Flipping the Script: From DumbPhone to Smartphone

I shun fancy things like electricity.

Sorry, Weird Al was stuck in mind for a second. Actually, the thing I shunned for the longest time was having a modern, more expensive than $20 type of cell phone. Previous phones, which usually expired on me in about a year's time, were all of the flip variety. One out of the 5 or 6 previous ones had a camera phone (none of the pictures which I ever transferred, by the way), and only had one phone where I used Internet on a trial basis (cancelled it right before the free trial ended).

Left to right: The functionality of my picture phone pre-2010 ----> its functionality now. Some might argue the extra technology did a disservice. That argument is still pending.

Meanwhile, others around me (i.e. 98% of society) were advancing their phone selection to that of the highest standards of the time- the BlackBerrys, I-phones, etc. While my friends would be looking up the latest stats to the games I'd bet on, I'd be thanking them for checking those scores for me. In the land of phones, mine would always feel like how my dad would feel like at a computer convention- completely lost. By the way, this article is not about great analogies, so I'm leaving the previous statement in just because I can.

Anywho, fast-forward to 2010, and my new job come July is working from home as a Sales Support Specialist for a consulting company. The company agrees to pay for my phone bill on a monthly basis. Suddenly, the cheap-phoned mindset that has plagued me for years on end slowly escapes through my pores. A few months later, when my rebate for a new phone kicks in, I get a Blackberry Curve, the newest model of BC that they have. It's so new, in fact, that I conveniently get screwed out of a case for it because apparently they design the phone for it and then release the case design months later- which removes it from the accessory bundle package that I bought.

Five months after the purchase, I couldn't tell you how much I use the phone for purposes outside of work calls. I find myself as addicted to the phone as the very people that I privately (and sometimes publicly) mocked for having a techie disease I'll call modern cellulitis (patent pending).

Can't even keep my phone away from me on the company trip to Puerto Rico.

I send BBMs (a messaging system for Blackberry-to-Blackberry texting), texts and pictures, place bets and statuses on Facebook, and do various other things with my 21st century phone that I could only have dreamed of doing before this year. I must say, it can be technology-overload and there may be sometime in the future where I need a break from all of this.

For now, unfortunately, I have become something (yes, something, not someone- because I've lost part of my humanity here) that I never thought I'd ever be- a droid hooked on his Crackberry.

Monday Funday

Lots going on today/this week:

Getting a new phone- highly leaning towards getting a Blackberry after years of getting shitty phone after shitty phone. I figure if my company is gonna pay my phone bill, might as well spoil myself a little on a decent phone.

Vegas Part V- I don't need to stress the epicness of Vegas. I think the Roman Numeral (a la Super Bowls) says it all.

TV school project- Finalizing a TV project that will be shown on a local Downers Grove channel. I am playing the role of on-air talent and also produced a 2:30 piece for it on a band and internet TV show that my friends are in. Should be great.

Vegas V: Oh wait, already mentioned that

Monday night pick: Cincy +6 over Pitt.

To say Cincy has under-achieved after last year's division championship would be an understatement. While everyone is quick to blame Palmer, it's been a team effort that has led to the 2-5 start.

With that being said, I have always liked taking the points in these spots: home underdog, struggling a little, getting nearly a TD (or maybe a TD depending on my book's final number), and playing a little below their talent level on their one chance under the national spotlight. I always think back to Arizona against Chicago four years ago and Buffalo against Dallas in 2007 or 2008 I believe and remember how they played above their actual talent level for one game (and in both cases, holding leads for much of the games only to lose at the end). Pittsburgh is closing a three game road trip, surviving against Miami after a controversial call and falling flat against a Saints team that lost to Cleveland a week before that. Winning on the road ain't easy in the NFL, so I'll say if Pitt wins, they won't cover. I won't be surprised to see a Cincy win to be honest (despite some flat showings lately).

I'm making this a $100 play.

Let's do this.

Rock on.

Monday musings and pick

Random Monday musings:

If Brett Favre plays through this injury, this cements him as a "me-first" athlete. Dude could barely walk and got diagnosed with something fractured in his ankle. I honestly believe Tavarus would be a better option for next week, no joke. We haven't seen him play in a few years, but right now Favre is just gonna hurt his team if she stays out there. I just realized I typed she but don't feel like correcting it.

If Big Ben was black, would Pittsburgh have warmed up so quickly to him following his 4-game suspension following his discretions in a Georgia bar with a female? I'm normally not the first one to bring up race in a situation, but do you think Gilbert Arenas is gonna get a standing ovation when/if he starts playing for the Wizards in the NBA? Granted some of this might be apples and oranges, but you gotta wonder why women were cheering him. I sound like a neo-conservative with these rants here, but just something to think about.

Vegas is the best place on Earth. What other place in the world can you lose a grand, forget about everything that happened and pay for a hotel you never use, all the while enjoying every minute of the above? Only the greatest place in the world. I hope to have a new phone in a few weeks to let you loyal followers of said blog in on a Brian Bolek weekend in Vegas.

San Fran plays Denver over in London next week. I hope the game ends in a tie and Europe tells the NFL that they no longer want to host NFL games. Also, I predict Singletary will be "left behind" and encouraged to suck at coaching a different brand of football and on a different continent.

Pick of the day: Dallas (-3/3.5) over NYG- The desperate team wins here by a couple scores. Dallas 34-23. I hope to get the line at -3 but we'll see. My winning NFL week is once again dependent on my MNF showing, which I have lost the past two weeks. 3-2, $40 yesterday.

Have a good evening my people.