"Mommy, wow! I'm a big kid now!"

I just picked up my first cell phone ever. Let me be the first to say this: I hate... HATE...American telecommunications companies. I don't particularly need a cell phone, and I had wanted to wait until cell phone plans could meet my criteria: "I want to be able to call from anywhere, to anywhere, at anytime, for any amount of time, for a set monthly fee." However, I realized that, when forced to choose between shelling out for a land line or a cell phone plan, I might as well go mobile.

I harassed Mr. Alex the Lead Sales guy at the Sprint store, asking him question after question. Although I had done my research, he still had some insights that proved helpful, and was very generous to me (assuming it's not merely company policy to act like 10% discounts in addition to chopping $50 off the cost of a listed-as-$80-even-when-buying-into-a-2-year-contract phone is something the sales rep is doing out of the kindness of their heart). At the very worst, I left the store skillfully conned, but nonetheless feeling very much the smart consumer.

There was a distinct sense of pride when I walked out the door with a cell phone in my pocket. Now all I have to do is figure out if (and how) to get Linux to talk with it, and I will have a convenient camera with me at all times. I think this thing may also do video! Huzzah!