Considering the crack

I think I might be breaking down because it just. keeps. calling. my. name.

I might get a smartphone.

Shussh. Don't tell nobody.

So, here's how this potential breakdown/silent protest against the 24 hour workday came about.

The BF has an iPhone. You've seen them. They're cool. And so daggone functional. Like, oh, we're going out to the mall, let me scroll to Bank of America to check my account balance. Some downtime on the train? Veronica just put up a funny facebook status. Wanna make an appointment to get fitted? Let me check my calendar.

Like I said. Super functional.

And here's how I came to envy it. (I know, horrible, right?)

I'm all about paper planners. I love the idea of writing things down and making notes and being able to flip through pages. But it's becoming a lot less convenient. I'm all on my Outlook tip these days, using the calendar and contacts function and e-mailing up a storm with my boss. So, as I'm talking to a source who wants me to stop by Town Hall on Thursday, I just go to my calendar, type in the info and tell him I'll see him then.

I don't transfer it to the paper calendar. Which becomes a problem.

So when I'm not near my computer, I literally have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing on any given day. I feel like I'm just drifting through space because I don't have those little white boxes (on the teal background, thank you) telling me that I need to check on that child porn case from 2 to 2:30 p.m. I also would love having access to all of my contacts on my phone, especially since with the new position, I spend a lot of my time in the courthouse away from my Rolodex (yes, I was old school until I upgraded) and Outlook contacts.

Now, the obvious problem with getting a smartphone will be that it will cost me money. Probably lots of it over the course of life. Actually, let's do some math.

My monthly bill now is about $60. Which means that for a year, I pay roughly $720 to call and text all the important and/or necessary people in my life. The data/internet/call/text plan I'd have to get from Sprint is about $99, which would up my bill to $1,188.

In case you missed it, that would be an additional $468 a year -- an extra $39 a month.

And I'm not sure I want the committment.

Today, I bugged an AP reporter in court about his (work sponsored) Palm and how he liked it (he's addicted) and talked to my girl over sushi about her Blackberry (she wants me to get one). But I'm not sure. Some of them are kinda ugly. This one seems to do what I want. Not sure how I feel about the design. And everyone and their mama have the Blackberry Curve it seems.

The BF did find this one, which makes me drool. It links your AIM and text message conversations with one person so you can see them in one place. And it's touch screen.

I don't know if I can deal.