My Wonderful Life

My New Phone: The iPhone 3G

IPhone 3G

On Friday, June 11th I woke up at 4:00am and drove to my local Apple store at the Mall of Louisiana.

I have a Crimson Red Palm Treo 680 right now and although I have only had it for about a year, I am bored with it.  I was never really interested in the iPhone but after playing with a friends iPhone I instantly became intrigued by it.  My friend advised me to get an old iPhone so that I could hack it and use it on T-Mobile's network (my current provider) but I am a tech junkie so I have to have the newest technology therefore I wanted the iPhone 3G.

I'm not a die hard Apple fan so there was no way that I was going to camp out just to get it.  I figured I would still get one if I arrived at around 4:30am.  When I got to the mall there was about 20 people waiting in the parking lot.  Apprently security was preventing them from waiting in line in front of the store.  At about 6am they allowed us to actually line up at the door.  The store opened at 8am and I was about number 40 in line (when the security guard let us through, people started running towards the door so people who had showed up after me, ended up getting in front of me.  It wasn't that serious so I didn't run!).  It was in line for about 15 minutes before getting into the store and after waiting another 10 minutes I was escorted by an Apple employee to someone that could assist me.  There was about 25 Apple employees helping customers so the line was moving pretty quick until...........the Apple and AT&T servers CRASHED!!!!!!!!!  

I had just finished paying for my phone when I was informed that I would not be able to activate it because the servers were down.  BULLSHIT!!!  I was not leaving that store without a functional phone so I stood at the computer and tried endlessly to sync it for activation.  Finally, after 30 minutes, it synced and I walked out the door with my new shiny phone.  I haven't had much time to really play with it but so far, I LOVE IT!!  It is an amazing phone.

What I love about it:

• The GPS system.  I can tap the GPS icon and it will locate where I am in seconds.  There is also a feature where you can locate restaurants, stores, etc. that are near your location.  It's like a portable phone book!  No more calling 411 and getting charged $1.50 per call!!

 

• E-mail Push Technology.  I have 3 yahoo e-mail accounts and I am able to check all 3 on my iPhone.  All I had to do was enter my account information and it automatically send all my e-mail to my phone.  My phone beeps when I get a new e-mail. 

 

• The Apps Store.  There are tons of programs that I can download for my iPhone.  Most are free but there are some that you have to pay for.  My favorite is the blogging apps (of course).....it makes it super easy to post a blog (or picture) to my vox or blogger.  There is also a MySpace app and Ebay App (LOVE IT!!).

 

• YouTube.  There is a direct link (icon) to YouTube so I am able to watch YouTube videos pretty much anywhere.  It's a little choppy if I'm not connected to a Wi-Fi network but I can still view them.

 

• Safari Web Browser.  I am able to browse the internet.

What I hate about it:

• The battery sucks.  If the phone is on 3g, the battery drains very fast.  Luckily I have a car charger, otherwise, my phone would die before the end of the day.  I have heard that you can switch the phone to EDGE and that saved battery life.  I guess i'll have to try that.

 

• The phone get's all greasy from putting it up to my face (my face is a little oily).  Guess that means it time to by a bluetooth heasdset.

 

• AT&T is super expensive.  I had to sacrafice a lot of anytime minutes to get this phone.  I had 1500 whenever minutes for $39.99 through T-Moblie now I have 450 whenever minutes, unlimited data, and 200 text messages for $74.99. *SIGH*.

Overall this is an awesome phone and I think I am going to have a lot of fun playing with it and finding out what it can really do.  Was it worth it?  Only time will tell.

Online Dating

Now that I am moving back to California next week I thought it would be a good idea to sign up for a few online dating services in an attempt to meet some new people in my area.  I signed up for Eharmony.com (I've used them before and got good results) and Yahoo Personals.  I have been an "online dater" for about the last 8 years and I have met some wonderful people who I am still friends with.  Unfortunately, I have found that online dating isn't as safe as it used to be.  There are some very weird and freaky people online who are trying to pass themselves off as normal.  I have come to the conclusion that online dating may not be the best way to meet people.  My mother seems to believe that anyone who is forced to find a date online, isn't able to find a date the normal way so something must be wrong with them.  Does that mean that something is wrong with me??  The only reason that I choose to find dates online is because I am somewhat of a homebody and trying to find a date is somewhat hard being that I don't go out much.  In the past couple of days I have been contacted by some weird ass people and a few of them have turned into stalkers.  I had one guy tell me that he was ready to settle down and start a family and then he preceded to ask me if I would carry his children....WTF!!! Whatever happened to getting to know someone (and actually meet them) before asking them to having your children?

And what is it with men and sex?  I have had several men tell me that they require sex twice a day.  Who the hell has that kind of energy.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy sex just as much as the next person but DAMN, twice a day!!! No thank you!  Maybe they think that's a turn on or something......or maybe they have a huge ego and are super confident.  Whatever the case may be, I am not interested. 

It's only been about a week and I am already turned off by the whole online dating idea.  Are there any normal people who use these services?  I am really only having a problem with the Yahoo Personals.  It's pretty cheap so anyone and everyone can afford to sign up.  Eharmony on the other hand is more expensive so I have found that most of the people who I've had contact with are very normal and serious about finding that special someone.  So I think I'll cancel my Yahoo membership and just stick with Eharmony.  It's more expensive but's it's safer and I like the idea of having guided communication through the "getting to know you" process.

Dating sucks!! **SIGH**....but I'm not going to give up.  Chatting with these crazy ass people is very entertaining so I will play along for now.  Hopefully the real thing will come along soon cause i'm tired of waiting.

Some MAJOR Hauling!!

So I decided to finally take everything that I have purchased over the past month out of the bags and spread it out on my kitchen table.  I have been meaning to do some "haul" posts but I just never got around to.  Everything was still in bags sitting on my kitchen table.

 

 

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Pictured are items from:

E.L.F

MAC

Aromaleigh

Silk Naturals

Pure Luxe

Revlon

Jesse's Girl

Beauty From the Earth Minerals

EcoTools (brushes)

Coastal Scents (brushes)

Ben Nye Palette

Kate Von D Palette

Kate Von Brush Set

L'Oreal H.I.P.

Urban Decay

There are a few more miscellaneous items mixed in with the stuff listed above.  Eventually I will get around to posting pics of individual items and maybe even doing some reviews on them. 

My Nordstom's (MAC) Colour Forms Pre-Order

I told myself that I was on a "no buy" for a few weeks but I just couldn't help myself.  I found out that the Nordstom Department Stores are coming out with an exclusive limited edition MAC collection called Colour Forms.  Being that I am somewhat of a MAC newbie, I am a sucker for limited edition collections.  While reading the MAC forums on my lunch break,  I found out that Nordstom's is taking pre-orders for the collection.  I quickly jumped at the chance to place an order.  A lot of MAC addicts have been dissapointed with the recent collections because nothing really exciting is being released and most of them already have dupes of the new shadows and/or pigments.  I on the other hand don't have a large MAC collection so everything looks new and exciting to me, especially the brushes! 

Here is what I am getting:

The Advanced Brush Set. Contains the 187, 168, 275, 219, 212.  $49.50

Advanced Brush Set

The Basic Brush Set.  Contains the 129, 190, 224, 242, 266. $49.50

Basic Brush Set

The Warm Eyes Palette. $38

Warm Eyes Palette

The Cool Lips Palette. $22.50

Cool Lips Palette

Face Powder in "Sun Centered" ("Play around Pink" is shown below).  $24.50

Face Powder

Pigments in "Gilded Green", "Royal Flush" (shown below), and "Circa Plum". $19.50 each

Pigment

Lipstick in "Pop Circle"(shown below), and "Rose Go Round". $14.00

Lipstick

Richmetal Highlighter in "Female" (Rose Bullion is shown below).  $16.50

Highlighter

I have to admit, I am such a brush whore.  I don't know what it is about makeup brushes that facinates me but I must keep buying brushes!!  The collection won't ship until mid July but I am so excited.  I will take pictures and do swatched once I receive it.  I think this is the most "damage" i've done since I started buying makeup last December.  YIKES!!

I've Been Tagged!! Woot Woot!!

What were you doing ten years ago?

I a senior in high school, a part-time mail clerk at my local college, and a part-time college student.  My senior year was a very exciting (and busy) year!

What are five things on your to-do list today?

1. Catch up on everyone's blog and comment

2. Workout for 30 minutes at curves gym

3. Clean the bathrooms in my house (all 4....**SIGH**)

4. Try and beat the Playstation 3 game that I am playing

5. Pick up some dinner from Applebee's

Snacks you enjoy? Oreo Cookies, Chex Mix Sweet n' Salty Honey Nut Snack Mix, Quaker Chewy Oatmeal Raisen Granola Bars, Chicken in a Bisket Crackers, Startburst, and my favorite.....Doritos with Nacho Cheese.

Places you’ve lived? Pittsburg, California and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire? (in no particular order)

1. Retire and have lot's of babies (then hire a few nannies!)

2. Pay off my parents mortgage and bills

3. Help some family members get out of debt

4. I want to see where my money is going so rather then Donate to a Charity,  I would start my own Charity     Organization. 

5. Travel the world

 

I tag whoever is reading this post and hasn't been tagged already :-)

I cracked my tooth!

While eating a chicken strip poyboy sandwich yesterday at lunch I cracked one of my teeth.  I didn't think It had caused much damage until I started to feel the pain!  I don't have a current dentist so I went to the 1-800-Dentist website and picked the first one that I saw.  Thankfully the one that I chose happened to be one of the best Dentist in my area.  The office was beautiful and they only use the latest technology and equipment.  I had called ahead of time to make sure that they would accept my insurance and to my surprise, they do!  So I left work and headed to their office.  It turns out, one of my fillings was weak and while eating, a part of the filling broke off.  Since the filling is so large (and close to the nerve), it can't be replaced meaning that my only option is to get that tooth capped.  Basically they would shave my tooth down to a small nub and then place a fake tooth over the nub.  I had aleady figured that it was going to be expensive but what I didn't know is that my insurance company will only cover 50%.  The total cost of the precedure is $1138 and I would have to pay $635.  WTF!!  Are they serious??  I don't have $635 and even if I did, I wouldn't want to give it to them!  Today my tooth feels better so I am going to wait it and see what happens.  I am hoping that it will hold up until I get back to California and find a job with better benefits.  Then I will get it fixed.  If for some reason I can't wait, then I'll have to borrow it from my parents.

Just when I thought things were getting better :-(

iPhone 3G Coming July 11, 2008

 

IPhone

I wasn't interested in the iPhones when they first hit the market in last year but I am getting tired of my current phone (Palm Treo) so I am thinking about getting the iPhone.  I have looked at other "smart phones" that are on the market but none of them are impressive.  Blackberries are popular but I personally don't like them.  So i'm left with the iPhone.  The phone itself is pretty impressive but I'm not happy with the rate plans.  AT&T rate plans SUCK and i'm not sure if I want to spend over $70 a month on my cell phone.  Right now I only pay $39.99 for 1500 minutes (no night or weekend minutes) through T-Mobile.  I am hoping that these iPhones can be hacked like the old ones although i'm pretty sure AT&T has found a way to prevent this.

It is being released on Friday, July 11th......i'm not sure if it will be released in the morning or at 6pm like they did with the last one.  Either way, I will be outside waiting in line.  I am going to buy it from the Apple Store at the mall.  Here is some info regarding the phone:

8gb (black) $199

16gb (black or white) $299

450 whenever minutes (5000 night and weekend minutes) $39.99

Unlimited Data Plan (internet, e-mail, etc.) $30

Text messaging (200) $5

Total per month (not including taxes and fees) $74.99 (YIKES!!)

I still don't like the price of the plans but I'm going to have to suck it up and pay it if my friends can't hack the phone so I can use it with T-Mobile.  Hmmmmm, I wonder what time I should get in line.  I'm not sure how popular this phone is going to be.  This will be my second time camping out for a product.  I camped out in front of Best Buy last year during Black Friday and it was totally worth.  I got some awesome stuff at great prices.  I am doing it again this year.  I got in line at 1am and there were already 200 people in line.  By the time Best Buy opened at 5am, there were 500 people in line.  The store was packed!!  You could barely move.  It was fun though!

It's Official.....I'm MOVING!!!!

My prayers have been answered.

I talked to my parents today while I was on my lunch break and they agreed that it is OK for me to move back in August when they drive the RV back.  Words cannot express how happy I am right now.  My greatest fear was that the gas prices would go so high that I wouldn't be able to afford to drive a UHAUL back.  Now I don't have to worry about that because I am going to put most of my stuff in the RV and the rest in my car.  We might even tow my car behind the RV so that I don't have to drive it back. 

Everything is falling into place.  I thought that I was going to have to wait another 8 months to move but my parents helped speed up the process.  So this is the plan:

My dad arrives in Louisiana on July 16.  My mom, brother and grandmother arrive on July 30th.  We put my grandmother on a flight back home on August 19th.  We pack up the RV and start our cross country journey on August 20th.  I am hoping that I will have a a cell phone that is capable of sending pictures and updates to vox so that I can post messages while I am traveling.  Time is going to fly by so I am going to start going through all of my stuff because I don't plan on taking everything back with me.  I am a pack rat and I keep stuff that I don't need.  It's time to do a MAJOR purge!

My family and friends are going to be so excited!!

More Job Hunting.

This past weekend I spent a lot of time hunting for jobs online.  I love the job that I have now but I am looking for a reason to go back to California......NOW.  In order to move soon, I need my parents on board.  I found that my parents would be much more willing to help me move if I already have a job lined up in Cali.  I started hunting last week and I found a couple of jobs that suite me.  1 is located in San Francisco and the other 2 are located in Oakland.  I sent of 1 of my application today via UPS overnight and I will send the other 2 later this week.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will at least get an interview. 

My parents are flying to Baton Rouge at the end of next month and they will be here for about 3 weeks.  The have decided to drive the RV back to California because they say they "miss it" and they miss being able to go fishing and camping and sleep in the RV.  The RV is 32 feet long and it has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and shower.  It's like an apartment on wheels!!  Anyhow, the RV has a hitch which means that I could tow my stuff back in a UHAUL trailer!!!   Do you know how much money that would save me!  I was anticipating having to spend at least $2000 for a UHAUL truck and gas but if I could just rent a UHAUL trailer, all I would have to pay is $200 for the trailer and chip in on gas for the RV.  The RV took $1700 when we drove it down last year.  Now that gas prices have gone up, I would say it will take about $2000 worth this time around.  I am going to offer my parents $500 towards gas because towing the trailer will use more gas.  So that is $600 compared to the $2000 that I would have to spend if I wait and move later.  My parents don't know that I want to move this soon.  I had told them that I would wait until January but now that there driving the RV back, I don't want to wait.  This is my way out!!  So anyhow, I am hoping that I will get 1 of the jobs in California because that will force them to accept me moving back right away. 

I'm going to talk to them about it sometime tonight.  My mother isn't going to be happy because she doesn't want to leave the house vacant.  I completely  understand but I can't live down here for another year.  They should be happy that I stayed in it for as long as I did.  If I leave with them in August, I will have lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for 1 year exactly.  That is more then enough "southern hospitality" for me!!  So I am hoping and praying that they will allow me to drive back with them in August.  If they won't let me hook up a trailer to the RV then I will just leave my stuff here and pack as much as I can in my car and just follow them back.  They can't force me to stay here!  My mother is trying to convince me that I belong with my ex so that i'll change my mind.  She claims that we were together for a reason and maybe he's the man that I am supposed to marry.  I think that's her way of trying to get me to stay down here.  Well, that's not going to work.  I already know that my ex is not someone who I want to marry.  Even though he makes great money and he could take care of me (as my mother says), I want more out of a relationship and he isn't ready to give me what I need.  I'm tired of settling for just anybody.  I am getting older and I don't have time to waste. 

My ex and I are on good terms but I don't see us getting back together.  I keep trying to tell my mother that but she still think there's hope.  So I have to come up with something to tell her so that she'll back off.  So you guy's pray for me and send good thoughts my way.  If all goes well, I will be back in California by mid August. 

I have to get serious about saving now!  I have been buying makeup like crazy and I haven't been saving like I need to.  I have so many hauls to do.  I am going to get started on my YouTube Hauls and picture hauls so that I can post them here on vox. 

My Poor Car.....and......I QUIT the Job!!!!

I'll start with the job.  Last night was my first night working at Office Depot.  I had originally applied to be a cashier but for some off reason the manager wanted to place me in the Copy & Print center.  I didn't want to work in that area of the store but I decided to at least try it out.  Well, I hated it.  I wanted a job where I can just do some "mindless" work for a couple of hours and then go home.  The Copy & Print center is to stressful.  Customers are fussy about EVERYTHING.  Most of the customers are instructors from the local universities or business owners from local businesses.  They want everything quick and in a hurry and they want their orders to be perfect.  I can deal with pissy customers but after having to deal with pissy students for 8 hours then going to another job and dealing with pissy customers just doesn't work for me.  Another reason I didn't like it is because of all the equipment that I have to learn.  I already know how to use a cash register so naturally I wanted to be a cashier.  Well we do anything and everything in the copy & print center including designing business cards and stationary and things of that nature.  They gave me a hand book for that department and they asked me to read it last night.  It was almost 200 pages long!  I'm sorry but for $7 an hours, it just isn't worth it. So..........................I QUIT.  I know, it's sad but I'm not going to stress myself out for some extra change.  If I am going to work a second job, it has to be at a place that I don't mind going to after working 8 hours.  I'm thinking a bookstore or maybe even a makeup booth in the mall or something.  It has to be something that I enjoy doing otherwise I won't want to continue working.  Thank you to everyone who congratulated me!  I was hoping that it would work out.

On another note.  I was on the freeway yesterday morning and a piece of metal flew up and hit the front of my car.  When I finally made it to work I got out of my car to assess the damage and WOW, it did more damage then I thought.  It is not going to be cheap to fix it.  Luckily my uncle works for a body shop so I am hoping that he will be able to help me out a bit.  I was so upset when I saw the damage.  I was already having a bad morning and I wasn't feeling that great so when I saw it I started crying.  It was the icing on the cake and I just snapped.  I called my parents and told them what happened.  They were very comforting and they said that they would help me pay for the damage or pay the $500 deductible if I turn it in to my insurance.  Here is a pic of the damage.

This is the way that it SHOULD look:

IMG_1309

This is the way it looks now (after the metal hit it on the freeway) **SIGH**

IMG_1306