Baa baa red sheep

I did something that i never ever do.... i conformed to the masses!  not only did I sign my life away (the next 24 months) to a phone company, but i got an iphone!! *gasp*

yep, I still cant believe it. On one had im so excited and sneak in any excuse to pull it out and fiddle (particularly because i have no idea how to use it yet), but on the other i feel a bit guilty that ive brushed off my past rantings and views of never wanting to ever contribute to mass international greed and consumerism by funding these multinational corporations, preferring to protest these short lived fads by holding on to older technology and refusing to upgrade, and stay on prepaid so to never have to sign any contract whereby a company can basically own you..... but i did!

Part of the reason i feel a bit guilty is because of a really great conversation i had with a 10 year old:

A few months ago on EarthHour night i was babysitting my favourite little 10 year old in which i discussed with him the importance of earth hour and how we should turn off all the lights in the house- including the tv in which in beloved football was playing and because its important to be conscious of our impacts on the earth. While we compromised to leave the football on, and turned off everything else he ended up being distracted by our quite deep conversation about the need to do our own little bit for the earth. During this conversation he took one look at my phone and was totally horrified, asking why i didnt have an iphone because they are the coolest, and the only phone one should own because they have cool games... and of course the notoriety particularly in the eyes of a year 5. I explained to him that this all has to do with earth hour too, because we have to be conscious about what we buy, and where they go once we get bored of them... what will happen when the earth's resources run out? where does plastic go if it never biodegrades? do you know who makes iphones, and that they are often children in poor countries? did he know what slave labour was? This little man is one bright spark and was able to engage in this conversation with such passion and intrigue- i was very proud of him.

Alas, he did end up telling his mum that i had told him that we were ruining the world and we were all going to die because of it, but he said it with a twinkle in his eye and i had warned his parents of the conversation we had had, and being very cool and open minded parents they were greatful of the discussion (and proud that he was so intrigued) - and despite the jokes and pretending he didnt care, when i asked what the final football score was, he had been so engrossed in conversation that he hadnt even looked!

So.... with this in mind, i feel a little bit not myself with my new toy, but i must admit that its really fun and has come in very handy. Im pretty clumsy and fairly nervous when it comes to expensive things so i made sure that i bought the most heavy duty case and cover- despite the sales guy at JB HIFI reminding me several times that it was for a tradesman and was i sure its what i wanted. Ive added my usual dangley keys and bells to it to make it my own, and downloaded apps like Hipstamatic which i love, so now i have a camera everywhere i go, and ThePartner doesnt have to rush off and pay for a computer when we're out to bid on ebay. Its worked out handy, and i can save money on phone bills hopefully!. While im still not totally comfortable with having signed a contract, at least by the time its finished my phone will be totally outdated and ill have to start all over again!