on becoming smart

This week was pretty monumental for me. I got a new phone. A smart phone.

That's what they call the new ones... smart phones... that have all kinds of programs for just about anything you want to do. Text, talk, play games, take pictures, listen to music, see what the current time is in any given country, check your e-mail, look up driving directions and/or pin-point your exact location no matter where you are...and the list goes on. It was an upgrade for me. I'd earned it.

That's my old dumb phone on the left in the picture next to my new smart phone. I've had it for a long time. I've given my upgrade points away to my kids several times in order for them to get new phones. But, I really didn't mind it so much. I was use to my little phone. Besides, I was told I probably can't handle a smart phone. 'Technologically challenged'. I'll admit it. But, the salesman at the phone store said I could handle it. His Mom figured it out  and "if she could, you can too",  he assured me. I told him I have a really old phone. Really outdated. "A...sshh... flip phone" I said. I could see him smile and nod his head with understanding. "You can learn how to use it...I promise" he again assured me, "really, they're a lot easier." Then he asked to see my old phone. So, I pulled it out. That's when his eyes got big and round and he said "wow, that is old, I haven't seen one of these in a long time!" He tested his phone salesman knowledge and even tried to remember it's style number and rattled it off to us. I wanted to say, "wow, you've been in the business a long time", but didn't.

So, we looked at all the phones with all the different features. Looked at some that weren't smart phones and some that were. In the end, I chose a smart one. I liked a few of the features. When they set up your new phone, they can plug your old one into a machine that will transfer all of your phone numbers to your new one. He wasn't sure he could do that because he didn't know if they still had one of those cords for such an antiquated phone. He found one. We made our purchase and then he gave me a quick mini-tutorial on how to use it. He told me he would give me his business card in case I had any trouble or questions. I could call him anytime, no problem. Then he showed me what else was in the box. The charger, the headphones... I said "headphones? What do you do with those?" He looked at me and said, "it's for listening to music on your phone". Then he laughed and said..."I think I will take my business card back now." Ha! funny guy.

After my tutorial we left. I had my new smart phone. Woo wheeeee!

I'm still in the learning curve mode. But, I'm confident I can figure this thing out. I have already taken a picture and sent it to my e-mail, texted, retrieved a voice mail, looked up an address for driving, and even talked on it. I talked on my phone. Imagine that! I keep it on the counter and I keep looking at it, waiting to see what will happen next. I slide my finger across the smooth screen, unlocking it, to see if I have any messages. Any missed calls. Anything.

The other day, I was at home talking on the phone to a friend in Colorado. We had been talking for quite some time. Long enough that I got concerned that I might have a message on my new phone. So, while still visiting with her I went to check. I went to the kitchen counter...no phone. I went to my bedroom, no phone. I kept listening to her while I kept looking for my new phone. In my purse? No. In the laundry room? No. Where did I leave my new smart phone? I was calmly listening to her while I was silently panicking. Did I lose my new phone?

And then it occurred to me...I was talking on it!

I'm getting smarter all the time.