Conquering the cell phone netherworld; do my feet look like little hooves?

         When I’m not busy fending off the amorous advances of San Francisco’s very handsome mayor (I mean, really, Gavin—I’ve told you before, but I just don’t have time to play. You have a city to run, and I have to roll skirts into tubes in preparation for the RWA conference), life is pretty mundane. Or as mundane as it can ever get in San Francisco, and around me, because I tend to be a magnet for all things odd. But today was quite pleasant and productive, because I’d been floundering around for a while in this cell phone contract netherworld—my phone was broken, but my contract wasn’t up until October, and buying a new one was too expensive, yadda yadda, and I just didn’t know what to do and all the bloody rigamarole surrounding cell phone contracts makes me irritable. It offends my sense of the practical.

          I entertained a number of options, but I finally caved and went to Cingular and they were very nice and thorough and accommodating (the cute salesman was, at least), and though I thought I only wanted a basic phone, I of course ended up with a sleek little black Razor flip phone that takes photos and videos (most of which will star my newly bald cat, probably), and a new contract that will expire long after I do. I jest, but you get the picture. That’s the price I pay for having the nerve to own a broken phone while still under contract. I wanted the pink phone, because pink would give me half a chance of finding it when I go fumbling about in the deep, dark bowels of my purse for a ringing phone, but they were out of pink. The black one will blend in with everything else I own and hide cunningly in the shadows of my purse, eluding my fumbling hand, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time I leave it somewhere, pour water on it, sit on it or accidentally drop it out of the window of a speeding vehicle, because such is the fate of cell phones.

          I should just get walkie talkies. That way I can have a code name, too, and I've always wanted one of those.

         I confess I'm very pleased with my new phone, though. Now I need some ringtones that aren't lame. Any suggestions? What kind of phones do you guys have?

            And while I was out buying a phone, I also bought a pair of shoes that are either quite stylish, or make my feet look like little hooves. I haven’t decided yet. These are for the conference.

           (Actually, what do you call the wife of a mayor? A Mayoress? A Mayonnaise? I like Mayonnaise.)

           Anyway, never fear: work on revisions continues, the conference countdown continues, and the sunny San Francisco weather continues, which is a little unnerving. It's been downright warm here, which is making everyone both cheerful and wary, because sun in the middle of July is just wrong. But it feels and looks marvelous, and I might just have tan shins within a few days. Life is good.

Comments

Hi Julie,

I got a black Razor phone too, and yes you will find yourself taking pictures of the cat. Bald or not. Jaggers and E.B. pictures have taken most of memory along with like three pictures I took while in Hawaii back in Jan.
I love my phone, I don't use all the "goodies" you can do with it like downloading MP3s, and who knows what else. I just want to talk and take pictures of the girls. :)

As for the SF weather I agree with you, I just can't take it. I miss the fog.

Isn't Gavin Newsome a hottie? He'd make a good visual prototype for a romance hero *sigh*

Isabel goes looking for pictures of Gavin on Google...

[Haven Rich]

I really enjoyed our cell phone...nextel. The walkie talkie feature is heavenly. Matter fact, I rarely used the phone feature (with the exception of Isabel calling hehe).

[Julie Anne Long]

Yeah, Gavin is dreamy, Isabel, isn't he? And I almost didn't vote for him! I changed my mind at the last minute. Glad I did, because what makes him dreamy (in part) is he's so bloody smart. ((sigh)). I had fun poking through ringtones, but I had to restrain myself, because I think my sense of humor could get me into trouble. :) Let's see, who should I assign AC/DC's "TNT" to...hmmmm...

I wonder if I have a walkie talkie feature on my new phone, Haven! LOL. You'd think I'd know all this stuff about my phone before I left the store, but no. I'll have to go over all my paperwork when I return from the conference.

I've just decided I like the new pointy shoes I bought. LOL.

[Isabel]

As far as I know, Razors don't have a walkie talkie feature *Isabel thumbing through the instruction manual which has more pages than Gone with the Wind*

Walkie talkie phones are cool, wish I had one.

Speaking of ringtones I had some cool ones at one point on my old phone, including Metallica's Enter Sandman..."Exit light, enter night, take my hand, off to neverland"

[Michelle Rowen]

One word: Blackberry.

It's my new thing. It's expensive but I wuv it.

[Julie Anne Long]

Well, I stumbled across Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" as a ringtone, and gave some uncharitable thought to who I might assign that to...LOL. This is too fun. I downloaded Chopin and a retro phone ring so far, and I'm sure, given half a chance, I'll have about 50 of them.

I've yearningly eyed Blackberries, Michelle, but until I have a servant to carry my things for me so I don't lose them, I'll probably have to wait until I'm so rich I don't care whether I lose something that tiny and expensive. You've had yours for a while, haven't you?? So far, so good! Maybe I'll get one for my birthday!! :) (Coming up!! Well, sort of. September).

[Haven Rich]

The father-in-law has a blackberry, those lil things are neat. I kinda want one for myself but I'm not going to cough up that kind of money..he said they paid like $300 bucks for his and this doesn't include the monthly charges. I like my cell phones under $100 bucks...so like you Julie, if it goes missing its not that bad.

I like the ring tone "say something" by Mariah Carey(two r's?) featuring Snoop Dog. It's kinda fitting as well lol.

[Caro in SD]

Julie, my husband insists on getting the latest everything, and now he wants one of those cell phones with a TV in it, even though his phone is fine. I just don't understand it. I have a pink Raezor, which I love, but I only use it to make phone calls. I hardly ever take photos or use the texting feature, because the photo quality isn't great. And who has time for all that typing? I'm busy! I thought I would use those features more than I do. Isn't it funny? And to think I survived most of my life without this phone. LOL.

That said, I hope you take photos at the conference. :)