My phone broke. I sat on a hardwood floor to play with a baby and the glass shattered. I took it in to the at&t store to see what could be done and they told me I get an upgrade in April. 6 months. And I could just buy a new phone now, but it would cost me the cost of the phone and an upgrade fee. Or I could go to Walmart and get a cheap flip phone type deal or I could watch for someone selling theirs secondhand. And still pay an upgrade fee. Or I could put this sticker over the broken glass and wait it out 6 months, get a free iPhone and pay no fee. Well I'm not exactly rich, and I know what the better deal is. And I recognize the irony in using that "use it up, wear it out" phrase in reference to a smart phone. Luckily I delight in irony.
So I live in "6 months til upgrade".
And then I realized. 6 months is when I finish this internship that, I'm not gonna lie, has been so very hard. 6 months until I upgrade to a job I could love.
And 6 months is when I finish my last final of grad school and apply for my license. 6 months until I upgrade to masters degree.
And my friends keep traveling to places like Hawaii and Europe. But I have class, papers, and no money. My plan for graduation has been to go to Paris for a couple weeks. I also want to visit my cousin, go to my class reunion, and maybe see some other parts of the world. 6 months til I upgrade my travel plans.
And I spend my weekends babysitting instead of doing fun things like single people do, going to movies and parties and I keep watching my friends go do things while I have to babysit because I have to have some sort of income. 6 months until I upgrade my social life.
And my first priority when I am working full time will be to buy a reliable car. The one I have now is fine. It runs, it gets me to places. But I paid $900 for it and can hardly expect it to last forever. I want a red fiat. Who knows if that's what I'll end up with, but i can't even start thinking about it until next spring. 6 months til I can start upgrading my car.
Its going to be a long winter. But there is an end in sight. 6 months til upgrade.
