RubyGeek

I had a pcmcia sierra wireless broadband card for my old laptop for the past 2 years , since I have a loooong commute and its just plain boring being off the grid. I am usually programming on the go and sometimes I need to look something up or ask a friend or install a library. On one hand, it was a distraction. I would get on the train and just browse the web instead of concentrating on a project. On the old laptop i dual booted - so when in linux, no internet, I could not set it up for the life of me. So I had to boot to windows (another reason to NOT use the net, ugh windows). So, I could get alot done without the distraction. Well, I want internet back!! even so much so that I am not getting a crackberry or iphone or any other fancy phone for awhile (secretly holding out for a android phone in the fall)

So I am happy to say — the new aircard is on the way!

Being off the grid I found “offline” things to do….

Google Reader — offline mode is freaking awesome. Before i log out at night I sync and download my blogs. Read them on the train, get to work - sync and download. If I remember I will sync and download them again before I leave to get the afternoon content. Today for some reason, its not working.

Print to PDF — if I find a page with a blog, tutorial, whatnot I will print to pdf to read it offline. Its pretty cool. I can search it easy too. Generally webpages look decent, though I’ve had some sites where the text runs off the edge of the page into who knows where?

Stockup on PDF books — This has more to it then just being off the grid, but for the last Apress book review I am doing I asked for a PDF book. Nice, I got it within an hour! Rock on. I still like paper books though, for home. And for reading at the gym.

Sleep — usually I can never sleep on train and usually never ever nap unless I am deathly sick. If I skip the after lunch/afternoon coffee I can sleep on the train usually. I usually have to set my backpack on my lap soI have something to lean over on. My rain poncho that folds up into a little pocket actually makes a nice pillow! I don’t sleep every day, but every so often. I haven’t had much success sleeping in the mornings, even if I dont bring coffee with me.

Read paper books — obviously… I’ve been reading some fantasy books: Warcraft Archives, its fun to read about these places and people i hear about in the game of World of Warcraft. I’m also reading Elminster, a book about a wizzard. Its pretty cool.

Playing DS — some days I bring my Nitendo DS with me. I am working through thew New Zelda game and Final Fantasy III. Boy is FF hard, I get so far then die…and I have to start over. Where’s the freaking save point? Its the first time I have played a game of this type, my husband warned me it was hard core and difficult! But I feel up to the challenge.

Write Blogs — I’ve been writing more lately I think, I will write them offline then upload them when I get to a net connection. I will sometimes even compose emails into a text file to people and then copy-paste them to emails when I get net.