Picture #1: This relates to my goals. . . these are my new running shoes (that I'll be interspersing with my New Balance Minimus shoes which are awesome also, but not nearly as colorful). Every time I look at my feet when wearing these shoes, I just get excited all over again. They will be 1 week old tomorrow. YES for bright colors!
Picture #2: This relates to my gripes. . . .That is me, taking a picture of myself, growling at my
Kindle Fire. Yes, I'm a dork. But if you're reading this, you probably knew that already.
So, down to business . . . I've decided on 4 main goals I want to focus on during this sabbatical / incomeless adventure and I figured if I post them to my blog, it will help hold me more accountable.
Goal #1: Sleep 8 hours/night. If I can't do this during my sabbatical, I don't think I will ever be able to do it.
Goal #2: Eat more slowly, specifically, aiming to be the last one to finish eating at the table. Perhaps this will help with the burping phenomenon. ???
Goal #3: Spend 1 hour/day reading health / fitness related material, staying current in my field.
Goal #4: First thing every morning, spend 1 hour/day running, TRX, etc . . (any form of exercise available at the time). Sub goal = Shift focus from endurance: complete a sub 20:00 5K by the end of August 2012.
That is that. Now onto the gripes. Really only one, and perhaps some of my techie friends can help / know more about this?
I bought a Kindle Fire in February particularly for this adventure, to be able to read books and access the internet (especially for goal #3 and for keeping up with emails, blog, etc.. . .) However, as I learned on Saturday, I won't be able to download any books while I'm international (so whatever I want to read in the next 6 months I have to buy now) AND Amazon doesn't guarantee any wireless connection outside the continental U.S. That's nice.
So even though the train I'm on, or the coffee shop I'm sitting in, may have Wi-Fi, I may not be able to use it, rendering the Kindle Fire mostly useless to me. I was willing to put with the more computer-like-screen on the device because I could do emails and search websites with it, but now it looks like I might as well have gotten the basic Kindle. I like that screen better. Grrrr. (see picture above for full effect of "grrrr-ing." haha. OK. I'm done!
What is your source for not being able to purchase Kindle books overseas? As long as your account is US based and you have a US based credit card attached to it, you should be able to purchase and download items from wifi anywhere in the world...
ReplyDeleteYes - just be sure not to change the mailing / billing address of your Amazon account from a US address (like your parents, perhaps).
ReplyDeleteChaplain,(you know there's only one person who calls you by that name!) I wish you all the best in your European adventure. Hope to see you again in the near future.
ReplyDeleteHey Elodie I LOVE the blog! Keep those posts coming! It's the next best thing to having a sabbatical myself!! :)
ReplyDeleteRe Kindle shortcomings, did you look at these pages already?
travelling w/Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200728630
Wireless on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200728650
As best I can recall from travelling with an older Kindle, the deal was that Amazon's Whisper Sync network did not work internationally. *IF* the Fire has just regular wi-fi (and I don't know if it does), you should *theoretically* be able to connect to the internet with it and do email, etc. (Caveat: When I've travelled internationally, sometimes even tho I can see the dang wireless network in the "available networks" screen, for whatever reason I can't connect to it ...)
So I think it's true you can't download books while you travel internationally (because that requires Whisper Sync) but I think you MIGHT be able to connect to internet wirelessly to do email etc ...
As they say in France, "Bon chance!" :)
Merci beaucoup!!
Delete1. I checked my records and I ordered a book while I was in Australia and it worked ok, so getting books should be fine.
ReplyDelete2. You can't do movies while international (due to licensing agreements). You could choose to hack your device so that you can go through an IP proxy in the US (then Amazon would still think you are in the US)...I believe this voids your warrenty though.
3. I did email and surfed the web while I was in Australia - shouldn't be an issue.
You should come visit us in Dublin! Scott can test your goal #2 because he is one of the slowest eaters I know. He can also challenge you on #4. I know Dublin pretty well at this point and can show you around. Where will you be on the European adventure?
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to come visit you two in Dublin!!! =) At this point (very beginning stages of planning) I'm thinking of coming over to Ireland and Scotland for WWOOF-ing in late August/early September . . .would that time frame work for you?
DeleteExcellent!!! Thanks so much for all the tips on the Kindle stuff!!
ReplyDelete