Resolution #1: Android phone

I haven't wanted to jinx it by announcing, but last week I bit the bullet and went to T-Mobile (still my carrier of choice, say what you will) and picked out a Samsung Gravity Smart T589.

Note that a couple years ago I had made the same resolution about joining the 21st century, tried out the myTouch Slide, and thought in the store that it was going to be great -- but came home and found that I just hated it. I don't remember now what I hated so much about it: was it just getting used to the app-based interface? The fact that I hadn't put in the work to clean up my Google contacts and sync the numbers from my old phone, so it was a huge pain? The interface being all aggressively HI I AM SO EASY TO USE HERE LET ME HELP YOU WITH THAT? Not sure. But trying to set it up and use it gave me absolute shpilkes, so I returned it after 10 days and ordered up another used Treo 680.

So this time, I figured (a) I might as well just suck it up and trial-buy whatever I picked out, because playing with the in-store model wasn't going to tell me enough about day-to-day usability, and (b) I don't need to find the absolute best possible Android phone, anything that was a tolerable replacement for the Treo would suffice, at least as a gateway drug stepping stone.

So, the Gravity Smart? So far I don't hate it, you guys. It's actually... kind of awesome.

Having sorted my data plan with T-Mobile, I think all I really need to round out my happiness with it is a rubberized case, which I didn't want to bother buying until I was sure I was keeping the thing. (I've always had a silicone skin case for the Treo. It reduces my constant low-level background anxiety of having the thing slip out of my hand to its death.) But it seems to be a keeper, so I ordered a case (and a spare/travel charger) last night.

Note: This also means I have at least two of those used Treos, reasonably functional, and a bunch of accessories: chargers, skin cases, etc. If anyone is interested in buying any of them, it'd save me putting them on eBay. Probably too late for me to get the pile organized to bring to Arisia, but let me know anyway, and we can negotiate a reasonable price off-journal.

Ha! Transportation plan B(olt), invoked.

Since I am vending at arisia, I can't carry all my cargo on public transit, so ladymondegreen's household offered me a ride up from NYC. Only, when they got to my doorstep around 9:30 this evening, it turned out there was not in fact room in the laden car for both me AND my stuff.

... Which I'd kind of thought might turn out to be the case, honestly. So I buckled my MuffinButtons, crockpot, and food supplies into the front seat, cheerfully waved cargo and passengers goodbye 'til tomorrow, and headed back upstairs to book BoltBus tickets. I'm now getting an 8am bus out on Friday, so should be at the hotel shortly after 12:30pm.

Which means I have an early morning. Boo! But at least I get a quiet night at home with justom first. Yay! :-D

(Booked a return bus for Mon evening while I was at it, on general principles, since they're already filling up for the holiday weekend. 5:30pm bus will give me plenty of leisure to finish up in the dealers' room, and get me home around 10pm. And hopefully some of my cargo can still hitch a ride home.)

We'll just have to make up for the missed opportunity by singing show tunes together in a confined space for several hours some other time!

See (many of) you tomorrow!