Crackless in Ormond Beach

I didn't even know what Crack was until a year ago, and now I can't live without it. Okay, that's a lie, I lived without it for almost two whole days after mine died Sunday afternoon while trying to facebook photos from the beach.

The screen turned a luminous pearly gray, which doesn't sound too bad until I realized that it's the Crack equivalent of Microsoft's Blue Screen of Death. Then I panicked.

Here I am, halfway between former and new homes, with no internet access and no phone. I panicked. I've become accustomed to having the ability to email and facebook and blog the moment I think of something to say.

After a while I realized that the damned thing still operated as a phone just fine, but of what use is a phone to me? I hate to talk on the phone. I have panic attacks just thinking about calling someone. Without the use of the screen, I didn't have caller id, I couldn't tell what numbers I was dialing, the email light kept blinking even though I couldn't check my email, and all of my phone numbers were hidden.

I don't remember numbers, and phone numbers fall into that category. I just pull up the name I want and hit dial. I don't know Tom's number by heart, or Jennifer's, so unless they called me, I had no way to contact them.

Oh, the camera worked. I could push the buttons and take photos, but I couldn't see what I photo'd. I'm sure I could have gotten to facebook or my email, but there was no way to see it.

I called AT&T, who told me to call my insurance company. Thank GOD I had the foresight to pay the $4.95 a month handset insurance when I bought the Crack. I'd never had it before, but then I'd never had a $500 phone before, either.

For $125, I now have a brand-new Crack (as opposed to the free refurbished one I got last year). It arrived this morning at 11. I switched the SIMM and Smart cards and turned it on, and once again I have the world at my fingertips.

I have no phone numbers, but those can be added as I go. If only I'd read the directions before I switched the SIMM card; I could have hooked it up to the laptop and downloaded everything to the new one.

Now I know.

Life is sweet.