To Kindle or not to Kindle

…a P.S. to your Christmas shopping…

Buy anybody anything from Amazon this year for Christmas?

I don’t know about you but every time I was on Amazon's home page there were very large ads for the Kindle. Looks like they were making a huge holiday push….Hope they were successful!

So do you have one? Do you know anyone who does? Everyone I know who has one has been very enthusiastic as they describe its virtues! Almost a little too enthusiastic if you ask me....you know, as in - "Me think she doth protest too much."

Anyway this is not a post to expound on the virtues of the Kindle (if there are any), nor is it one to expound on the Kindle’s shortcomings (if there are any). I simply thought I’d relay a story that any seasoned air traveler might enjoy.

Recently after boarding a domestic flight I began my own "preflight routine" of stashing my Ipod, ensuring my laptop was stowed - yet within reach, and getting out the book I was currently reading. I then looked across the aisle (it was easy since my profile is always aisle seating) and I noticed the lady across from me engrossed in her own pre-flight routine which included reading a book on her Kindle and, well, that was about it. I decided to add conversation to this particular pre-flight routine for her, so I asked…

“How do you like that Kindle?”

“Excuse me?” She replied, trying her best to convey that I was interrupting her and she didn’t appreciate it.

“Your Kindle, how do you like it,” I repeated.

“Oh I love it. It’s really wonderful,” she replied with little emotion.

“How long have you had it?”

“About 6 months now,” she said with a slight smile, quickly resuming her reading, as if trying to communicate that she was on a strict reading timeline and I was interrupting it.

Now, not one to be put off by the polite rebuff when blog research is in the mix, I continued.

“How many books can you put on that thing?”

“Excuse me?”

“How many books does your Kindle hold?”

“Oh I’m not sure exactly, several thousand I’m think.“

“Really? Wow, that’s pretty good. Sure beats lugging a thousand books around with you I guess.”

She nodded knowingly with what I’m pretty sure was the most imperceptible glance at the antiquated paperback in my lap.

“So how many books do you actually have downloaded on it right now?” I continued, knowing that I should be ashamed of myself since I would have had to be completely blind to miss her body language.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked again, her smile becoming increasingly fake.

“How many books do you have downloaded on your Kindle right now?” I asked again, enunciating each word very carefully.

“I don’t know, probably ten or fifteen right now,” she answered, smiling only with her lips now, and almost immediately going back to her reading.

I thought of several ways to continue my all important blog research but fearing either a direct physical attack, or at the very least a TSA report for suspicious behavior, I refrained, and instead went back to my own preflight routine – which by this time was quite a mess, since the guy who had squeezed past me for the window seat seemed to have taken full ownership of the empty seat between us, something I knew I would now have to fight for throughout the rest of the flight. (….but that’s another post)

Anyway this story continued when the flight attendant (for those of you who haven’t flown for years – that’s the same as a stewardess) made the announcement to power-down all electronic devices – (again, that means turn them off). Well a few minutes later I noticed my new friend still engrossed in her Kindle. Of course from experience I knew what was about to happen.

“Ma’am I need you to power that down immediately or we won’t be able to push back from the gate, for an on time departure,” the Flight Attendant said firmly, as well as loud enough at least half the plane to hear as she came down the aisle for her final check.

“Oh, yeah....uh... sorry,” my new friend mumbled trying her best to appear startled that she had somehow violated TSA rules by ignoring the express orders of a flight attendant. (She clearly realized that she was now at my mercy for a TSA report!)

I resisted the urge to stare at her and say, “Ha, ha – you got in trouble!!!” Somehow I didn’t think she’d find my comments amusing.

Anyway, what I saw next was the best commentary on the Kindle I can give you right now - at least as it refers to air travel. As she “powered-down” her Kindle, and “stowed it for take-off”, I noticed she suddenly seemed unsure what to do. From my peripheral vision I saw her glancing up and down the aisle. She looked out the window for a few moments, and then finally, as a last resort, she did what I’m afraid every Kindle user must ultimately resort to during the 25 + minutes of "taxi and take off" - and then again during the 25 + minutes of "landing and taxi back to the gate" - during those dark moments when no electronic or digital devices are permitted. Yes you guessed it - in fact I bet you knew all along this was inevitably where this story must end. She pulled the good old Sky Mall magazine from the pocket of the seat back in front of her and began leafing through it. (Undoubtedly coming across an ad for a $200, off-brand digital book reader as she did.)

I on the other hand opened my paperback, all the while enjoying the tactile pleasure of a dead tree in my hands and read.....well....just exactly what I wanted to read.

This ends the commentary on all things Kindle.

Now- had I been truly prepared for this situation, I would have pulled an autographed copy of The Second Trumpet, from my backpack and offered it to her for her personal reading pleasure during the 50+ minutes of non-Kindle time she was about to endure.

Nonetheless….if you are already are an avid Kindle user do not despair, The Second Trumpet is available from Amazon as an ebook that you can actually order at the same time you order your Kindle! Or if you prefer the feel of a dead tree in your hands check it out here.

God Bless,

Larry