So, the word "app" should indicate that I have a iPhone. I've had it almost 2 weeks and I haven't really looked up from it since.
First things first; I'm not going to go all Apple Apologetic. I love it, and even confess that I've had an attraction to it for about a year. But I had misgivings and hesitations; "Too expensive", "Too much phone for me-I've reached a learning dead end.", "Why do I need all that if I already have a ____?" etc. And these arguments kept me from seriously considering it. But ... there was always an underlying tech-y sort of lust seething underneath. I'd never wanted an appliance so badly. The iPhone made me completely forget the Dyson vac. No, all the Dyson vacs.
My fellow grad student G. was the first person in my world to get one. We bumped into each other at the ARC. I'd just finished using the ab workout thingy and we decided to meet to work out together next time. "Let me get your number," she said and pulled out her phone. "OMG! Is that an iPhone? Can I touch it?" She backed up a few steps, "Uh, no...not really." "It's OK, I understand," I replied. "I wouldn't let you touch my MacBook." "Let me take your picture, Val. And if you call me, your pic will pop up on the screen." "Oooh! It has a camera! I mean, of course it does. No, don't take one! I just worked out, for God's sake...wait...yeah, take it, it'll be like having witnesses that I did something fitness-y!" I asked her how it would be for running outside and she mentioned that her waterproof case wasn't really that waterproof. "Oh, I wouldn't have a problem with that. I'd put it in a Ziploc!" "Um..."
Which was one of the reasons I thought I might not be worthy...
The second person in my world to have one was one of the students in my favorite UCD class ever. I saw him sitting outside of Sproul after our last class of the quarter eating some of the food he'd brought to our fiesta but hadn't had a chance to eat during the class period. I sat down and thanked him for his generous and surprising gesture. He thanked me for the class. I noted that everyone in class had really bonded and that it made a really nice atmosphere and said I'd miss them all very much. "We'll stay in touch. You have Facebook, don't you?" he asked. "Uh...yeah." "I'll add you now," he said, pulling out his iPhone. "Oooh, you can Facebook on that?" "Yeah. It has internet. And another thing you'd like, it can keep track of the mileage on your runs." (They remember what I say in class?) "Cool! What else?" "You can get an application for it so you can hold it up to a speaker and it will tell you what song is playing." "Oooooh..." I thought he'd say no, but I tried anyway, "Can I touch it?" To my surprise, he handed it over. I looked down at it in my hand and declared, dismayed, "It might be too big for my grip." "Um..."
But then my shorter-than-me officemate got one. And then we did some research...
And now I totally get it. I know why people are constantly pulling them out of purses and pockets or not even bothering to put them in there to begin with. It's really kind of addicting.
But I'm trying reallyreally hard not to be douchey. I pull over on the side of the sidewalk if I get a text or want to send a text. I put it away at lunch...unless, of course, I'm lunching with another iPhone user.
And speaking of lunch...
I don't have many apps. I got Facebook first thing and for free. And from the iPhone I got up the courage to put a "like" on the wall of a writer I hold in high esteem. I also got Pandora, but can't make it work. I got a word twist game. It's a battery suck. The LiveStrong calorie counter was my last app purchase, on Monday. It has everything in it! I've dedicated the first week to "calibrating". The first day I over-consumed by about 400 calories. Yesterday was under. Today I ate my weight in sushi at lunch and ended up having popcorn and Sauvignon Blanc for dinner and still went over! And I didn't run. It was supposed to help me be healthier, but I don't think being so involved obsessed with it is healthy. Nor is the self-castigation that's already starting to happen. It's bothering me quite a lot because the whole counting calories is something I never wanted to do.
And it's so totally not something I evereverever wanted to write about!
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