a buddy and a burden

[ah. i was wondering why i wasn't getting any comments...stupid thing posted it two under! oh well, it is posted now...enjoy...good. i thought you all hated me.]

hi everyone. remember me?! i got multiple 'where the crap are you's yesterday and today, sorry. i would hate to turn into a "run away groom" or a "gotta go girl" (shudders) so here i go with the "PRETTY RYAN COMEBACK TOUR!" i have actually kept a list of things i have wanted to write about, but have not...so, yeah...let it begin.

you see. i have been torn with a little purchase i made after Christmas. Upon receiving an amazing, but quite nerdy phone for Christmas (yeah, it does pretty much everything...even teeth brushing* but doesn't get those hard to reach places, so that part is basically worthless.) so i thought. 'i don't want to want to hold this brick up to my ear! my wrists will wear out in six months (due to the wussiness of being a designer, im sure this will happen.) so i thought, "how can i get more nerdy?" then i thought. ah ha! a bluetooth headset! sure i had seen people with them and have even enjoyed a jab or two with some comrades at those sportin' the ear pieces, but secretly i thought, "I MUST HAVE...GIMME GIMME." after some nerd searching on the Internet i found a very cool lookin' headset (its all about look with me, if im gonna be nerdy, i gotta be nerdy in style,) for quite a cheap price. two to six weeks later, the package came in all its glory.

that was just a set up for the real dilemma i wish to share. okay. no beatin' around the bush, i it love it and i hate it. let me explain. okay. first of all, i got it for function, NOT TO LOOK COOL. many time i have to talk to people while i work on the computer, either with clients or long winded people. hands free is ideal! drivin' in the car is definitely a lot better as i can drive with both hands on the wheel instead of trying to balance what feels like a lead waffle on the side of my head. i have found other uses for it, cleaning my room while plannin' the weekend...nice long chats with the ladyfriend, also im sure no radiation from the cell phone will help the ol' reproductive system, while im sure the calming bluetooth technology will only help my sperm count*!
sounds great doesn't it? now time for the 'dark side' of the bluetooth...the social stigma. you see...bluetooth headsets have started off with a bad wrap. silly people walkin' around walmart with the heatset in just in case someone calls. i have already mentioned the pros, here are the self concious cons...
-i have my bluetooth on my right ear, which feels nice until you are flying down the freeway laughing at a hilarious comment from the person you are talking to when suddenly you realize that the person next to you is giving you a weird look. can't they see im on the phone? oh wait. they can't, crap! i feel like saying, "its okay, im not crazy, i have a bluetooth." very hard to crane your next so that they can see it on you (although i do consider it) also this doesn't exactly help the driving environment. situation two. you are enjoying a great conversation with your ladyfriend and it takes you outside to get something out of your car and the talking continues. almost as if radar goes off, you have a lone person looking at you weirdly (what are they doing up at this time anyways! im sure its a cat burgler) for some reason, once again your mind becomes blank and you wonder why they are looking at you weird, then, 'ah yeah, once again im showing them my 'naked ear' side (seems to always go that way), so you want to either 1. subtly point out your glowing blue appendage, or 2. say, "ha, everyone thinks i am crazy because it looks like i am talking to myself BECAUSE I HAVE MY BLUETOOTH HEADSET IN!" so. you see, it is definitely a source of silly stress in my life, kind of like enjoying wearing silk pajamas to bed** but, i wish to end this story with a hilarity.

my roommate, vern (yes, that is his name...) came home one day last year with a nerd phone and a bluetooth headset. now, mind you, i did not have my nerd phone or blue tooth set at this time, so i jumped on the bandwagon to be the first to make fun of his geekness...he had it coming though. he would walk around the apartment with it in just in case someone might call, or he would pace the kitchen with it in (i pace...but in the comfort and secrecy of my room) as my roommate and i would give the title of stockbroker by yelling, "sell!" "whats the NASDAQ?" etc., we thought it was funny. the ironic thing is that i got my my bluetooth and vern didn't notice it for literally about a month and a half. i found it quite hilariously ironic, although he didn't as he wouldn't stop yelling 'sale!' in my ear. lovely. anywho, the story.

this story shows some possible benefits, but overall downfall of a bluetooth head set. i experienced this story while laying on my bed which, through the wall is the bathroom. this, overall, is a negative thing. anyways. i hear vern yelling for toilet paper because there wasn't any left. another roommate, sam, answers his cry by saying he is about to go to the store, will pick some up, but will bring some from the upstairs bathroom if there is any. a couple minutes go by and suddenly i hear vern yell for sam...no answer. a yell comes again, no answer. yet. bluetooth to the rescue! you see, with nerd phones, you push a button and say someones name, and it voice recogizes you, and repeats the name it feels you have chosen. if it is wrong, you say no.

"Call Sam.......No. Call Sam.......No. CALL.............Sam.......NO! Cancel. Cancel. Call........CALL...Sam! No. NO. Call. Call Sam." "Screw this." [buttons being pushed...] no answer...there vern was, up the creek with out a paddle...or something like that. bluetooth did not save the day.



(*not medically proven)
(**not true...exactly.)