We need new phones

You know that moment, when you know you need to buy something, but you really don't want to, either because you really like the old one, or the new one is just too darn expensive, or both? Yeah that's happening right now. It's happened before with several other things, like this backpack I had on my mission. It was awesome, had lots of patches on it that made me look like a world traveller, lots of pockets, and it was held together by duct tape. No really it was. The duct tape wasn't the first solution, it was actually fix #3, and it lasted the longest. The strap on it started to fray and so a member in the ward I was serving in volunteered to fix it, by sewing it. She did a great job, and it looked nice, and it worked... for about a month. Then I tried glue, and that... well let's just not talk about that one. Finally I ended up with the duct tape and made it work, for over 8 years. Duct tape is awesome, you should buy it, and duct tape should pay me for endorsing them. I also used it as a bandage one time in high school. And it worked.

Well, my phone, and Kara's, are by no means as reliable as that old back pack. If you could compare phones to shoes, ours would be the no-name brand shoes that you find on the clearance rack at Wal-Mart, that no one likes, but you buy because it was such a good deal, even if they are a size too large.
You see, we made the big jump to "smart phones" a few years ago, and Kara still has her same phone, and it was a basic model at that. We both had the same phone but mine died a little earlier than hers, like year earlier. It started to only allow me to make emergency phone calls. After I paid the bill, the problem still persisted, and after having the 911 dispatcher patch us through to Dominoes to order pizza a few times, I figured it was time to get a new phone. So last father's day Kara and the kids bought me a Nokia Lumia Windows phone. Everything was great about this phone, that is until I updated the software. The "Upgrade" was supposedly to a more efficient, higher functioning operating system that was very intuitive, and as advertised "Like having your own personal assistant." Well, my personal assistant apparently falls asleep, can't take a memo, forgets all my contacts, and hacks into my Facebook all the time. She's fired.

I like to run. Ok, let me re-phrase that, I like the feeling I get after I run, and sometimes during running when I am in shape. The past few months I can't even seem to get out of bed early enough except for the occasional bi-monthly jaunt. The reason. My phone (well that's my excuse to my running buddy, sorry Schuyler). Well that and London. You see, I set my alarm for some stupid time in the morning that is usually too early for anyone to actually function, let alone want to do anything at a fast pace. This apparently is also true for my phone. I set an alarm. One simple alarm. In computer terms I think it's 10 lines of code. My phone decides it is too hard to do it, freezes up, and then I wake up when my wife's phone goes off, which is too late to go running ( to be perfectly honest, I like this a little bit too much, but seeing as how my belly button is now visible as a circular disk when I wear t-shirts, it's time to fix it).

Kara's phone on the other hand, works... kind of. A few months ago, all normal functioning sounds have been replaced by little 8 bit original nintendo sounds, strike that, Atari. It sounds like a dial-up modem. It has begun the whole emergency calls only thing, and here's a good one, randomly calling people. So if Kara decides to reach out and contact you in the next little while, and all you hear are the keys in your purse, just remember, she still loves you, but did not mean to call you. Sorry everyone with a name that starts with A. Also butt dials have reached an all time high, due to the fact that her phone will randomly unlock, and dial either the most recent, or the one at the top of the contacts list. Luckily, my name is Andrew with a capitol A. Made her change it from hot buns a little while ago, maybe it's time we switched back.

So tonight we just might be heading over to the Wal-Mart to pick out some other awesome low quality phones to which we will pay way too much money that is last years model. Maybe we'll buy an Android with a higher operating system than Android 1.o Sugar Cube.