The Lure of the Kindle

Earlier this year I put the Kindle app on my iPhone, mostly out of curiosity. I've long said I prefer "real" books to "electronic." I soon found myself frequently taking advantage of unexpected moments of downtime to get in some reading — sitting in the doctor's office, waiting in the car when picking up my son from school, stuck in a hotel, etc. I've written about this new-to-me convenience previously. Eventually, I put the Kindle application on my laptop. Now I could read on a larger screen when I was at home. The downside, the application is on my laptop. I couldn't read without being distracted by email, RSS alerts, reading blogs, etc.

So an actual Kindle became the temptation. After years of "smart phone" use, a simple single-function device with a basic grayscale screen seemed like a throwback. But, at it's core, a book is also a simple single-function device with a basic grayscale screen. Now, thanks to my family and an early Father's Day gift, I have a Kindle Touch added to my electronic device menagerie. I like it! I can tell I'll use it frequently at home, and will carry it with me when I know I'll have down time. I'll still use the iPhone for reading during unexpected free time, and even my laptop for breaks at my desk.

The Kindle versions of books generally cost less than printed versions, and are certainly more convenient to carry around. It's great to have numerous selections on hand from which to choose, depending on my reading mood. There are a lot of classic works available for free download. I've also found many Church-related books, especially early writings, which are available for free, or at a low price. Of course, I'll probably reinvest in Kindle versions of a few books that I reread frequently. And a protective cover, and a power adaptor... (Seriously Amazon? A charger is not included?)

I wonder why it took me so long to come around.

Nothing To Do Is Not Boredom

As you may have gathered from previous posts, I was required to be in Orlando this past weekend for work. I flew down Friday, had 3 hours worth of meetings on Saturday, and have another two hours to do this morning. Our meetings were at the Orlando World Center Marriott. It's a beautiful property, and the service and attention by the staff was excellent. However, it also proved rather isolating. I had little interest in going to any of the nearby theme parks such as Walt Disney World, SeaWorld or Universal Studios. If my family had been with me, perhaps, but not alone. I arrived wondering just what I'd do in my "off" time. It was settled when I asked at the hotel "entertainment" desk about activities in the area other than those parks, and golf, and was told "That's about it." That actually turned into a blessing in disguise.

I only recently discovered the benefits of Kindle books. I know to many folks electronic books are old news, but I've always preferred the feel of a real book in my hand. However, I've learned recently to appreciate the "always there" aspect of the digital equivalent. I don't own a Kindle, but do have the app on my phone, and have a small library of books I want to read. I've been really enjoying being able to make use of any found time to do some reading. It's actually allowed me to keep up with my Lenten reading promises. This weekend I was treated to more reading, for pleasure, than I have been able to do in a long, long time. I read in my room. I read in the hotel lounges. I read by the pool. I read in the garden under palm trees. The outdoor reading was interspersed with joys of watching the antics of the critters in the trees, and a bit of people watching.

Coming from a guy who works in IT, my late acceptance of this technology may seem odd, but I am glad to have finally come around. And this weekend, it was more than a convenience, it helped to create some very enjoyable breaks over those days.

Even for all the joyful relaxation that was found, even though it's been just three days, the greatest joy will come when I am back home with my family. That's just one plane ride and a long drive in rush hour traffic away...