.

I do not pretend that I am not white. I do not pretend that I didn't grow up in South Georgia where had I posted this even 20 years ago I would have done better to simply move out of town. I do not deny that I have ancestors who hated and did abhorrent things. I also can help all of that about as much as I can change the color of my own skin. And, I am not so naive to say that racism no longer exists even down to my own generation. I know because I have seen it first hand. However, I have also seen such a dramatic shift in the beliefs of my generation, and even the generation before mine. I have seen men who would not have heard of being friends with a different race who now embrace their children's love for everyone and the combining of cultures, colors, and beliefs. What causes this dramatic shift? I believe wholeheartedly that it is education. As my college sociology teacher, Ms. Brooks, told us at the beginning of class, the more educated we become, the less prejudice we would be. The ability to argue and discuss verbally and in a structured manner, where everyone is heard, progresses society as a whole.

Now, if we could just improve our education system...

I Miss Real Dates

What happened to real "dates" anyway? You know, the guy asks the girl out, he pays and handles everything, and he doesn't get pissed that she didn't give him some because he was expecting better from the first date. Yes, I'm Little Miss Independent, and I've got the career and all that goes with it, but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate effort and respect.

I've all but given up on dating anyway. The last date I went on involved going out for drinks, him groping me and getting really pissed that I didn't let him come up to my apartment. The next one is not really a date. We are meeting for the "5-8" special priced meal during the week. I guess it's cool that some guys respect that some women are insulted when a guy offers to pay, but why not make the chivalrous effort? Don't worry, I don't feel like I owe you a damn thing just because you bought me dinner. If it was for sale, you'd better pull out more cash than that.

I guess that's why I like the older guys. They know better most of the time, and they have all the awkward parts figured out already because they've been there. It's not the money. Any jackass can have money, and I make enough on my own. Older men just seem to be more caring, loving, and appreciative of the fact that you aren't giving it up every drunk party. They appreciate the intrigue, the chase, the "spark" if you will. It's just more fun that way. Of course, it's just awkward to meet their kids who are about my age or older in some cases.

So what is a real date? It's that old fashioned notion. It's him coming to pick me up for the evening (and that does not mean honking the horn when you get here), and we go to dinner and some sort of event be it the cinema or a symphony or some place of common interest, and we simply enjoy each other's company.