Monday, Dec. 20th

We both got the same phone. It’s a Motorola V180, which we got because I’ve been wanting a flip phone forEVAH, because I’m a big dork. The guy at the T-Mobile store assured us that it was a way better phone than the ones we had, but like I told Fred, technology is moving at such a fast pace that our phones will likely be obsolete by tomorrow. We ended up spending about 45 minutes in the store waiting for the guy to get our phones set up and move the phonebooks from the old to new phones, and all that good stuff. While we were there, a guy came in to return a charger he’d bought last week. He only had the credit card receipt and not the printed-out receipt they give you with every purchase, so the salesman (not the one who was waiting on us, but a younger guy who bore a striking resemblance to Alex from Survivor: Amazon) told the customer he couldn’t take the charger back. The customer got really pissed off, and everyone else in the store kind of whistled and looked around and acted like we didn’t hear the customer giving Billy (the salesman) hell. He threatened to cancel his account, he threatened to sue (okay, maybe not. But he might have, I don’t remember for sure), he asked if Billy was calling him a liar, he used Billy’s name 63 times in a row, he asked for Billy’s card and said he’d be calling corporate headquarters, and the entire time Billy stuck to his guns and said he was so sorry, he just couldn’t do it. Finally the guy left, and we all breathed a sigh of relief. I mean, I get why the guy was so pissed – I would be, too – but Billy Da Salesman doesn’t make the rules, y’know? Another ten minutes or so, and we were finally out of there. Fred and I both spent a good long time messing around with our phones. His now plays Green Day’s Basket Case (the actual song, not the tune) when someone calls, and mine plays The Brady Bunch theme, but I might change that to Good Riddance (Time of your Life). I love that song – it always reminds me of ER and Jeanie Boulet singing it a capella during Scott Anspaugh’s funeral. I’m suddenly struck with the overwhelming need to see that episode again. When I die, I want Jeanie Boulet to sing that song a capella over my coffin. I suppose I need to get the book out and actually look through it, because I have a feeling there are things my phone can do, about which I have no idea. I’ll get around to it one of these days, I’m sure.

* * * Speaking of flip phones, we started watching the third season of 24 last week. We kind of want to get it watched as soon as possible because the new season starts in January, and we plan to watch it as it comes on (though we did talk about taping every episode and then watching them all at once, because it’s about going to kill us to have to wait a week between episodes). Anyway, about six or seven shows into the third season, Fred said “They all have flip phones this season, have you noticed?” I said, “That’s because it’s easier to show emotion with a flip phone.” “Emotion?” “Yes, because this -” I pretended to hold a phone up to my ear. “God DAMN you, Jack Bauer!” I said, and then pantomimed angrily slamming a flip phone shut. “Is much more convincing than this-” I held another pretend phone up to my ear. “God DAMN you, Jack Bauer!” I pantomimed holding the phone in front of me, a scowl on my face, as I searched for the “end” button, found it, and pressed it, making a “boop!” sound. “I see what you mean,” Fred said. Heh. Speaking of 24, what the hell is up with everyone’s hair this season? Kim has a particularly unflattering haircut, Sherry Palmer has the flip from hell, and Nina is running around with just the back of her hair pulled back into a ponytail, with the sides (which are certainly long enough to be pulled back) hanging down. What statement is she supposed to be making with that hairstyle? The actor playing Chase bears a striking resemblance to Liev Schreiber. * * * Miz Poo examines the lady bug. * * *]]>