The tale of the iPad 2 (sorry Hallie!)

It used to be that every time a new gadget came out, I was sure to have one.  Now, this is back when new gadgets came out every few years or so, so it isn't like I was stockpiling them up or anything!  But I didn't realize how excited they made me until I out and out realized I was denying myself.  Me?  Denying myself?  I know. 

My interest in all gadgets great and small began to wane a bit when cell phones became so crazy popular that it was impossible to keep up with the latest and greatest.  At first I certainly tried, but then I realized that I am not a phone person.  I hate to talk on the phone, and while texting is convenient and all, I am just not that person who always has their cell phone on their person.   And when the iPhone came out I wasn't running to get that, and I thought that was interesting.  I mean, right now I have a phone that isn't filled with apps.  Imagine that!  I don't use my cell phone as a camera nor do I pull it out and show people pictures of my kids.  I have always maintained that the screen is too small for such impractical uses and that is that.  I know loads of people who have iPhones and who love them.  I wasn't tempted.

Then the iPad banter began and I held my ear out for a listen.  An iPad you say.  Hmmmmm.  But the cost seemed exorbitant for what seemed like a bigger, heavier iPhone (and you couldn't even make calls on it!) and I decided no.  Not necessary.  Then I saw one, and I could feel it, the excitement start to roll around a bit ... a TOY~!  But it was funny, from the moment I picked it up (and pretended it was no big deal) I thought wow, it is pretty cool.  But nope, I didn't need one.  And I thought, wow, you are so adult now.  You don't just buy toys for the sake of having a new toy.  Bravo for you!  You have evolved.  (And truth be told, I learned the hard way that buying the first generation of something like that, like the Kindle, can backfire on you and you end up buying two.)  So I just pretended that there wasn't something as fun and cool as the iPad in the universe and went about life.

Several people said to me, "I can't believe you don't have one," and I thought, hmmmm, I wonder why I don't.  Then I would remember, oh yeah, I am no longer an early adopter of these gadgets and besides, it is expensive and redundant -- it does all the things I have other things to do it.  And then I would remember that I was not spending money on something luxurious and excessive and would pat myself on the back.  Then I started hearing about the iPad 2.  From experience, I was pretty sure that all the things that I wouldn't have liked about the first version would have been fixed (smaller is better and having a camera so that you can skype on it is also a plus) and I thought, oh .... should I?  But once again I would talk myself out of it.

Then Hallie said she was getting one, and let's face it, she doesn't need one ANY MORE than I do!  In fact, no one NEEDS it, it is a toy, a gadget ... and I wanted one bad!  But then I thought, do I only want one because SHE is getting one and then I won't have one?  Hmmmmmmm. 

My fingers began to itch to hold one .... I read the reviews and I watched the videos.  I salivated as I thought how FUN it would be to have one.  Peter saw me looking at them and rolled his eyes and asked me, as others had done before, why I hadn't bought one yet.  I said, well, maybe it would make a good birthday present.  He loves to get that little inconvenient holiday out of the way and he jumped on it.  Told me to order one and "take care of it."  Okay.  I could do that.

Then I thought, you are being ridiculous.  Do you really NEED one?  No.  I guess not.  And then I got that overwhelming feeling I never let myself have, that everything is so expensive and kids in schools and college and blah blah blah and I thought no, it is just not necessary.  So I decided no, no iPad for me.

Then Peter asked me several days later if I had ordered one, and I explained to him my thoughts -- and I think he was a little shocked and he said that while he appreciated my (newfound) desire to not spend money unnecessarily, it was my birthday and no one loved gadgets more than I do and he knew I would use it all the time.  Oh.  Well alrighty then!

And I have to tell you, I have been so excited ... I can't remember the last time I was so excited to get something!  And probably a lot of that has to do with the fact that I didn't just up and buy it at the drop of a hat -- but then again, I think I am thrilled that I managed to wait until the second generation!

I am not even bothered by the fact that it will take a few weeks for it to ship.  My birthday isn't really even all that close, so it's all good.   Well that is a lie, just like my telling myself I didn't want one was, and if I could get it tomorrow, I would! 

Heeeee heeeee heeeeeee whoooooooopie woooooooooooo!