Yesterday wife and I got out formal Peace Corps invitation kit! Yeah! We are going to Uganda (yip, a switch from Central Asia) and starting our staging 8 Feb 2009. Now it is time to finish up this degree, go to India for a month, figure out where to live, figure out how to make some money, buy a bunch of really expensive stuff that is probably mostly a dream ( If any body out there wants to buy us some material happiness here is a wonderful :-) learn about Uganda, make some connections, learn some Luganda, get some good references together, read some books on Uganda, etc.

Ok, so I am excited. If I can just stop looking up Pentax K200D and Canon G10 reviews and work on my DEFENSE!!! Arrrggghhhh!!!

The entry, the first "real" entry, was born on 20080718!! Sorry, there is not much on this page yet since I'm just getting my feet wet with blogging and this is mostly for me right now.

I figured we should start thinking about what to bring. Hmm, if there is electricity and size 14 shoes I'm set, otherwise I might need to cut off some body parts to make way for some of this stuff.

☆ = Ready to go (#u+2606)

☞ = Deal with this now (#u+261e)

! = I have it

50% means I have part

MAYBE and STANDBY are self explanitory.

Nothing means I will need to get it.

Computer Hardware (because the fun stuff with buttons goes first)

! Laptop (Acer Extensa)

☞! Serial modem w. 110 and 220V power supply. USR Sportster. -> Testing required

! USB floppy drive! USB Hub Compaq 1.1

50% Computer Power supply + plug adapter. -> Get Plug Adapter

STANDBY. 12V car laptop power supply.! Several extra CDs and DVD write disks50% Corsair Survivor flash drives (2x) + extension cable -> Get One More

! Something to hold CD's MAYBE. Several 8GB SanDisk SD cards .. maybe

! Earphones

Phone line adapter. Find out what kind.

! Short Phone cable! Short Ethernet cable! Short Ethernet X-over cable! Kingston RS232 USB adapter + Short USB cable -> Testing required

Computer software (Either on CD or SD cards as ISO images)

Language localization for region, including full unicode support.

Kubuntu Live and Alternate CDsXubuntu alternate CDUbuntu repository DVDs (gotta figure out how to do this one)Grub super boot diskUltimate Boot DiskCD with laptop drivers and bios files

Vista recovery, XP, Office, AutoCAD, LyX, Gnumeric, Inkscape, Gimp, etc.

Alibre CAD 10 CD copies and training CDsLicense info: ENGR toolbox, machinest toolbox, AlgorWikipedia mirrored server (on computer)Manuals: R, Python, Bash, calculators, computerAll grad project material

GPS softwareLifeWater Ca ref info and US Army Corps of Engr water and sanitation info.

Batteries, Chargers, and Power

! LaCrosse BC700 charger + plug adapter -> Test batteries

High capacity AA and AAA NiMH batteries Eneloop 2Ah.

! BLM-1 camera battery chargerSix Plug adapters (computer, camera charger, batt charger, modem)

2 extra BLM-1 camera batteriesCoin batteries for: Watch, HP33 calculator.Extra laptop batterySTANDBY: Solar panel and accessories for computer and batteries. Oooh, I hope not.

MAYBE: 12V to variable laptop adapter

Tools and Ref

! Leatherman(CANCEL...MAYBE)! Vernier calipers + precision ruler

! EIT reference book (Try to get ebook)

! Little Black Book! Multimeter (Small)

! GPS with cable! Watch! Calculator HP33 and TI89! Heart rate monitors! MAYBE: %Fat monitor! Blood pressure kit! Tape measure☞Black notebook! Pens, ink, and refillsSharpies

Optical

! Binoculars and case! C-8080 camera in case! Cleaning cloth8 GB of CF cards! Monfrotto ball head and monopod and micro-tripod

Cases

! Camera bag☞ORDEREDOtterbox 7030 (folder and no rubber plug) from LimitedGoods or AmbientWeather to hold the laptop in. Smiley face on one side and initials on the other.

☞CHECK OTHERSOsprey Porter 46. Neon marking tape.

☞! Four Army duffle bags with yellow smiley faced spray painted on. This is our initial default. -> Locate current bags

☞Several silica gel desiccant cans or other forms

! MAYBE: Camping hammock and slapstraps (to hold me in)Random electronics

☞! Headlamps -> Get replacement bulb for big one

☞MAYBE: GSM unlocked phone and charger w. plug adapter -> Borrow sim to complete unlock.

Shoes (right now I hate size 14)

I gotta say, I'm hoping there are some people with big feet there, cause carrying ALL my shoes does not sound exciting.

Two pairs standard shoes

! One pair running shoes

! One pair Chaco's! One pair simple flipflops

! One pair hiking boots

Medical and personal care

! Bite guardFloss, toothbrushFluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride gelCanker sore medicineChapstickEarplugs! Medical thermometerRazer and bladesKitchen

! Knife and sharpenerIndian spices, basil, oregano, pepper, hot-pepperSecurity

Zip ties! Neon marking ribbon2xCombination locks! Computer lockHeavy duty plastic bags

Property insurance☞Supplemental health insurance -> Contact company.

Engrave everything

Gifts and sharing Ideas

Multi-toolKitchen knifeHeadlamp

☞Laminated pics: family, university, home, sites, maps☞Inflatable globeClothes

Quick dry boxer-briefsSmartwool socksOther

! Spool of teflon thread and needleSmall amount of duct tape.Bike lights?