One of Mrs Pico’s friends was getting married today, so that’s where we’ve been since noon. It was a really nice, old church — church architecture fascinates me — in an older section of Allentown. We had a little time to kill between the wedding and the reception, so a quick stop at Home Despot to pick up a needed item, and then on to the reception. Open bar — though I didn’t partake — tons of pre-dinner munchies, and then a really good sit-down dinner.
We’re home now, and I’m still stuffed.
Because Mrs Pico has to work tomorrow, on Mother’s Day, she opened her Mother’s Day present today. I got her a Kindle 2 from amazon.com, and she loves it. The only problem: the Harry Potter series isn’t available for Kindle download. 
PFC Pico called: Sgt Vader changed her mind and let the unit have weekend off-base passes. The girls had to wear their Class As while on base, including departing the base, so some of them got a hotel room just to have a place to change to civvies.
She wrote:
I’m at the Comfort Inn and have good internet connection, so hopefully I can actually send email. Sooooo, here’s some pictures….
Anyway, I’m off post!!!!!! YAY!!!!!! I’m in comfy civilian clothes. I just went swimming, and then I chilled (or warmed) in a hot tub. Later I’m going to a club with everyone. Then I’m going to sleep for a long time on my very comfy bed. It’s amazing.
I guess she can’t get fire guard duty off-base! 
The younger Miss Pico wanted to join the Army Reserve, and do BCT in between her junior and senior years in high school. She actually had been thinking of doing this even before her sister joined up — she had a friend in high school who did it — but seeing her sister, standing and marching proud at her graduation from BCT sort of set a fire under her. She contacted the recruiter, the same one who signed up her sister, but it is kind of late in the recruitment year, and there simply weren’t any openings remaining; the Army Reserve is about 40,000 recruits ahead of their goals. Come the end of July, she’ll be able to sign up, though she’d have to wait until after graduation to go to BCT. Further, if she enlists early in the cycle, the full range of jobs in the Reserves will be open to her.
Along those lines, Scott Jacobs, a frequent commenter on Patterico’s Pontifications, and a contributor to his “sideblog” Jury, is enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. Mr Jacobs isn’t fresh out of high school or college; he’s 31 years old. Good going, Mr Jacobs!
Is the contrast on the Kindle 2 sufficient as I have read in numerous places that the original Kindle did not provide enough light/print contrast and was therefore necessary to hold under a lamp and/or find a good place?
It seemed OK for the little bit that I saw it, but I didn’t spend a whole lot of time with it.
Thank you for this.
And I’m not 31 yet! I’m 30, thank you!
I will, however, be hitting the big Three-One while in bootcamp…
Is that Vader as in “Darth”?
Eric: Yes.
Soon-to-be Private Jacobs: Don’t worry, there’s a Marine Gunnery Sergeant out there who will make you feel 31 — or more — from your very first day at Parris Island!
I’ve said this before…. My JROTC instructor was an 82nd Airborne Master Sergeant, about 45 years old. We were fifteen or so. He could do a six-minute mile in fatigues and combat boots. If he could get us up where we could do it in running shoes and shorts, on a cinder track around the football field, that’s all he wanted from us.
As for the Kindle, I’m hoping the DX comes out shortly after I’m outta boot. It will be my first big-ticket buy…
Just think… All my gaming books could be on one device. No more hauling 60+ pounds of books to game… *geekgasm*
If you want to see some great church architecture in your area, visit the chapel at Lehigh University.