Initial KINDLE FIRE impressions

I rushed home after a long day of push 0's and 1's through my company's network and was thoroughly exhausted.  But as I journeyed home to my abode in South San Jose, I started to become energized, because I was promised in a shipping notification from the folks at AMAZON that my FIRE had shipped and would be with me before the nights end!

As I trudged through my garage door, I quickly scouted the room for the object of my desire, sidestepping the obligatory hello and hug from my children.  I was a man on a mission and no amount of child/parent relation was going to get in the way.  (just kidding, Mom - I hugged them - then shoved them on their way).

After a cursory scan of the room, I found nothing! I moved on to the other room and again found nothing... I then began the waiting game as I figured out, the device had not made it yet.  It wasn't until after dinner and dishes that I 'happened' to check the front door (for the 37th time since arriving home) and found the package of my want, waiting.

I brought the box in and tore into it like a young bear finding a package of ding-dongs at a campsite.  What I was met with was not only a well put together presentation of the product (a-la-Applesque), but it was totally made of biodegradable products and hence totally recyclable - nice.

The FIRE was jet black on the back and the front, and simply came with an AC Adapter (using micro USB architecture) and a note card (quick start guide) with some notes on it (I ignored this).
I then ripped off the cellophane wrapping and pushed the power button and was met with a KINDLE/ANDROID SLIDE TO UNLOCK.  It is a very nice display and has crisp colors and fast response to my finger swipe and movements.

The first thing the FIRE wanted to do was join a wireless network, after which it wanted to check for an update.  I obliged and started the download - it was slow, but thankfully the KINDLE recognized the download was progressing slowly (I am sure because a lot of FIRE's were being turned up tonight) and it prompted me to CONTINUE or ABORT FOR LATER.  I chose to continue - what the heck.
After the update - the unit rebooted and started back up where we left off - and low and behold - it was already ASSIGNED to me - so no registration necessary.

Found all my books that were IN THE CLOUD and downloaded several of my current books I am reading (I multitask like I am turning television stations).

I then proceeded to jump into the APP store and I do have to say, I am very jaded by the Apple APP STORE - Apple's store is easier to navigate and browse and find things.  I searched for several apps on the AMAZON APP STORE and they weren't to be found - not sure if this is a limitation imposed by the apps that can be placed on the FIRE, but at $200.00, this is going to be a HOT ANDROID device - so Amazon/Google better get off their arses and do right by this device.

As a reader - the FIRE has a superb screen with multiple options to make it easier on the eyes - with FONT SIZE, FONT STYLE, 3 different color schemes, etc. etc.  The drawback is that the unit feels skinnier than the last KINDLE (3rd generation) that I have.  So I have used the Kindle 1 and the Kindle 3 (full size, gray keyboard) and now the FIRE.  I am afraid the unit will not work outdoors, and when we return to the beach this next summer, I won't be able to see it clearly (so I will keep my Kindle 3 as backup).

The unit is very responsive (as I stated) and I even setup my e-mail on the unit, not like I really need ANOTHER DEVICE with my e-mail on it.  I also downloaded a few fun apps to toy with and experiment as this is my first ANDROID device.  Now, if Apple had created something similar to this (in price and size), I would have totally picked that up instead - because, in reality, I could use an iOS device... with the KINDLE app.

Hope this helps a bit and I truly hope to have an updated review after using it for several days.  Mean time - here are some pics of the unit:

Kindle SWIPE screen to open device

First Screen - My Amazon Shelf - has books, apps, music, etc. all in one place

Here is an example of my NEWSSTAND - with some journals I subscribe (pay) to

Here are my books - notice these are IN THE CLOUD and the JAMES GARNER BIOGRAPHY in the lower right corner has a grayed out ARROW - means it is in the cloud and not on my device yet.

BEAUTIFUL opening page for my latest download from Joe Haldeman - gorgeous colors...

Bottom has an audio jack, power jack and power button

Top of FIRE has two speakers - more important for the VIDEOS and MUSIC you can play on this device

Ariel view of the FIRE (notice the finger smudges)

Had to download an album to the device to test the audio - what better album than the GREATEST VIDEO GAME MUSIC from the London Philharmonic Orchestra!!!

...and FACEBOOK app running on FIRE

Thank You for your gift, Simba!

Today, Simba succumbed to her sickness and passed away.

Simba came to us around August of 1997 and was born in April of 1997.  We got her from a family friend, Kimberly Cope and instantly fell in love with her when we saw her.  She had a certain quality about her and we thought the name fit her coloring and her spirit.  I used to have some old pictures of her laying on my chest as a really small baby.  I will try to drum those up, but for now, you get from 2002 and on. 

Some Pictures:

Earliest pic of Simba and Erica around 2002

Dad being funny with Simba... ha ha!

She could have been guarding the great Pharaoh's with such a regal pose

Sleeping with Daddy on the Couch - I loved when she snuggled

One of her heavier days... yes - she weighed in around 15 lbs - until the end when she got to 5 lbs -
FUCK CANCER!

She loved to lay in the front yard on the concrete - the warmth and all

Simba sleeping with Pepper - this was not staged - they did get along fairly well

This was taken in about 2010 - Simba was starting to slim down due to a diet we put her on... she looks GREAT!

Simba from about 3-4 weeks ago - lost a lot of weight mostly in her legs and belly

Here is my letter to Simba in death:


My Dearest Simba,
Thank you for coming into our lives and sharing your spirit with us and giving us love and comfort and more than anything, your generosity with your companionship.  From the first moments of your life, you became imprinted on us and Cynthia and I knew that you were the one for us.  From the playful sauntering around our apartment, to the 'hiding' of my wedding ring for several months, you have endeared your life to us. 
I hope that we provided you with what you needed and you found as much richness and beauty in our relationship as much as we found with you.  Cancer is not an easy beast to battle and your spirit was alive all the way up to the end as I fed you your breakfast today.  I trust in my lord that we will be together again some day and that there will be no pain, no sadness and only love and peace. 

You were considered 'my cat' because you would only let me pet you on the stomach without you clawing the person to death and your barks and bellows gave me what I needed when we couldn't have a dog (anyone able to experience her barks... would laugh their butts off). 

I thank the Cope family for bringing you to us... I thank GOD for you and will think of you everyday and I am happy that you are not in pain anymore.

Until we meet again... I love you.
Dad

A Moment In Time

Have you ever had one of those 'moments in time' where you were enjoying your activity so much and the excitement, the company, the activity was so pure and blessed that time itself should have been frozen to capture and explore the entire moment with the most clarity and understanding that one could muster?

Tonight, I had such a moment.  I was lucky and blessed enough to share it with my son Andrew.  I took him to his soccer game tonight and it was in Redwood Shores up the peninsula here, about 37 miles from our home - a long trip for a soccer game.  I didn't want to.  I would have rather stayed at home watching an old movie with him or going to a bar-b-que back to school party that my wife and other two kids attended.  But I got to take Andrew.  What seemed to be the worst part of the bargain, would turn into the best night ever. 

The location was nice and it was more of an intimate game between 2 teams - not 10-12 teams vying for some title/trophy.  It was at this school/community center that was right on the baylands of Redwood Shores - absolutely picture perfect.  The wind was blowing and our summer here... hasn't really been any summer at all.  It was below average which means... the t-shirt I was wearing was not good enough to keep anyone insulated.  Thankfully I did have a blanket in the back of my car and used it.  

The game was unimportant (to this story) and sans Andrew's heroic defensive playing, was very boring. But the game ended around 7:20PM and we didn't make it to the car until 7:35PM and we were hungry.

As we are driving towards the freeway, we spot an In N Out Burger joint and it was this or the Pizza My Heart back home... another 40+ minutes away.  We both thought about it and decided on the In N Out Burger place.  It was a newer establishment - just built within the past 2 years (I used to work up in this location) and it was very well kept up. 

We walked in - ordered or food - washed our hands - and after we got our meal - decided to eat it at the stools overlooking the sunset and empty field next to the burger place.  

This is when it happened.

The sunset was perfect - the burger was delicious - the fries were tasty, but more importantly, I got to share it all with my son.  He is now 11 1/2 and growing up so fast.  Faster than I want him too - even writing this now makes me sad for the little boy who put on his galoshes and stomped around the puddles in our backyard with wide smiles.  Or the little tyke who loved to play with his Tomas the train set so much that when I was unemployed in Roseville, my only option for fun was to take him and Erica to the Barnes and Noble and let him play in the kids section of the store on the train table there.

God - thank you for giving me Andrew and allowing me to remember the most important aspects of him.  He is so beautiful and his spirit is so uplifting to me.  I love you for allowing me to be his father and for giving me this inner sense of peace tonight that I got to share with my son.  I hope we have many more and I hope that I get to share this exact feeling with Ryan and Erica as well as my wife Cynthia.

Life is too short people - make each moment count for each moment is a blessing from our Lord.  We make it what we make it!

Here is a picture of that sunset from our chairs at the In-N-Out Burger:

NOT YOUR GARBAGE DUMP - License 6KNK036

BEGIN RANT:

This dark blue Nissan 350 Z, CA license 6KNK036, decided that she did not want to use the ashtray in her car... and she dumped her butt out on the freeway (heading southbound 87 and exiting at Curtner).

Most cars come with an ASH TRAY!

Idiots and Assholes of the San Jose Metro area - beware - I am taking down license numbers and publicizing you for your betrayl to Mother Earth. We only have one planet, people!

:END RANT

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to All. I replaced our blind in the kitchen area. The old one was aluminum and old and really caked on with dirt and grime. So the replacement is from Lowes and is Faux Wood! Looks really nice and took about an hour or so to install - little longer than I wanted.

I hope that all the mothers have a great day and have the many blessings they deserve for putting up with our children and more importantly, the biggest 'babies' in the house... their husbands!

May God Bless all the mothers and may his blessings allow us to open our ears to their wisdom as they help us learn and grow and within ourselves, become better people.