New BlackBerry

Well, my BlackBerry Pearl flip 8230 died a week ago Monday. I have no idea why. I took it to Verizon Wireless after I tried everything I could think of, but they pronounced it DOA. I am still under contract, so I had to either pay the early termination fee, or pay full retail. I opted for choice C and ordered a used BlackBerry Storm off ebay.

After waiting a week and a half, going without a phone the entire time, I have a new phone. (Well, new to me anyway.). Going without a phone is a story I must post, but I’ll do that another day. The activation was smooth, and the phone is great! I had read all the reviews of the storm, and even though I really wanted one, I was afraid It would be as bad as many people said. I am happy to report that it is wonderful.

First off, I love the clickable screen, what RIM calls SurePress. It makes typing a breeze. I never could get used to the iPod touch’s keyboard, but this is a lot like a real physical keyboard. Some things are a little hard to click, but once you get used to how the screen works, it’s easier. I am typing this post on my storm.

So, even though I loved my Pearl, I really love my new Storm. Hopefully this one will last longer than the other phone.

I hate the dentist

Today I went to the dentist to get three teeth filled. It turns out I am resistant to novacaine. Do they still use novacaine? With the way things change, who knows. Anyway, I barely got numb. It wasn’t a problem until she got to the third tooth. Turns out my last dentist had neglected to tell me it needed to be filled. She had to drill down so deep that I was in pain the entire time. What fun, yes? Now anything hot or cold hurts that tooth. There, I have dumped my issues on you. Now you can feel sorry for me.

WordPress for BlackBerry

This is my first post from the new WordPress app for BlackBerry. It is so much easier to type on this BlackBerry than my Mac, and a lot more convenient, so maybe this will help me keep up with this thing and not drop it by the wayside like I usually do.

gdgt

I just joined a new site. It is a social network of sorts started by 2 former editors of engadget (or something like that. I am fuzzy on the details). The concept is based on connecting people through their gadgets. The name is pronounced one of 2 ways: g-d-g-t or gadget. Either way is correct. The site went live yesterday, so I guess I am an early adopter. I am doing that more lately. It is fun to jump on the bandwagon of something new and convert people to the idea. My profile is http://user.gdgt.com/StephenParker/. Feel free to become my friend!

Today’s Rant

I do not get aggravated often (well, yes I do, but that’s beside the point). One thing that drives me crazy is when people judge a store without ever going in it. I love to shop, and one of my favorite places to shop is Ikea. I go there all the time. I meet so many people who say things like “I would never shop Ikea. There stuff is cheap crap.” My first question is have you ever been there? Nine times out of ten they say no.

I do not care if you do not like a store. Seriously. I am not that petty or immature. I just think that if you are going to run a store into the ground and badmouth it to everyone you meet, you should at least walk around one for an hour. Is that so much to ask? Yes, Ikea does sell some inexpensive stuff. And chances are good some of that inexpensive stuff is not as good as some of the more expensive stuff (they carry some of that too). And yes, you do have to assemble the furniture yourself. That does not make it cheap crap. My parents bought side tables for their living room from American Signature Furniture a few years ago. They came in boxes and had to be assembled. I saw the price tag, they were not cheap.

I said all that to say this. If you have been to an Ikea (or any other store) and do not like it, fine. Not every store is for every person. Ask anyone I know my opinion of Walmart. I despise that store, and avoid it like the plague. I have been to Walmart many times in the past, and every time a new one opens, I go to the grand opening. I always walk away feeling the same. I feel that hating a store you have never visited is like hating a girl because she has a unique sense of fashion. This is not high school. Go talk to the girl. You may make a new friend. Then again, you may discover she’s a skank and walk away hating her even more. You never know until you try.

Working…

Some days, I really hate having to go to work. I have nothing against the whole idea of responsibility and making an honest living, but right now, going to work really sucks. I am working a thankless job while getting my degree, and I have been there for a few years. Many people have come and gone, but I and a faithful few have remained. I am looking forward to graduating with my bachelors degree and embarking on my career. I suppose I should get to bed, since I have to be at said thankless job at 6:30 AM.

What’s in a name?

Well, I sat in front of my Mac last night until midnight so I could get the Facebook vanity URL I wanted. I managed to get my name without any additions. My Facebook URL is now www.facebook.com/StephenParker. Stop by and send me a friend request.
Now that I have the URL I want, I am enjoying the backlash of people who are unable to get anything remotely similar to their own name. There were even people on Twitter last night complaining their name was taken, and that was after only 3 or 4 minutes. I love social media!

One for the money…

I am going to give blogging another go.  I have tried this so many times I have lost count of the number of abandoned blogs there may be floating around the web.  I believe those blogs are better off forgotten. Maybe this time I will keep pace and actually stick with my blog. Here’s to consistency and dedication!