Every time I fly I think “I need to lose weight”. Clearly thin people have more space available to them, relatively speaking, than that which is afforded to larger people.
I’m 2 hours into this 9.5ish hour flight and I’m finding myself completely challenged by technology. It’s not that I’ve run into
technical problems per se, it’s just that technology requires power and somehow I’ve been outwitted by the gerbils that operate my machinery.
Let’s start with the misguided packing of my computer’s power cord in my suitcase (rather than in my carry-on). The situation (draining rather than charging of my notebook’s battery) was compounded by my affinity for the internet. We (the Harts) have invested in Time Warner’s broadband which means I can connect to the internet anywhere. Well, mostly anywhere, but that’s a different story. The drawback of the wonderful wireless is its audacious use of power. It literally
sucked the life out of my notebook as I merrily checked e-mail at the DFW airport during my multi-hour layover.
At some point (over a glass of Cabernet) I decided to close my notebook to save power. Unfortunately I neglected to unplug the wireless device so unbeknownst to me the booger continued to keep my system “alive” and it continued to draw power. In fact it seemed to draw extra power, maybe out of frustration. When I switched locations from the wine shop to the gate I deftly stowed my notebook in my backpack not realizing it was awake and busy contemplating the world
at large. My computer overheated in my backpack, working the fan at full speed, further draining my battery.
The result – my battery was 75% depleted by the time I boarded the plane.
I shrugged it off since I rarely spend a lot of time on my notebook during these long flights, in part because it’s very awkward to work on the computer while jammed into a too-small seat with the person in front of me inevitably reclined into my space.
Once I was situated on the plane I brought out my kindle and immersed myself in a good story by Robert Parker (thanks E! or the reading team which somehow sponsored this book’s availability). I know my Kindle was fully charged at the start of this trip because I charged it last night. I read for about an hour and a half, which brought me well into the story. At this point I was interrupted for dinner. I tucked the kindle beside me while my meal was served, spent a few minutes breaking through the sanitary/safety seals on the plasticware and dishes, then pulled my kindle out so I could continue reading. Imagine my horror when my kindle wouldn’t turn on. Dead. No response, no pulse, nothing.
Fortunately I brought the USB cable which acts as a power cord between the notebook and the kindle. After finishing my dinner I got out my notebook computer, connected the kindle, powered up and began typing this e-mail. Interestingly (maybe just for me, because I am, after all, a geek) I couldn’t get Word to open so I’m forced to type this in an email. Just another twist of the technology knife.
Meanwhile I hope you can picture me with the notebook not-fully open perched on the too-small meal tray, blocked from fully opening by the seat reclined in front of me. If I spin a little sideways I can open the notebook further but the post-dinner line for the bathroom has formed and everyone keeps bumping into me so that’s not working.
For added drama, my notebook is now warning me that it’s at a critical battery level (less than 10% remaining) and I should connect to power or shut down. And my Kindle does not seem to be charging. So now I’m facing about 6 more hours of journey with the one paper book I brought with me (self-editing for fiction writers). Apparently I was meant to
focus on self-editing and not any of this other mamby-pamby stuff.
I’ll find a way to mail this after I get to the hotel. I hope you’re having better luck with technology than I am today.
Love, Fran
(Written at the hotel)
Postscript: I made it safely to Frankfurt. I’m at the hotel. I had to pay 11 Euros (about $22) for a converter gizmo (of which I have one already in my office closet at home) so I could plug into the wall outlet and charge up. My notebook computer is merrily charging but my Kindle is not. I’m not sure what to make of that. I’m only a few pages shy of finishing the self-editing book so I’ll need to get creative after that.
On a different note (still whining but a slight change in subject) I took an Ambien on the trip to help me sleep, for which I should be eternally grateful. Without it I assume I would not have gotten even the hour or so I dozed. This is going to be a lot of fun, I can tell.
It’s about 8:20 a.m. now. I’m going to be picked up in a few hours to go meet with customers. Hopefully I’m marginally coherent.
Oh, and…everything here is expensive. Nothing’s gratis. The first (and only, so far) Americans I ran into were leaving the hotel and they warned me that no one in Germany smiles. Whoooboy! I have my work cut out for me if I’m going to be winning over unhappy customers.
Post-postscript: After another round of challenges that I won’t bother to tell you about I’ve got the internet working in my room. I googled “Kindle won’t power on” and found a solution. Alleluia!!! My Kindle is now charging.
