Somehow the cell phone companies have taught us that it's okay to throw away phones after two years of use. It was different when the phones were cheap with very few features. Getting a new phone every couple of years meant the difference between a monochromatic and a colored screen.
But now phones are all about how many features can we stuff into them. And people look forward to the two year anniversary of their contract signing because that means swapping one expensive phone for another equally expensive phone. Or some don't even wait until their contracts end and just drop the $100+ to cancel. Are the new features really worth it?
I upgraded from a pay as you go flip phone to an iPhone a year ago. Best decision ever. But I'm really hoping this phone will last longer than two years because that upgrade made a serious dent in my wallet. I have yet to find another phone that will radically change the marketplace after the iPhone.
Though... that new Google phone looks damn good.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Resolutions
I can't believe it's already 2010. I remember thinking 2000 would never arrive. But I'm ready to tackle this new year.
I've also never been one to make New Year's resolutions. I feel less pressured to succeed when I simply just constantly seek to improve myself. I have several goals that I would like to complete, but I've never held myself to a time period of a year, nor do I usually wait until January 1st before starting a goal.
I'm pretty excited about my three recent goals. One of the main reasons I moved into the city was to meet new people and continue to overcome my desire to stay within my comfort zone. Several of the ideas I had to fulfill this goal was to take improv classes, cooking classes, walk-in art classes; to join Toastmasters; and/or to volunteer. I'm happy to say that I went through New York Cares orientation last month, and I start improv classes at the end of January.
Improv classes have always been on my list of fun ways to improve myself. Not only will I be laughing and entertaining people, I'll be gaining some presentation skills that others have often told me I need to develop. I've taken a presentation class, and while I learned a lot, I don't think a second similar class will help me as much. So my choices were either to participate with Toastmasters or sign up for improv classes. I opted for the more fun one and the one that I could deceive myself into thinking it's not entirely a way to improve my workplace skills.
A third goal that I've been meaning to complete since moving into my new apartment was to paint my temporary wall. I've been telling myself to wait for winter when there'll most certainly be a weekend where I won't want to leave my apartment. This opportunity arrived today. I got up this morning and decided to spend the last day of my "winter break" constructing a mural.
The wall didn't turn out quite as I had planned it, but I'm pleased with the outcome and will be able to live with it for the next two years or so. And it's nice being able to check something off my list of things I want to do.
The Plan (plotted out using Photoshop)
The Result
Now I'm off to continue enjoying the new year.
I've also never been one to make New Year's resolutions. I feel less pressured to succeed when I simply just constantly seek to improve myself. I have several goals that I would like to complete, but I've never held myself to a time period of a year, nor do I usually wait until January 1st before starting a goal.
I'm pretty excited about my three recent goals. One of the main reasons I moved into the city was to meet new people and continue to overcome my desire to stay within my comfort zone. Several of the ideas I had to fulfill this goal was to take improv classes, cooking classes, walk-in art classes; to join Toastmasters; and/or to volunteer. I'm happy to say that I went through New York Cares orientation last month, and I start improv classes at the end of January.
Improv classes have always been on my list of fun ways to improve myself. Not only will I be laughing and entertaining people, I'll be gaining some presentation skills that others have often told me I need to develop. I've taken a presentation class, and while I learned a lot, I don't think a second similar class will help me as much. So my choices were either to participate with Toastmasters or sign up for improv classes. I opted for the more fun one and the one that I could deceive myself into thinking it's not entirely a way to improve my workplace skills.
A third goal that I've been meaning to complete since moving into my new apartment was to paint my temporary wall. I've been telling myself to wait for winter when there'll most certainly be a weekend where I won't want to leave my apartment. This opportunity arrived today. I got up this morning and decided to spend the last day of my "winter break" constructing a mural.
The wall didn't turn out quite as I had planned it, but I'm pleased with the outcome and will be able to live with it for the next two years or so. And it's nice being able to check something off my list of things I want to do.
The Plan (plotted out using Photoshop)
The Result
Now I'm off to continue enjoying the new year.
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