Annoying...

I've already established a couple times on this blog that I am addicted to my blackberry. I can't help it - it is partially based on my life/job and partially related to my personal addiction for information and knowledge. I haven't had much in the way of problems with my phone over the last couple years, only the occasional issues with an exchange server syncing with my laptop, but even then it was back to normal in an hour or two.

Today was different. I hadn't slept much this weekend (post to follow on that x2) and I woke up ready to work - I ran over to my old house to finish up a few things and then got on a conference call. As soon as the call was over my phone froze. It didn't just freeze - it froze on the alarm mode. I use my blackberry as an alarm clock most days because I always have it with me and I can set multiple times based on what kind of a morning it is. So for the next 2 hours as I tried to get some work done, figure out what exactly was wrong with the phone, and finish up some pressing details for the morning my phone buzzed with the same buzz and noise of my alarm clock every 30 seconds. Do you realize how little you can get done when your phone buzzes at you every 30 seconds? I do.

It finally got to the point that I drove over to the Verizon Store in Pentagon City and had them look at it. They reset it and all was restored, but I'm still not entirely sure what was wrong with it. When they opened it up - they noticed there was water damage (not sure when that happened - could have been shad planking or any other campaign event over the last year and a half... but nothing stood out in my mind) and that my phone had A LOT of scratches on it. I'm pretty sure I've dropped that thing as I carry far too much in my hands at least a couple hundred times.

While I was at the store I decided to check out how much a new blackberry would cost me. They have a few different varieties anywhere from $20 to $200. Honestly - the $20 blackberry would do me little to no good because it is so outdated and has a half keyboard instead of a full. The high end one is the new bolt with the touch screen - it's still under consideration, but I'd prefer getting a second generation blackberry touch technology phone so they can work out the kinks with their sensitivity issues. I'm leaning towards the mid range one coming in just under $100 for sometime this summer. I do really need a new phone, but I'm reluctant to spend money on... well, anything. I'm just that cheap and my phone isn't completely dead yet so I can't justify it quite yet to myself.

Hopefully your alarm clock was not beeping and buzzing at you for 2 hours straight this morning and that your morning went a little bit more smoothly than mine...