brand new phone

I have a new cell phone. Unlike my fella who takes a fondness for obtaining and playing with techy gadgets to a level where I sometimes think it might be appropriately classified in the DSM-V , I had been putting off my most recent phone upgrade. Although I do like gadgets, I also like being in a certain comfort of use zone with such important every day tech. Given how important my cell has become, it falls squarely into the category of shit I don't like to fuck with lest it disrupt or hinder my routine use of said shit.

One of the things I dislike the most about switching phones is that it is the electronic equivalent of changing offices and having to wait for things like your filing cabinets to arrive. Or worse, having to move each file one by one because you can't afford to hire movers to just pick up the old cabinet (files and all) and cart it 20 feet down the hall for you. Oh yeah, and you lack the physical means to move it all at once yourself.

How's that for an unnecessarily drawn out analogy? Regardless, I assume the point is sufficiently clear. Changing phones can be a pain in the ass, and it wasn't one I had the time and inclination to deal with right now.

Still, I will upgrade when necessary. Since my old phone was starting to do some slightly annoying things which suggested it was necessary (is it me or doesn't it seem like something which costs that much money should last for more than two years?), and since I was at the point where a particular upgrade was in fact nearly free, last week I finally bit the bullet and got a new phone. But because I was not super-psyched about doing this, and because there's been so many other things going on, I've been a little slack on updating the new phone so it approaches being as routinely useful and informative as my old one.

Thus...as I write post, my new phone is ringing - well, it's making a noise like ringing. I've found the newer phones seem to be set up to encourage the user to buy any number of exciting ringtones. Toward that end (I believe), the "rings" the phone's manufacturers have left for built in choices range from sounds which most humans will universally find mildly irritating to sounds which I believe may actually inflame select layers of neocortical cells in any mammal within hearing range.

So when I say my new phone is ringing, what I mean is that my new phone is making a mildly annoying sound as it sits, unanswered, on my desk. Why not pick it up? Because just a few moments ago, it made the mildly annoying sound in my bedroom. I fetched it, looked at the call information displayed on the front, and saw a Boston area number. Thinking it might be someone like my brother or one of the aunties who I've recently been in touch with on account of a family death, I answered it. While I've entered some of the more important contacts, I hadn't gotten around to others like the local pizza place, the university financial aid office, my former infectious disease doctor (whose number I often have occasion to share on account of this being a high Lyme disease area), and my parents.

It turned out that when it rang just then, in the bedroom, when I picked it up because although I didn't recognize the number it was familiar and Boston-area, it was my mother.

"I just wanted to call and wish you a happy birthday," she said.
"Ah. Well, did you get that all out of your system then?" I asked.
"Yes," she answered.
I sighed and said "Great. Bye," and I ended the call.

And now she's calling back, causing my phone to burp and chirp annoying little noises at me.

On the plus side, I currently have a renewed sense of purpose in completing my cell phone transition. Additionally, I think I just might go make myself some ring tones. For the 'rents, I need something which will immediately convey the right quality and type of information to unmistakably specify "Holy shit don't take that call!"