BIG HUGE GIANT ANNOUNCEMENT

2.09.2015

No, I'm not announcing a pregnancy. 
This is much more important and life changing.

As of Friday, February 6, I am the proud owner of an iphone! What? I know it's madness. Over the span of 3 days, I went from:

iphones are the spawn of Satan to
I'm intrigued to 

maybe I want one to 
I want one to 
I bought one. 

Otherwise known as the 5 Stages of The Dark Side.

I said goodbye to 4 months worth of blow money and spent a half hour hovering over the "purchase" button on the t-mobile site. When I finally clicked it, I got an immediate pop-up telling me that my purchase could not be completed due to an error. Of course. Two seconds later, Jordan's phone pinged with an alert from our Discover card about "suspicious activity." Aka me trying to spend hundreds of dollars on a smart phone.

Suspicious activity is no joke. I thought maybe it was a sign that smart phones actually are of the devil and I should stay far away. But all Jordan had to do was confirm that yes, Discover, I actually do want to buy an iphone, and now here we are.

I thought I would take a moment here on the old blog to acknowledge this most momentous of occasions and explain to you why I finally decided to get one after all my rants about how I'll be the last woman standing. Kind of like Will Smith in I Am Legend except without the zombies.

I honestly didn't care about being connected all the time. I don't need to have my email available to me when I'm away from my computer, and I didn't mind that I couldn't tweet a picture or upload a picture to Facebook at a moment's notice.

But here's what got me: pictures and group texting.

Let's just say group texting on my dumb phone was becoming a giant pain in the Kim Kardashian. My family often sends out group texts, and I have friends who group text to chat about scheduling Google hangouts or when our next Sunday school fellowship will be. On my old phone I had to read individual messages. Nothing showed up as part of one thread. Also, I couldn't respond to the group, just to the sender. Basically, I could never actually participate in any group text, and it made me feel sad and left out.

Second, pictures. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm making a Project Life book for 2015. Project Life involves taking pictures of life to include in the book. I love my DSLR. I saved up for a year to buy it, and I have so much fun using it; but it's big, and I don't take it with me everywhere I go. Having an iphone will allow me to have a nice camera at the ready to record moments I might not otherwise be able to. I'll still use my Canon, but I'll be able to take more pictures of daily life to record in my Project Life.

So that's happening. I have an iphone, and I'm slightly terrified of the rabbit hole of social media that awaits.

In order to combat the pressure to be constantly connected, I've turned off all notifications, so I will never get a ping or a pop-up every time I get a new "like" or retweet. I also will try to just continue my regular phone habits, which have served me well so far.

What do you think? Have I turned to the dark side? Any must-have apps or words of advice for making sure my iphone doesn't eat me alive?
Tara said...

So exciting! Welcome to the dark side :) Really though, if for nothing else, I love having a smart phone just for the camera. I would miss capturing so many of my favorite moments without it. My favorite photo editing app is VSCO Cam, if you want to check it out!

Anonymous said...

Congrats! haha Just you wait, you will get sucked in just like the rest of us! Before you know it, you will lie in bed at 11 pm squinting looking at pictures on Instagram. Because you can. Joking. :)

Robyn B said...

I got an iPhone for the camera too! I have all notifications turned off and it is wonderful! I can check social media on my own terms and don't get interruptions from notifications! I love it!

Unknown said...

I got up to stage 4 last summer but never went further. Still on Blackberry. Still no Instagram. I was thinking I was cool because you didn't have an iPhone either. I am now reconsidering.

The Lady Okie said...

Yes! I already downloaded that one. It's great!

Melissa said...

YAY! Welcome to the dark side, my friend. In 2010, I was still a dedicated Crackberry user and actually used both devices (on different phone lines) until I finally could move on... it was hard. And the only reason I switched was Instagram. So there's that, on the internet, for everyone to know :)

Miss Nutralicious said...

I don't have a smartphone. Last year, I went on a business trip and a co-worker and I went for a run in a cool new area. For the run, I brought a GPS watch, camera, phone, GPS for my car and an i-pod. All she carried was an i-phone and she had access to all of the same things. I admit I was jealous...but I'm still not caving in. Trader! (Ok, I'm still jealous.)

Tara said...

So exciting! Welcome to the dark side :) Really though, if for nothing else, I love having a smart phone just for the camera. I would miss capturing so many of my favorite moments without it. My favorite photo editing app is VSCO Cam, if you want to check it out!

Caroline @ In Due Time said...

You are cracking me up!!!! You will LOVE it! Think of it as a computer and that justifies the cost ;) Welcome to the dark side!!!!!!!!!!!

jaime said...

It took me years before I joined the iPhone dark side. I had the iPhone 4 for work and didn't use it for talking. I used it for apps, photos, web surfing. When I was laid off, turned in my iPhone and had to get a new phone because my Samsung was dying, I went with the iPhone 5.

I love my phone. I use it for photos (mostly) and the group texting is the best.

I have the Project Life app, but rarely use it. I've started using the Collect App, which you may like since you're doing PL for 2015.

Bethany Carson said...

Charlotte, Miss Nutrilicious, and I will take up the standard! There still are a few of us faithful... ;)

grin

Let us know how your iPhone adventure goes, so we'll know whether forsaking the cause is worthwhile or not. Hope you enjoy it!

Marisa Mohi said...

Yea! I think you'll love it. And I completely agree about not being completely connected. I don't have Facebook on my phone for that reason. Group texting used to make me wonder if all my friends and family secretly worked on commission for Apple, but now that I have the ability, I can't live without it.

Lindsay {Typically Late} said...

Welcome to the dark side :) Also, love that you prefaced with "this is NOT a baby announcement" - story of our lives, right? ha!

K @ Keeping Up With K... said...

Welcome to the dark side! haha When I got my first iPhone it was strictly for the camera since I don't have a good camera (yet!). I'm completely addicted to social media and panic if my phone is anymore than a foot away from me but I also turned off all notifications so that I'm not constantly having my phone go off over silly things like getting a mention on Twitter, etc. That would be sooo annoying and I already spend enough time on my phone as it is - if I got notifications for everything it would never leave my hand!

Miriam said...

I never thought you would give in - now you are doomed like the rest of us. But you will love it!!
One word of advice: To avoid becoming glued to your phone forever, you canNOT sign up for Instagram. Instagram is the rabbit hole you will fall into and never get out again. It's like Pinterest on crack!
However: what to do with all those beautiful photos you are going to take with your new phone? IG would be the perfect place for them...

Katie said...

this made me laugh! i have notifications turned off but still check my phone too off. i need to be better about that!

Cece @Mahogany Drive said...

The moment you have been putting off/dreading!! Something always gets you with technology and if you can't beat 'em join 'em. The bottom line is that in one way or the other the old stuff can't keep up because everybody and everything is changing. Honestly, it's not the dark side; it's a matter of convenience. I can write notes in my phone and put stuff on calendars. If it helps make life easier that you can be involved in group chats without wanting to toss your antiquated phone across the room so be it!!

Leslie Lukens Martin said...

I'm still laughing about "a pain in the Kim Kardashian!" Hahahaha! That's fantastic! I really believe you're going to LOVE the iPhone and, before you know it, you'll be wondering how you survived without it for so long!

Ali said...

Of course it was suspicious activity! That is so great.

I still have an iphone 4 because work provides it, so the camera is not all that great. I also don't have many notifications set other than basic texts and calls. And work emails, since you know, it's a work phone. I also don't bring it into the bedroom with me, so after 9pm, it's "Goodnight World!"

Kerry @ Till Then Smile Often said...

Welcome to the dark side!! Bwahahaha!! The notifications are what get ya, but I really do like apps that help me stay organized too. You'll have to do a recap once you have it for awhile as to whether it is taking over or not. I like it for the music too, so I can connect it to my car radio and listen to podcasts.

Unknown said...

I've been an avid iPhone user since 2006 and I love my iPhone! You made the right choice. The group texting is a great feature. You can also see when someone is texting back (when they have the iPhone too). Social media is a rabbit hole but if you don't download the app, you'll be fine. Congratulations! Estherdavison@gmail.com p.s. Do you have a button I could put on my blog?

The Girl who Loved to Write said...

THIS IS GIANT NEWS! I am so exited for you!

Kate said...

I set mine to only show a limited amount of notifications (it'll show me Twitter and personal email, but I really have no desire to get FB notifications). Plus, I turn the notification sounds off. I just SEE the notification if I'm looking at my phone.

When I first got my phone, a coworker offered to help me set up my work email on my phone. Uh, thanks but no thanks. This is MY phone, not a work phone. When I'm at work, I'm at work. When I'm at home, I don't want to think about my work email.

Erin LFF said...

WELCOME!!!! :) I love having a smartphone, I won't lie- but I definitely keep limits on it as well. I refuse to let my job add my work email on there, for instance. For my job, there is really no reason- if my boss ever needed me he could just call/text. I also have limited notifications bc they drive me crazy otherwise!

Amy @ A Desert Girl said...

I do think Instagram is a must. I'm a sucker for a good skin-smoothing filter, personally. But other than that I definitely recommend keeping those boundaries and all notifications turned OFF.

Oh I also use the GPS map stuff a lot because I'm always lost.

Haley said...

I'm sure I'm not the first one to say this...but does this mean instagram?! I also love having google drive on my phone (so easy to take quick pictures and upload them), the SheReadsTruth app, and Feedly. Those are my "musts"!

Cassie Lee @ Sage the Blog said...

WOOT WOOT. My first thought was pregnancy so I'm glad you cleared that up in the first sentence hahaha INSTAGRAM!!!!!!!!

Allie @ Everyday Adventures said...

If you avoid downloading the Facebook app, that's half the battle right there. :) I love my iPhone, but I make it a point to never have it out on the dinner table and not to look at it in the hour or so before bed, because SOMETHING will sucker you in. I think if you maintain the attitude you already have towards your phone - it's a useful tool, but not an additional appendage - the transition will be just fine. :)

Allison said...

Group texts and pictures are DEFINITELY worth getting a smart phone for. They are such a pain without one. But like you, I don't like to feel like I have to be connected all of the time, so I keep my phone pretty trim. I don't have too many apps, and I try not to check it too often. Mostly I just use it for storing music and photos in one convenient place, and it makes texting so much easier.

Rach said...

First of all I totally thought this was a pregnancy announcement when I first saw the title pop up in my Feedly, haha! Which is ironic because every time I tell someone I have good news they assume it's a pregnancy announcement. But apparently I make the same assumptions, haha!

Aaanyway, welcome to the world of smart phones! I definitely have loved having Instagram. And a chat app that I could use with my sister when she lived overseas. Banking from my phone is great too since we haven't had a brick & mortar bank in a long time. It's much easier to do it via my phone instead of taking a photo on my camera and then putting it on my computer and then uploading it to the bank's website, haha! I hope you enjoy having the smart phone! :)

Sarah @ Sometimes Photojenik said...

I've been trying to keep my social media use in check by doing a "social media free" weekend... since you just converted to the dark side you may not have to be quite that extreme. But that's how I keep my iphone from eating me alive. When I got my iphone it was LARGELY because of the camera. Mine had just broke and I was going to spend as much on a camera as I was the phone so I decided to just go for it. Welcome to the dark side :) P.S. When/if you do a pregnancy announcement on here, I don't think you'll be able to beat today's announcement ;)

Paige @ Reasons to Come Home said...

Welcome to the club! I can totally relate with the DSLR camera vs the iPhone. The big cameras are hard to take lug around everywhere. I would suggest not even downloading the apps if you don't want to be tempted with social media.

Tabitha Panariso said...

You are so wise in turning the notifications off! Sometimes it helps to turn your internet capabilities off to just wifi so you aren't tempted to use all your data in a restroom in the middle of nowhere... Also, you made my laugh MY Kim Kardashian off with this saying. But, for me, it's more like a Kate Hudson. Or so I would like to think...

Tabitha Panariso said...

You are so wise in turning the notifications off! Sometimes it helps to turn your internet capabilities off to just wifi so you aren't tempted to use all your data in a restroom in the middle of nowhere... Also, you made my laugh MY Kim Kardashian off with this saying. But, for me, it's more like a Kate Hudson. Or so I would like to think...

Kiki said...

You beat me to it! I looooove that you've joined the smart phone club but are more importantly, going to try and combat the pressure to stay connected 24/7. You beat me to the smart phone club (I have an iPod touch and slide phone and definitely know what it's like to fail at group texts!), though. I've been thinking more and more about making that final switch lately because of group texts! I might have to cave in since you did, haha. :)

p.s. Do you/will you have Instagram now?

Beka @ Sunshine to the Square Inch said...

The dark side? Friend ... welcome to the light! ;)

I love my iPhone for so many reasons! I think what I appreciate most about iPhones is that I can text and share photo streams through wifi. Therefore I can easily stay in touch with my family back home (those who have iPhones of course). Dave and I have an "Adventures of Dave and Beka" photo stream that we update family with back home and my nephew has his own photo stream, which is really nice when we are over seas.

Also, I don't turn on any notifications. They are annoying and try to control your life. That is a dark side of iPhones but it is a choice.

AND last but not least ... I can now text you when I am in Asia. Do you still have the same number?

LeAnna said...

My only advice: text me baaaack. Kidding! Not really! Totes being passive aggressive right now. 😜 Rhonnas Designs is a fun app for adding text and pizzaz to your pics, or for creating little graphics for your group texting experience. I came all the way to your blog to leave you a comment which is like unheard of for me these days. Feel special. Feel very special.

Tracy said...

You got an iPhone the day before my mom did….way to stay ahead of the curve haha! Happy group texting and picture-taking!

Jenn @ Optimization Actually said...

Congratulations on your new baby! I mean, phone. It totally won't become your life. Oh no. Lol! I use my phone for a lot of things now - tracking exercise and calories and reading blogs, but I still don't feel like I overuse it/have lost the sense of politeness when talking to others (I cannot stand it when you're conversing with people and then they just drop out of the conversation to fiddle with their phone). It's just a tool, albeit an incredibly useful one, and it's not going to change you or your values.

Holly said...

I never have alerts for anything to let me know that I got a like or comment or whatever (except Twitter I get texts...forget how I set that up, but it's not an alert). If you don't have alerts like that, it saves your battery and data usage, so win-win-win!! Also you should download Instagram and do pics, because that's the best (and my favorite social media app!). Welcome to the smart phone club :)

Jennifer Prod said...

i didn't want an iPhone for the same reasons - the constant connectedness, etc, but i found that an iPhone turned dead-time (waiting in-line, traffic jams, etc) into productive time (you can answer emails, pay bills, etc), and i was a believer. fast fact? i'm pretty famous for being 'bad at my iPhone.' i don't always have it with me, i don't answer emails/texts straight away, and i try to keep a solid balance between actual life and iPhone life.

Tamara said...

I have all notifications off on my phone so that I have to actively check it if I want to see what's going on with social media. Somedays I'm all about it (usually right after I tweet something I think is hilarious and deserves 20 retweets) and then on other days - like vacations/long weekends - it's nice to just eventually forget about.
My reasoning for buying one (about 3 years ago) was because of running. At my first half (Vegas, baby!) I only had my iPod for music and didn't bring my non-smartphone - well, I couldn't find anyone at the finish line and wandered around for about an hour before some kind soul allowed me to use her cell phone even though it was long distance. God bless her. After that I was like, phone must be with me during runs and so must my music - unless I'm running with someone :)

I do go through bouts where I'll delete apps off my phone if I find I'm spending too much time perusing everyone's else business and not taking care of my own. Right now, I'm in a self-imposed no social media after 8pm to try and increase my productivity at home.

Sarah @ Back to Carolina said...

You are too funny! I remember that I never wanted an iPhone. After college, I really wanted a Blackberry. Then, I got one, plus at the time, all law enforcement was using Blackberrys, so I had to carry around 2.
I remember when I gave up the actual keys for the touchscreen. I did not believe that a touchscreen could actually work. However, I do love it now. And the FBI got rid of Blackberrys bc criminals could spot law enforcement a mile away because they were the only ones still using them. It just took them a few years to catch up.

Julie @ Just the Joy's said...

This is too funny! I hope your loving it! Once you have the world at your fingertips with a smart phone, youll wonder how you ever lived without it! :)

Megan said...

Wooooo welcome!! So are you going to get an Instagram now?! And group texting was DEFINITELY the reason I got an iPhone. And I've since fallen in love with the camera. I don't even own a digital camera anymore. :)

Unknown said...

Oh, Hi again! :) You've switched over to the world of iphones! Do you want to know a secret? I still don't have an iphone, gasp! But we have ipads so that's how I'm able to do lots of different app stuff like instagram. Which by the way instagram is my all time favorite social media. I was talking to a friend the other day and told her that I suck at twitter, ha! Pictures are my friend, words are not. :)

The Hungry Goat said...

I totally understand the woe's of having individual group texts. That was surely created by the devil himself. I didn't get an iphone but I do LOVE my Nexus, which includes the wonderful thing that is group texts. Enjoy your iphone! One day I'll be wealthy enough to get one (ehem...when I'm 80).

Jenna Griffin | Gold & Bloom said...

Bhaha, love this. Truth: When I saw that you were on Instagram, I gasped out loud and Lamar asked me what was wrong and I said, "my favorite blogger has instagraaaaaaam" and he knew exactly who I was talking about! Hahaha.

Welcome to the dark side, friend!

The Lady Okie said...

Dude, I didn't see that you had texted me! Our phones do not want us to be friends. My bad! haha.

Betsy said...

the dark side is the fun side. WELCOME TO INSTAGRAM!

Rachel said...

what? TRAITOR!

Fine. I'm sure they're all convenient and fancy and cool. So far we've still found answers to all non-smartphone problems, although Angel does have a 3 year old iPod touch so maybe that's almost cheating. I like that way better than a phone, though, because of no data plan and I'm cheap.

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