Sipping the Kool-Aid.

Remember how I was all in a state about getting an iPhone and potentially switching phone numbers and all of that mess a few weeks ago? Haven’t you been dying to hear how everything worked out? Well, I’ll tell you.

First, I decided to keep my Boston based phone number. Call me crazy, call me sentimental, call me too attached to a few digits, but I just couldn’t let go of the only cell phone number I have ever had. Second, I found out my company offered a discount with AT&T so I figured I might as well just go ahead and hemorrhage that money for an iPhone. If I was making the jump from a RAZR I might as well go all the way, right? As I like to say, go big or go home.

I took a deep breath, set up my account and ordered the phone online. I’m not too proud to tell you I shut my eyes tightly to block out my tech anxiety as I clicked “purchased.” Okay. Maybe I crossed my fingers too. And my toes.

My iPhone arrived a few days later, landing with a light thud on my office desk. Where it sat. All day, still shrink-wrapped. Oh, I picked up the box of course; turning it over in my hand, glancing at the packaging in between sending emails and attending meetings. But honestly, the thing scared the hell out of me, un-tech savvy girl that I am, so I left it alone. For three days.

When I finally worked up the nerve to take the phone home, turn it on, hook it up to my computer, and activate it (which is supposed to be as easy as 1-2-3)! I learned my version of iTunes was out of date. Which wouldn’t be a huge deal, except for the fact that my MacBook Operating System was too old to handle the version of iTunes I needed for the stupid (yes, I called it that and more that night sitting in my living room) iPhone.

Honestly? My pink RAZR phone was suddenly looking like the BEST PHONE EVER.

Off I went to the Mac Store the next night, where I begged the “Genius” Customer Service rep to help me – and by help, I clarified, I did not want to buy a new computer. Thankfully, this Genius turned out to be the nicest guy ever and went above and beyond. (Though he did laugh for a good minute when I showed him my RAZR. Whatever. Sometimes people don’t know cool when they see it.)

So now, in this point of the story, I’m a week into owning an iPhone which I still cannot use. The fella at Apple got it ready on their end, but I still needed to call AT&T to port my phone number over. Which…I drug my heels on for about five more days. You know why? Because I have decided that I hate technology.

Right in the midst of all this iPhone drama, a friend of mine at work made a passing comment about getting a discount on her coffee at Starbucks one morning. She recognized the Tori Amos song playing over the speakers and when she commented on this, the barista looked at her and said “Kids today, don’t even know who Tori Amos is.” When she related this story, I realized, wow; she’s right.

And ohmylord, I was such a Tori Amos fan in high school. Seriously, I adored her. I distinctly remember buying her first album at the mall with my two friends after my Mom had taken us to the mall to try on prom dresses. I also clearly recall waiting impatiently for her next album, Under the Pink, to land on the Sam Goody shelves and rushing out as soon as possible to get my hands on that disc. I can picture the cover design, the album layout, the liner notes. And at 3am one day a few weeks ago? I woke up thinking just that. How lucky I was to have such memories of begging my Mom to drive me to the record store to get a CD. Kids today, I realized in my 3 AM state, don’t get that experience. What do they get but instant gratification? And who am I now, buying into the whole ordeal? I have Netflicks. I bought an iPhone. Oh my God, I’m contributing to this downfall of society!

So…I waited another week to activate the iPhone.

I tried to explain my anxiety to a few of my friends and my Mom. They empathized (sort of) but they all asked the same question: “But, Kel. Why did you get an iPhone?”

“I don’t know!” I’d cry and begin my lament about the damn thing with its shiny touch screen and bells and whistles and God knows what. Finally, my Mom calmed me down. She told me: “Just try it, Kel. If you hate it – which you probably won’t – you can go back to AT&T and get a different phone.”

This made a lot of sense. Moms are good like that, huh?

Plus, I don’t back down from challenges, often right? Why let a stupid PHONE intimidate me? And I still buy CDs – when I can find them – AND I don’t own a Kindle (nor do I have any desire for one) so I’m not completely contributing to the technology whirlwind, right? Right.

Phew. Okay. So long as we’re safe.

A week ago today, I finally walked into an AT&T store where a very helpful woman activated my phone and told me “No, your thumbs are not too big to text. You just have to get used to it.” So, there you have it. I’ve been in the world of the iPhone for exactly one week. Is it my 3^rd arm? No. But then again, I don’t want it to be. Am I getting better at texting on that touch screen? Slowly but surely. Am I obsessed with apps and games and downloading anything and everything? No. And I am absolutely okay with that.

When you set up your iPhone in your computer, they ask you to name the device. You can pick things like “iPhone” or “Kelli’s Phone” or what-have-you.

My phone?

I named her RAZR.

Take that, technology.