Me. With a Blackberry? I think *NOT*!

So, after dropping my cell phone on the tile floor for the 100,000th time, I decided to take my Supremely Sick bootie to the Freakin' Cell Phone Store and pick out a brand spankin' new phone today. I had completed my research on the various options, made my list of what I *definently could NOT live without*, and drove 45 min. (one way) to the Freakin' Cell Phone Store to pick out a new piece of junk, knowing full well that I would have to pay full retail price for whatever I purchased 'cuz our contract is *FAR* from up. (I did ask about adding an additional line to possibly get a discount on the purchase price, and was informed that if I did that I would have to add an additional rate plan to compensate for the phone itself.)
I was greeted upon arrival by a fairly nice salesperson (bonus point #1) and I informed her of what I was there to accomplish (phone with a camera, phone with an extensive scheduling system, phone with text, picture, video messaging, phone with fully functioning QWERTY keyboard, etc.) I was very clear. She asked my why I wanted all this stuff specifically? To which I answered "Because if I am going to shell out the money for a phone, I am going to make certain that it does all the things that I need it to do." (Is it really any of her business *WHY* I want to shell out hundreds of dollars for a phone that has more bells and whistles that most people would know what to do with? I think not.)
She presented me with several options that contained all the available features necessary (there were 3 total 'cuz I really didn't like the "look" of the Palm Treo.) She hauled them all out of their boxes so that I could actually handle the phones to help with my decision (all in all, she was not helpful at all. And when I asked her what the difference was between the Blackberry World edition and the Pearl, she told me "Nothing, the Pearl is just smaller and it doesn't have the keyboard.")
So, in the end, I chose the Blackberry World phone. This decision was prompted by the fact that I had spent 2 hours in the store attempting to figure out what features each of the individual phones offered mostly on my own ~ 'cuz, I am just guessing here, it was apparently too difficult for her to answer my questions (seriously, I asked her which one *she* would choose based on the technology available in each one and her reply was "They are all pretty much the same. It is just the difference in the way that they look.") After I had made my choice, I thought to ask about the "return rate" of the different phones ~ and she informed me that one of the particular brands of phone that she had offered me *actually* had a pretty high return rate due to problems with the technology (and I thought to myself ~ Why would you attempt to sell it to me then?)
Financial "stuff" was discussed, how the new phone would change my rate plan was discussed (and the answer was "None, you just won't be able to access the internet on the Blackberry 'cuz the set up is different." Fine, I have internet at home, I don't *need* it on my phone ~ although it would have been nice) All things possible were discussed (especially how much of my old phone stuff that I could not use with this phone. That was fine as well.)
So, I take my Shiny *NEW* Blackberry, and begin calling everyone I know. Fast forward to the car, where I attempted to charge the phone using the car charger that I had to purchase as well (in addition to a tiny little memory card that she *swore* I would need, a weird looking earpiece that I *had to have* as well, and some other items that I am sure were just *absolutely necessary* to the existance of this phone) and the CHARGER DOES NOT WORK. Since I hadn't left the parking lot yet, I took the damn thing back inside and told them it didn't work. The guy I spoke to said that it was because she SOLD ME THE WRONG charger! After I had specifically ASKED her if it was the right one! (It turned out that it *was* the right one, it was just *defective*. Charger replaced, off on my merry way.)
Driving home (back the 45 min.) the woman calls me on my phone and informs me that there will be an additional monthly charge in order for me to have that particular phone, her exact words were "Blackberry requires you to pay a fee for the right to carry their product." To which I thought to myself "I already paid for the damn phone, and asked you all about this crap while I was there, and you are just *NOW* telling me this." So I said "Fine. Do what you have to do." Then it hit me, I HAD TO HAVE A *PLAN* TO OWN THIS PHONE!! (This means that I could have, should have, (but didn't) receive a discount on the purchase price of this phone. BEEEYYYYYAAAATTTTCCCCHHH!!!)
I made it all the way home before I realized that (can you hear the drumroll here) THE DAMN THING DIDN'T HAVE A FREAKIN' CAMARA!!! Seriously, did I not *specifically request* that the phone come with a camara?!?!?! I truely believe that I did, in fact, state just that. I thought that maybe I had just missed the little lens thing on the back, but most assuredly I did not ~ 'cuz it doesn't exist. (The camara thing was just the tip of the iceburg with that phone. There were other issues, but that was the straw that broke the camel's back.)
She had told me that I had 30 days to exchange it if I found that I didn't like it (yeah, like that wasn't intentional LOL) and so I did! At a different store, with a different salesperson, in a different town. And I am *very* happy with what I exchanged it for (and I was *refunded* a decent amount as well.)
Note to self -- When you overhear the SalesPerson *plainly* state to a co-worker that "I don't know. This is only the second Blackberry I've ever sold." You should probably pick up your purse, and half sleeping child, and *run* as fast as you can in the opposite direction.
SO, at the end of a very long day, I was the not so proud owner of a Blackberry for about 5 hours or so. I have probably confused the hell out of the billing dept of my cell service provider. I now have a phone that meets all my needs. And MOST IMPORTANTLY *of course* it is PRETTY! LOL