Refund!

We got the first of our tax refunds deposited into my checking account today, from the great state of NJ. We're still waiting on the Federal refund, and the NY State refund. Half of the Federal refund is basically paying for our trip down to Florida for the wedding, which is convenient timing.

I made a huge plunge today.

Something that I've been putting off for a long time.

I had said I would do it, but there was no real time frame for doing it.

I ordered a cell phone.

Yes, I've finally entered the mid-1990's.

It's actually a bit tied into the wedding trip. My friend In, who will also be at the wedding, asked me for my cell phone number so we can contact each other down in Florida. I wrote back to her, saying I didn't have one, so I gave her Sue's number.

Those of you who know me, know that for the past *cough cough* years, I've said that I wasn't going to get a cell phone until some time in the indeterminate future. This e-mail exchange was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Something just clicked in my head, and I said, "I'm going to order a cell phone."

I went with Verizon, and I ordered online, because there was a good discount on phones. I got a $90 phone for $40, which looks like a good deal to me.

Sue asked me what the phone does. I said, "I guess I can talk to people on it." She meant, did it have games, a camera, e-mail, or other features. I knew it had a camera, but I already have a digital camera, so I think I'll be surprised if I use it much as a camera.

I think that it would be a great seller if they made a cell phone in the shape of a Communicator from the original Star Trek series. I know I would have gotten a cell phone much earlier in life, if something like that existed.

My plan is to keep the phone off most of the time, and only use it for short conversations or checking in from a distance where there's no phone. That's my main plan. Of course, we'll see how reality plays havoc with plans...

In other news, for you Harry Potter fans, there's a special "web only" episode of Pseudocertainty, where Joe and I share our thoughts on the HP series. Of course, he hadn't read the sixth book yet, so I couldn't share my Snape/Judas theory, and some other ideas I have about the conclusion of the series with him. Watch for another episode coming up in March, where we'll blather on more about being total nerds about these books.

NP: The Dude of Life and Phish - King of Nothing