Step 1: admit you have a problem

I didn't use to be like this, I swear.
Sometime in the last year, I developed an affinity for all things digital/wireless/technical (read: all things geek) and hence, it continues.

The iPod was one thing... It was my first truly material purchase in a long, long time (note: ski gear does not count as material), but this? Come on now.

To further explain "this," I'll need to hit you with some back story. My New Year's resolution -- if you can count it as one -- was to make myself a bit happier by seeking out some new writing/editorial projects and working for myself a bit more via Words, inc. "I'll need to get better organized," I say to myself and decide to investigate the world of PDAs. A crucial point to understanding this story is that I am both frugal and poor.

That said, I spent $50 on an organizer (not a PDA) and thought that it would be sufficient in getting my life in order. The device itself may have been, but the included synchronization software was so poorly designed that it assumed things like the fact that I would be using a computer that doesn’t have an anti-virus or anti-spyware program loaded on it. Right.

Discouraged both as a consumer and a human being, I contacted a few of my more tech-savvy friends who proceeded to tell me that my organizer was actually made by Fischer Price. Arguably the biggest nerd of the bunch, Ozzy, really enjoyed commenting on my foolishness and offered to sell me one of the four or five handheld units that he was no longer using (seriously).

I wanted to get something new, but allowed Ozzy to be my private consultant, if you will. For such a little man located a couple of thousand miles away, Ozzy had a big impact and was very demanding about what I needed in a device; I soon found myself thinking things like:
-"Yeah, I do need wireless internet/email connectivity."
-"Sure, I need to be able to create and edit MS Word documents."
-"I definitely need a handheld device that is arguably more powerful than my ACTUAL computer."

I even called my father thinking that he would know a fair amount about the devices and also talk me out of my perceived need for a Pocket PC. Instead, after hearing my reasoning behind the want, he agreed that it was a good idea (Shoot!) and added that they had come down quite a bit in price. I do have to make mention though that some of Dad's credibility on the issue was lost when after talking about the wifi cards included and the benefits of carrying a "pocket version" of MS Word, he became excited that all of the devices on the market offered a color screen.

So, in the end, I have joined the geeked-out world of Pocket PC owners. In fact, I write to you now on this crazy little device. It's only been two days since joining the ranks, but D-A-M-N! I already understand its worth. The only problem, of course, is that Oz, who was so adamant about my purchasing this thing, is not the one paying for it.