My friend and co-worker, Kevin, just spent a week and a half in Texas attending the SXSW conference. I am jealous that I was not able to attend with him, but hope to make it next year. When he returned to work on Tuesday he came bearing gifts for a few of us in the office. My boss and her boss both were gifted really cool little cactus plants. I, however, received the coolest gift of them all. A golden Mexican wrestling mask. Kevin also brought in his nice new camera, so we took it and my mask out on the street for a few photos and some very interesting looks.

This weekend I made a small step backwards, in the cellphone/technology world. I stopped using my Audiovox SMT-5600 and purchased a Motorola Razr V3. I also started keeping my calendar and all of my personal contacts on my iBook rather than on my work computer. BTW, I do not consider the ladder a step backwards.

It took me a couple days to get over the shock of having a phone OS that is so much simpler than Windows Mobile, but now that I have gotten use to it I am more than pleased with my new phone. The form factor of the Razr is just amazing. I carry it in my front pocket and barely know it there. No more phone case hanging from my belt and I am happy about that. I can not even count the number of times I have snagged it while passing through doorways or getting into a car. Very annoying.

Managing all my personal information on my iBook has been an enjoyable switch as well. Apple’s Address Book application could be a lot more robust, but it’s integration into the OS is worth any troubles I’ve come across so far. iCal is an excellent application, both visually and functionally. It’s ability to publish my calendars online will surely come in hand. I am also pleased with the bluetooth syncing that iSync provides, allowing me to have my calendar and all my contacts on the phone. It sure beats putting all those names and numbers in via the phones keypad. It’s not as easy to view the PIM applications on the Razr as it is on a Windows Mobile phone, but it’s good enough for my needs.

I love getting new toys.

UPDATE: The Razr went back to the story and I’m using the Audiovox again. It just sounded so bad that it wasn’t work keeping.

The other day Quincy was scratching away at his back, right where your back and butt come together. He turned to Mommy and said…

Mommy, my forebutt itches.