Many problems can be solved by throwing money at them. It’s a strategy Ted and I use too often, just because at the moment, we’re OK on money but horribly short on time, and we often don’t have access to (or don’t know how to access) other solutions, because we’re Not From Around Here.
With the Macmillan thing (and the pattern it’s part of) I was reluctant to use that solution on the Kindle problem just now, but, well, I need Amazon more than they need me. Also, when I posted about my problem on the Ravelry Kindle group, someone made a cogent point: “Just noticed: for as many Kindles that have been sold and how many are owned by Ravellers…when one of them goes bad it merits a new thread on this list. That’s pretty good reliability. :o)” And finally, the Macmillan books including Kindle books are back on Amazon.
(Ted and I had a whole discussion on this last night, on what of all of this is a moral issue and what’s a business issue. His view is that it’s all a business issue; when I finally said, “It’s a moral issue because they’re getting between me and my ability to buy books!” he paused and then said, carefully, “OK, I can see how that’s true in your world.”)
As of this morning, I’d abaout decided to go order a Kindle 2 – since I have the funds to do so, getting a reconditioned K1 didn’t make sense for me. But Amazon’s checkout page says they use a courier service to ship them internationally, and it would get here in only 2-4 days. I don’t want it sitting on the apartment guard’s desk that long, so it makes sense for me to wait until I get back to order it. And that gives me more time to think about what I want to do.
I don’t think throwing money at a problem is necessarily a lazy option or a spoiled one. As you pointed out, your most precious commodity is time, so time is the thing which you must spend most wisely. You guys got educated and have worked very hard to get to the place where you are now and if money is less of a problem for you than most people you’ve certainly earned it. You’ve made plenty of sacrifices and choices along this path, choices that closed some doors as they opened others.
I try on your life in my mind sometimes, yours being the one most different from mine yet still COULD have been mine if I’d chosen different things, if you get that, and know for all my envy of your travel and yes, my wish I had the autonomy and freedom your income affords, that ultimately I don’t think I’d have taken as good advantage of opportunities as you have and I wouldn’t have been able to do without having kids. So there you go.
Buy the Kindle, have a wonderful time in Africa, and know I am so very glad you are my friend. Love, ~LA