Adventures in Cell Phones, or The End of An Era

As you can probably tell from the picture, I'm a Blackberry girl. I got my first BB right before I graduated from college - actually, the same day I signed for my first apartment ever.

The flip phone I had before that lasted over four years. Sure, it didn't have color, or any internet capabilities, but it had been around since my senior year of high school. You get attached to something when it's around that long.

Then, one Sunday, as I was walking down NYC's Madison Avenue and chatting with my roommate-to-be, my flip phone fell onto the sidewalk and broke spectacularly into two pieces. Sometimes, the universe tells you when it's time to let go.

Then, as an early graduation present, I got a Blackberry Pearl - ie. the one on the left. Suddenly, I had email. I had color. I didn't use it for anything besides constant email (and then BBM) conversations, but I felt very professional. And very grown-up.

At risk of sounding kinda like a valley girl, I have to say that my BB Pearl was a big accessory to my life. It was there when the nice lady at HR called to offer me an editorial assistant position. It suffered through lots of philosophical BBM conversations between me and my dear roommate - and later, as I started to realize that New York wasn't my city, it endured my hour-long conversations with my mother.

Later, after my move, my BB pearl received the call from my editor, informing me of my very first book deal! And MOST recently, it was the phone my fantastic agent J first called me on. :-D

Unfortunately, the December day I moved to Montana, to begin my life as a full-time writer, my trusty phone started freezing up. Once a week, I had to take the battery out to reset the software. I started looking up new phones. The Pearl had become a flip phone, which I had mixed feelings about.

Then, yesterday, my BB Pearl started deleting my call and BBM history even as I typed. The situation was becoming dire. I was well overdue for a trip down Verizon Lane, but I didn't want to go all the way to Bozeman for a variety of reasons:

1. I had just been there. On Tuesday. I wasn't due for another trip for another two weeks.

2. I would have to buy gas.

3. It was supposed to snow. I try not to drive in adverse weather conditions.

4. I had JUST hit my stride writing new scenes for the revisions my fantastic agent recommended. I did NOT appreciate the interruption.

But it was the now ex-roommate who convinced me. She said that living alone in an isolated area, I couldn't afford to be without a working cell phone.

Like I said before, the universe tells you when it's time to let go.

I went. I picked out a new phone: the Blackberry Curve, ie. the one on the right.

On the drive back, I started thinking that maybe this new phone marked a new era too. Look at it again. Look at the wide keyboard, perfect for typing.

This is a writer's phone.

I know many colleagues would disagree with me, but that's what this new phone means to me. I'm not just an ex-editorial assistant with a book contract. I'm a writer. :-D

P.S. I actually typed out this entry on my new BB Curve, using my newly activated blogger email post capability! (And yes, I am dorky like that. Plus, I had to add the picture later.)

Adventures in Phone Chats and Fire Alarms

I was chatting with a friend from New York, a former co-worker, who is an awesome editor at the beginning of her career. I was also making dinner - a beautiful, tasty, smaller portion of macaroni and cheese, one of my favorite comfort foods. In the middle of the conversation, I had to say, "I'm going to have to let you go. There's smoke coming out my oven."

I opened the oven to remove the mac and cheese (which was not burnt, by the way), and the chemical laden smoke blew into my eyes and made them water.

Then I

1) opened windows
2) opened door
3) turned on vents
4) winced, because Fire Alarm started beeping
5) wandered around the house wondering where my shoes were, envisioning myself outside, shivering in snow, while fire trunk honked and swerved up mountain
6) stopped covering my ears, daring to hope, because Fire Alarm had turned itself off
7) opened doors and windows wider
8) called my parents to make sure I shouldn't go find myself an igloo for the evening
9) closed door and locked it, because Mom reminded me that there are moose (only in the mountains would my mom worry about strange animals before strange people)
10) remembered that there are also coyotes (found tracks this morning) and looked outside suspiciously for scary canines that could claw through window screen
11) listened as Mom instructed me on how to start the self-cleaning on the oven
12) hung up and wrote this.

Very exciting times.

I can't smell the smoke anymore, and it's not very visible. My eyes still sting, so I might need to rinse them out.

First though, I must close the windows, because 20 degree air is blowing in. I have been shivering for several paragraphs...