April 20, 2006
The Crack in CrackBerry
As the perennial--and incorrigible--techno-elitist spendthrift, life is--and always has been--first and foremost about obtaining the latest and greatest newfangled gadget, often even taking precedence over the expenditures I have become better known for recently: obscene bar tabs and overpriced clothes. Thus, it should surprise no one that one of the most highly anticipated events of last fall for me was the chance to finally obtain the grand daddy of all newfangled gadgets: the coveted BlackBerry.
In college, I had no ostensible need for a portable computing device, and more importantly, no means of justifying the expenditures ($200 device, $50/mo. service) -- voice cost enough as it is! However, with a job that keeps me traveling and an expense policy that lets me offload work-related costs, I was eager to get my hands on the proverbial CrackBerry. I ignored or brushed off warnings from colleagues regarding the addictive potential of this device; I wasn't going to get addicted. People who get addicted are losers and/or junkies. I'm better than that. If things got bad, I'd just stop. I was going to be strictly a recreational user.
Fast forward 8 months: as I was boarding the train to work this morning, I realized I didn't have my 'berry on me. Shit! How could I forget my 'berry!? Like a junkie whose dealer isn't responding to pages, the anxiety began to build. What was I going to do? How was I going to get my fix? Would I be able to get through the day without the familiar vibration in my jacket pocket? What if I couldn't immediately read the more or less useless e-mail informing me that someone I had never met and didn't know was leaving the Firm to pursue a challenging opportunity with mixed emotions
? What would happen if I just went to the Cingular store and bought a new one? Am I up for upgrade yet?
Dammit! Get a grip! It's just a BlackBerry.
No it's not! Don't you understand?! I need it! Oh God. Oh God. This is not happening ... This is not happening ...
It's only 11:17 AM. I still have hours to go and if my rapidly tapping foot and spasmodic refreshing of my e-mail client is any indication, I'm not going to make it through the day. What happens to crackheads when they can't get any crack? Guess I'm going to find out...
But seriously. I can stop whenever I want to. I'm not addicted. Addiction is for losers and/or junkies; I'm better than that. Incidently, have you guys seen this or this yet? Awesome!
I thought about getting a crackberry when it was time to upgrade my phone and I decided against it because I wanted a time where I didn't have access to email and therefore force myself to actually step away from the computer/work. Although, in retrospect, it would've been useful to have when I was out of town and needing to get some work done before going on a cruise.
Have you seen this yet?
Posted by Jen | April 20, 2006 15:29:27 -0700 | Permalink
I'm a crackbaby... oh... wait... crackberry... this is about something entirely different.
Posted by Howard | April 21, 2006 20:39:21 -0700 | Permalink
you better never bring your crackberry into our household. and if you have already, don't tell me. those things are lame!
i expected more from you rohit. maybe like a rhinestone sidekick a la paris.
Posted by Brandon | April 21, 2006 21:12:38 -0700 | Permalink
Jen: Yeah, I saw that new Samsung, but I wouldn't be able to use it at my company, so I quickly put it out of my mind.
Howard: Stay tuned for my post on crackbabies, probably as an addendum to a post on bums.
Brandon: I lower my head in shame.
Posted by Rohit | April 30, 2006 22:26:08 -0700 | Permalink
I've absolutely refused to get a Blackberry for the past 16 months but am getting one tomorrow because my boss mandated it. I'm in the office 12-13 hours a day as it is. Not seeing my email for the maximum 1-2 hours away from my desk won't cause the sky to fall... Not to mention that my boss calls me at all hours of the day already...I don't need any more reason to be tied to the office.
Posted by @llen | May 02, 2006 22:14:44 -0700 | Permalink
I've absolutely refused to get a Blackberry for the past 16 months but am getting one tomorrow because my boss mandated it. I'm in the office 12-13 hours a day as it is. Not seeing my email for the maximum 1-2 hours away from my desk won't cause the sky to fall... Not to mention that my boss calls me at all hours of the day already...I don't need any more reason to be tied to the office.
Although...I actually saw the 8700 in person and it's VERY nice...
Posted by @llen | May 02, 2006 22:15:38 -0700 | Permalink