:: sharing the amazing ::

I just have to post this, because it's knocking my socks off right now. Here's the story:

I belong to a Book Club, but I don't always read the books. I try, but lately I've had no time to get this month's book and get it read. Not that I didn't want to. I have heard both good and negative reviews of Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, but think it would be worth reading it. Then an email came from the Book Club friend who is supposed to review this month's book, and she can't be there tomorrow. Could someone else do the review, she asked. So I offered to help out by finding some info about the author, and though I haven't read the book, I know there will be discussion questions online too for this book.

This morning while exercising at the Sport's Academy, I was wondering about how I could get to Borders and get the book and try to squeeze in some reading time tonight after work. Borders isn't open yet, so I will have to wait until later. Now at home, I was making the bed and still thinking about the book, and I noticed Scott's Kindle sitting on the nightstand. AND IT HIT ME.

I have never used Scott's Kindle. I don't even know how to turn it on. But, as it turns out, it's EASY to use. I picked it up and in a matter of THREE MINUTES, I was reading Chapter One of Bel Canto.

I just have to tell someone about this. I can't believe it. I have the book just like that.

Scott has had a Kindle since they first came out. He had the original small size Kindle, and for Christmas this year he got the new Kindle DX - larger size with a better battery. He loves his Kindle and reads it most nights.
Scott is what is called an "early adopter." He is always the first in line to buy a new technology. He bought a computer before people had even heard of home computers. I don't have time to tell that story, but sometime I need to.

From Wikipedia: "An early adopter is a person who embraces new technology before most other people do. Early adopters tend to buy or try out new hardware items and programs, and new versions of existing programs, sooner than most of their peers. According to a theory called Diffusion of Innovations (DoI) formulated by Everett Rogers, early adopters make up 13.5 percent of the population." Early adoption does come with pitfalls: early versions of products may be buggy and/or prone to malfunction (such as the Commodore 64 or Xbox 360) or prematurely obsolete (8 track tapes, Betamax, HD DVD). Furthermore, more efficient, less expensive versions of the product usually appear a few months after the initial release.[1] The trend of new technology costing more at release is colloquially referred to as the "early adopter tax".

This tax thing makes me laugh, because I've always teased Scott that he ALWAYS pays more for everything he buys, because he buys the first-released version when the cost is at its highest. But it's his "hobby" so it's OK.

I am still shocked that I got my book that fast. I just had to blog about it, before the time softened my view of this modern technological miracle. What a world we live in!!!