Back from Nashville!

I arrived back from Nashville this afternoon. Totally didn’t have as much time to post and stay updated as I wanted to have, but that’s because we were pulling off an amazing event. :)

I need to say special thank you to the students in our Scrapbook Alchemy class! You guys were awesome!

And an extra-special thank-you to Ismelda, Jen Strange (who ran out to the office supply store to pick up more magenta ink - thank you, girl!), Steve Jaanusson, Jennifer White (who sells at SOTB , and who stayed the entire afternoon on Saturday to help print), Mark Stringham (who saved us all… :D),  and Tabitha, without whom our class would have been impossible. The TA’s for a class like ours, where everyone brings a laptop and we create pages together, are absolutely critical to the success of the class. I hope they know how much their help means.

The iPhone Sign

So I was kind of on the fence about getting an iPhone. I mean, who can resist a device that actually changes aspect ratio right before your eyes if you just flip the thing sideways? And let’s talk about email, a cool camera, the web browser, oh and … it’s a phone.

So the only thing keeping me on the fence is that it’s $600. So that’s a pretty big fence. I figured to myself.. I have a cell phone. I have a camera. I have an iPod. I have a laptop. That’s pretty much all the functionality I need right there, right? Except it’s not all encased in a sleek and sexy silver-and-black case that changes aspect ratio right before your eyes.

Then I sat next to an iPhone guy on the plane to Nashville. He’s a software engineer, and we basically talked technology, and mainly iPhones, the whole way there. I drilled him keenly about the device’s limitations, hoping to talk myself down off of that fence, and he was honest. There’s not a ton of storage. The wireless when you’re not near actual wireless service is really slow.

And then he leaned over without another thought (or getting out any more devices, of course) and took a picture of the clouds out the window. 

Back on the fence again. 

Then I show up at CKU, where our friend Ali is sporting what? A brand new iPhone. Fitting snugly into the palm. Tap-and-scroll through web pages, contacts, email. Type text messages. And that darned aspect ratio. By the end of this weekend, I am so ready to jump off the fence. I think bumping in to so many people who own them is some kind of sign, right?

After all, it’s my birthday on Tuesday…

Today’s Funny 

I’ll just quickly post today’s funny and go to bed. 

We were eating dinner tonight, and Jared and I were talking. I said, in the context of some conversation I don’t even remember, “I am a scrapbooker!”

Rowen said, “You are a SCRAPBOOKER, mama?”

I said “Yes!”

And Elliott said, “Mama a cheeseburger!”

When in doubt, go with your closest known word and hope for the best, right? :D So maybe I AM a cheeseburger. Or a scrapbooker. And in the end, is there that much of a difference?

Comments

[Kari]

Let me be the first to welcome you back!! We've missed you on the U&R message board ;) You simply must know how much I am loving your class. You continue to amaze and inspire us ... even when you take a few days off! Are you sure you can't come teach your Scrapbooking Alchemy class in Phoenix 2 weeks from now?! I was so bummed that there were not digi classes available! and BTW - my brother has and iPhone and loves it ... not that it's a sign or anything, but kinda like bumping into another person who has one :)

[Joan]

Jessica, when you jump off the fence make sure you post about your iphone, all the pros and cons so maybe some of us will also take the leap. Welcome back and have a super Bday tomorrow.

[Kayla aka The Legacy Lady]

My thought process - there is only so much room on the fence. If you jump off and go for it, then there will be more room for those of us standing on the back of the fence to move up to "on the fence."
It will be the ripple effect - you jump, you talk, we move up to "on the fence" and then eventually we will all jump too...

While we are on the fence we can tell our dh's, "Jessica and Ali have one so we need one too!" lol.

I am just trying to hold off until they fix some of the technical glitches - 2nd or 3rd wave - at least that is what I tell myself...oh and hubby wants one first...but if you get one then I think that brings us all one step closer to it!

[Julie L.]

Jessica--welcome back--it sounds like you have a great time in Nashville! We missed you here..I'm in your Up and Running class, and it is a blast.
Happy Birthday--and you deserve that i phone..there is a kid up here going to school in Rochester, NY--who cracked the code! Did you see that story? He can make it work with any wireless carrier...my friend works in PR at RIT, and he is a wanted man with the media!

[Sandy Dent]

Welcome back, so the classes are going well?? Good. I'm hearing great things from some folks in your current U & R class.

I just want you to know, DH has been itching for (yet again) another computer and now I am a very comfortable digital/hybrid scrapper he wants to add a dual core processor to our home network, just for me. : )

Have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

[Jennifer White]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Your Nashville post didn't BEGIN to let on how hard you worked - let me tell ya this girl busted her FANNY and still was cool as a cucumber and gracious and relaxed with everyone she met. I hope you get your iphone, girl, you deserve it! Have a GREAT day!!

[Tara]

BUMP.... iPhone owner here!!!

If you don't have one by October, I'll let you take a look at mine while you teach the Scrapbook Alchemy class at CKU-Orlando.

I LOVE MINE! SO worth the money! I personally don't think that the online service is SLOW when you are away from wi-fi. You just have to be a little PATIENT. Some people in this day and age need INSTANT GRATIFICATION... I can wait for a page to load, no biggie!

I did a layout for the U&R online class using a pic that was taken with my iPhone... my screen name is tcscrapper, if you wanna take a look.

Run, don't walk to your nearest Apple store!!!

Have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

[Nancy O]

Welcome back, we certainly missed you. Happy, Happy Birthday in case I don't get chance to say it on Tuesday.

Oh yes, go for the iPhone. If anyone should have it it's our Up and Running Leader Extraordinaire.

[Candi Tardio]

Jessica,
First of all I just wanted to say thanks again for printing out the journaling for my friend Sarah (The Story of Us) @ cku/nashville!!!! You were sooooo nice about it!!!! PLUS.......it is my birthday too on tuesday!!!! Happy Birthday Jessica!!!!!
Candi Tardio / Rockford, IL

[Mark Stringham]

Good to see you again. Glad I could help out. Try not to cut any melons unevenly this week (MWAHAHAHA! (put becky gloves on here *snap* *snap*))

[Tabatha Jeter]

Jessica! Thanks for making my Saturday awesome!! It was so much fun to work with you and Jennifer! We should do it again sometime!!

[amore]

Hi Jessica.. I always read your blog :D I'm a stalker in this web house. :D Regarding iPhone.. if you don't care buying a refurbished one.. Apple website sell refurbished for $100 less.. Im just not aware about the warranty though.

Your kids are so funny.. you're a cheeseburger anyway.. lol

[Kellie Salmon]

I am so glad to hear that Jennifer White had such a great time with you! She has talked about it incessantly since her return to SOTB! We at SOTB also want to thank you for taking her under your wing and being so very nice to her (Even though now she expects us to do the same LOL) This is surely an experiance she will never forget nor will we LOL I am sure she will make sure of it! Thanks for the memories!

[Denise]

Great time in Nashville and I really enjoyed your class! You did an amazing job considering everyone was at different levels and points in their use of PS! It was a fun class and you are delightful to learn from. Thanks again and Happy Birthday (is it today?)

Denise Rose :)

[Donna Pelletier]

Jessica - I was fortunate to have you join us at a crop at Scrap Outside the Box in the past and it was a pleasure working with you. I'm so glad you had the opportunity to meet Jennifer White - she's a great designer and a wonderful person. She really had a blast working with you! I wish I could've joined you girls and helped, but Nashville is quite a ways for me.

[Becky]

Happy Birthday!!

This is your Birthday song, it's not that very long!

:)

[dawns]

Hope you have a great birthday today. It doesn't matter whether you're a cheeseburger or a scrapbooker (or both) your tops in my book!

dawns

[Angie]

Happy Birthday Jess!

[Share :)]

Been thinking about you Jess - Happy Birthday! I hope you got my package ok. :) Love you!

[Luann]

Jessica- You sound like my hubby debating the iPhone, luckily the memory is not to great yet when they come up with an 60 gig iPhone I am toast.

I wanted to let you know I love the green shirt with puffy sleeves that you wore at CKU as seen on Becky and Candice's blogs. Do tell where did you get it?