It has been many hours since I had resigned myself to the fact that I no longer have access to a credit card. All of my accounts are still open (with NO balances) but I have no physical card in my possession to swipe for any new purchases. As of right now I am unable to walk out of a store with any purchased items unless I use cash. Even though this took a while to get used to I am finding a renewed interest in writing again that I hope will prevent me from regressing back to my old spending habits.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Goodbye to Debt, Hello to Lara.
At this point I can finally say that my credit debt is under control and it feels so liberating! I was approved for a loan with my bank which consolidates all of my debt into one lump sum, and as one can imagine it is quite an amount to be paid off. Aside from the daunting length of time that is needed to pay off this loan I feel relieved that I can put all of this behind me with every passing day.
One thing that is strange is I am not as into tech-toy shopping as I was just a short time ago. Surfing online retailer sites has lost its appeal and I instantly grow bored within minutes. I believe this is a direct result of no longer having a credit card in my possession that can satisfy my need for instant gratification. Suddenly I am realizing that I am in need of something to focus on with the same energy and passion I have for my gadget addiction. Something in my heart says that this is the right moment to get back into my poetry writing and I need to do it fast.
For the past few days of YouTube surfing I rediscovered a Belgian-Italian vocal artist by the name of Lara Fabian. In my opinion she has got to be the most captivating and mesmerizing performer that I have seen in my lifetime. She graces every stage with a delicate humility and warm spirit which is supported by a powerful voice of boundless potential and melodic beauty. Every note that emanates from her lips is shaped with such deep emotion that in turn draws me under her spell. When I see her eyes I cannot help but feel that there is a sense of centeredness within her soul which allows her to be comfortable in her own skin as well as around everyone else. From her self-titled English language album I purchased in 2000 to her performances I am watching on YouTube, I must admit that I am falling in love all over again with her artistry and skill. For me, there are four songs that collectively sum up all that I relish about Lara's talent: Adagio, Broken Vow, A Piece of Sky (live) and Je T'aime. The most memorable footage I have seen of Lara is when she did a live performance of Je T'aime. After the start of the song the ENTIRE arena began singing the lyrics and Lara was immediately moved to tears. The fact that these devoted masses sang each lyric with just as much passion as Lara brought me to tears as I watched. Now that is a fitting example of euphoria if there ever was one!
Forgive my rant on Lara Fabian, but she has something to do with what I would like to accomplish with my poetry in the long term. Not only would I like to be a published poet showcased by Oprah and her book club, but I would also be honored to have Lara Fabian make one of my works into a song. It sounds like a far-fetched idea right now, but so did getting that Jetta just a couple years ago. Just writing about it right now is awakening a desire inside of me to work toward this goal...so if you all would excuse me, I have a poetry portfolio to work on!
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
One thing that is strange is I am not as into tech-toy shopping as I was just a short time ago. Surfing online retailer sites has lost its appeal and I instantly grow bored within minutes. I believe this is a direct result of no longer having a credit card in my possession that can satisfy my need for instant gratification. Suddenly I am realizing that I am in need of something to focus on with the same energy and passion I have for my gadget addiction. Something in my heart says that this is the right moment to get back into my poetry writing and I need to do it fast.
For the past few days of YouTube surfing I rediscovered a Belgian-Italian vocal artist by the name of Lara Fabian. In my opinion she has got to be the most captivating and mesmerizing performer that I have seen in my lifetime. She graces every stage with a delicate humility and warm spirit which is supported by a powerful voice of boundless potential and melodic beauty. Every note that emanates from her lips is shaped with such deep emotion that in turn draws me under her spell. When I see her eyes I cannot help but feel that there is a sense of centeredness within her soul which allows her to be comfortable in her own skin as well as around everyone else. From her self-titled English language album I purchased in 2000 to her performances I am watching on YouTube, I must admit that I am falling in love all over again with her artistry and skill. For me, there are four songs that collectively sum up all that I relish about Lara's talent: Adagio, Broken Vow, A Piece of Sky (live) and Je T'aime. The most memorable footage I have seen of Lara is when she did a live performance of Je T'aime. After the start of the song the ENTIRE arena began singing the lyrics and Lara was immediately moved to tears. The fact that these devoted masses sang each lyric with just as much passion as Lara brought me to tears as I watched. Now that is a fitting example of euphoria if there ever was one!
Forgive my rant on Lara Fabian, but she has something to do with what I would like to accomplish with my poetry in the long term. Not only would I like to be a published poet showcased by Oprah and her book club, but I would also be honored to have Lara Fabian make one of my works into a song. It sounds like a far-fetched idea right now, but so did getting that Jetta just a couple years ago. Just writing about it right now is awakening a desire inside of me to work toward this goal...so if you all would excuse me, I have a poetry portfolio to work on!
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
Monday, November 26, 2007
TyTN II - The All-In-One Companion
Last night I experienced a most amazing achievement with my reliable HTC TyTN II smartphone: bluetooth tethering.
Months ago when I first owned the Nokia E90 I discovered that my MacBook Pro could access the web when connected to it via bluetooth. This meant that I was no longer limited to my own personal wifi network to surf the internet, and I was indeed a happy camper! However, after a few weeks this was not possible anymore and I was stumped as to what was going on. After countless attempts of tweaking the connection settings and resetting the bluetooth pairing between the Mac and Nokia I simply gave up and never looked into the tethering again...until now.
Getting the Nokia N810 internet tablet has resurrected my interest in bluetooth tethering and for the past couple weeks I was searching for a solution. Finally this came to me from an online forum in which someone had explained two steps that were so simple and obvious I felt like a complete idiot! On my Windows Mobile phone (with bluetooth on) all I had to do was make the appropriate selections in Internet Sharing and initiate the connection with my nearby MacBook Pro. On the laptop I only had to access the Bluetooth dropdown menu and begin the connection with the HTC TyTN II...and VOILA!
There is no more being stuck looking for free wifi networks when I am travelling and it is such a great feeling!
At this point I feel that I am finally at home with this HTC TyTN II now that it is successfully integrated into my everyday life. Along with being able to tether with my MacBook Pro I can also upload YouTube videos via the TCPMP application and use Google Maps with the built-in GPS. While it would be nice to be able have a small music and video library on the HTC, that isn't my primary need for this phone. Uploading YouTube videos for right now is enough entertainment for me right now. Not exactly as sleek as the iPhone and not as advanced camera-wise like the Nokias, this HTC TyTN II still packs a mighty punch in what it has to offer. I am still amazed at this thing whenever I use one of its reliable applications, for its software stability is truly second to none. The web browsing and mobile office experience with Opera Mobile and MS Office Mobile alone is a far cry from those previous days of using the preceding TyTNs, the questionable Nokias and the HORRENDOUS Sony Ericsson phones. Everything from the familiar Windows interface to the convenient home screen to the built-in dictionary to the touchscreen and tactile qwerty and one-hand operation capability (and lets not forget enabled 3G) makes me completely sure that I have finally found the right stuff in this device! Nokias may still have a place in my heart in regards to capturing videos and pictures, but this HTC TyTN II has definitely won me over in a big way. So versatile in its solid and compact form factor, this is honestly as close to perfect as I will ever get with ANY smartphone.
Sadly I still frequent online retailers in search of the next best smartphone, but even as I do a part of me cannot help that I am only wasting precious time. With its perfect, manageable size and its more than capable features I am for once closer to calling this the winner and saying to hell with everything else! HTC has finally hit the bullseye in my opinion, and I am indeed proud to be one of its smartphone customers.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
Months ago when I first owned the Nokia E90 I discovered that my MacBook Pro could access the web when connected to it via bluetooth. This meant that I was no longer limited to my own personal wifi network to surf the internet, and I was indeed a happy camper! However, after a few weeks this was not possible anymore and I was stumped as to what was going on. After countless attempts of tweaking the connection settings and resetting the bluetooth pairing between the Mac and Nokia I simply gave up and never looked into the tethering again...until now.
Getting the Nokia N810 internet tablet has resurrected my interest in bluetooth tethering and for the past couple weeks I was searching for a solution. Finally this came to me from an online forum in which someone had explained two steps that were so simple and obvious I felt like a complete idiot! On my Windows Mobile phone (with bluetooth on) all I had to do was make the appropriate selections in Internet Sharing and initiate the connection with my nearby MacBook Pro. On the laptop I only had to access the Bluetooth dropdown menu and begin the connection with the HTC TyTN II...and VOILA!
There is no more being stuck looking for free wifi networks when I am travelling and it is such a great feeling!
At this point I feel that I am finally at home with this HTC TyTN II now that it is successfully integrated into my everyday life. Along with being able to tether with my MacBook Pro I can also upload YouTube videos via the TCPMP application and use Google Maps with the built-in GPS. While it would be nice to be able have a small music and video library on the HTC, that isn't my primary need for this phone. Uploading YouTube videos for right now is enough entertainment for me right now. Not exactly as sleek as the iPhone and not as advanced camera-wise like the Nokias, this HTC TyTN II still packs a mighty punch in what it has to offer. I am still amazed at this thing whenever I use one of its reliable applications, for its software stability is truly second to none. The web browsing and mobile office experience with Opera Mobile and MS Office Mobile alone is a far cry from those previous days of using the preceding TyTNs, the questionable Nokias and the HORRENDOUS Sony Ericsson phones. Everything from the familiar Windows interface to the convenient home screen to the built-in dictionary to the touchscreen and tactile qwerty and one-hand operation capability (and lets not forget enabled 3G) makes me completely sure that I have finally found the right stuff in this device! Nokias may still have a place in my heart in regards to capturing videos and pictures, but this HTC TyTN II has definitely won me over in a big way. So versatile in its solid and compact form factor, this is honestly as close to perfect as I will ever get with ANY smartphone.
Sadly I still frequent online retailers in search of the next best smartphone, but even as I do a part of me cannot help that I am only wasting precious time. With its perfect, manageable size and its more than capable features I am for once closer to calling this the winner and saying to hell with everything else! HTC has finally hit the bullseye in my opinion, and I am indeed proud to be one of its smartphone customers.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Last Great Hurrah
It is now official as of yesterday afternoon. The bank loan that I applied for has been approved and will soon go into effect. Every last bit of my credit debt will be rolled into this loan and I will begin paying down the amount as soon as possible.
I should feel a certain amount of relief, but at this time I don't. Instead I feel a sense of dread at the thought that once and for all I will be losing my credit cards permanently and be without the power of instant gratification. For the past couple years during which I have been spending credit in excess I grew accustomed to getting what I want when I wanted it, and there seemed to be nothing better than that. Rumors of a new gadget would arise and if interested I would patiently wait for the release date to arrive. Before I knew it the plastic in my wallet would grant me my wish of getting my hands on that new toy and I was soon addicted to this euphoria.
Even in the midst of this loan approval I am still burdened by the worry of letting this addiction go. I even took it upon myself to give in to my shopping impulse and purchase three new gadgets: the Nokia N810, Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle. At this point I have to be honest and say that there is potential for me to revert back to spending credit as I am paying down this approved loan, but it is up to me to remain strong and diligent in this matter. What's funny is that I've already been bitten in the butt by purchasing the Sony Reader from a business with a strict return policy on electronic devices, but that hasn't stopped me from getting the Kindle.
I can only hope for the best in my efforts as I begin to get my debt and spending habit under control.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
I should feel a certain amount of relief, but at this time I don't. Instead I feel a sense of dread at the thought that once and for all I will be losing my credit cards permanently and be without the power of instant gratification. For the past couple years during which I have been spending credit in excess I grew accustomed to getting what I want when I wanted it, and there seemed to be nothing better than that. Rumors of a new gadget would arise and if interested I would patiently wait for the release date to arrive. Before I knew it the plastic in my wallet would grant me my wish of getting my hands on that new toy and I was soon addicted to this euphoria.
Even in the midst of this loan approval I am still burdened by the worry of letting this addiction go. I even took it upon myself to give in to my shopping impulse and purchase three new gadgets: the Nokia N810, Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle. At this point I have to be honest and say that there is potential for me to revert back to spending credit as I am paying down this approved loan, but it is up to me to remain strong and diligent in this matter. What's funny is that I've already been bitten in the butt by purchasing the Sony Reader from a business with a strict return policy on electronic devices, but that hasn't stopped me from getting the Kindle.
I can only hope for the best in my efforts as I begin to get my debt and spending habit under control.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
Monday, November 19, 2007
Credit card issue
It is no secret that I have been going overboard in buying gagets for myself with credit cards, and eventually I was faced with the severity of my resulting debt. While I may not disclose the exact amount of what the amount is I can say that it wil take a number of years to pay it off. With this understanding I had cut up all of but one of my cards which was to be used only for emergencies. For a good while I began to rely solely on cash for all my expenses and adapted my spending habits accordingly. Despite the financial limitations of my checking account, I made an effort to press on diligently.
However, after a period of time I became tempted by more things to buy and inevitably gave in with no hesitation. I even went so far as to justify the means by way of any applicable return policy: as long as I could return the procuct before the given amount of return time then it would be as if I spent no credit at all. Being in this warped frame of mind only allowed my spending habit to come back at full force and I got myself into more debt. Originally the plan was to buy an item, test it out, return it for the refund and then buy another gadget with the refunded credit; basically a complex consumer exchange program a.k.a. CCEP. The CCEP was supposed to be full-proof but there was one problem: my impatience.
Upon the increase of my debt I have recently decided to cut the final card in my possession. I don't even have a card for emergencies anymore and it's all due to my lack of self-control. Since cutting the card and flushing it this past Friday I found out one more piece of information: my credit card information was saved to the Amazon.com site as a default payment account. Before deleting the information, however, I made one more purchase of another gadget. I saw it as my last hurrah before biting the bullet of my credit consolidation and my cash reliance on future purchases. This just goes to show how serious my problem is and I need to get control of it quickly.
Looking ahead into the future I hope to consolidate all of my own credit card debt into one bank loan at a low interest rate.
I honestly have been going through withdrawal from the instant gratification on buying tech toys on credit, but it's all for the best.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
However, after a period of time I became tempted by more things to buy and inevitably gave in with no hesitation. I even went so far as to justify the means by way of any applicable return policy: as long as I could return the procuct before the given amount of return time then it would be as if I spent no credit at all. Being in this warped frame of mind only allowed my spending habit to come back at full force and I got myself into more debt. Originally the plan was to buy an item, test it out, return it for the refund and then buy another gadget with the refunded credit; basically a complex consumer exchange program a.k.a. CCEP. The CCEP was supposed to be full-proof but there was one problem: my impatience.
Upon the increase of my debt I have recently decided to cut the final card in my possession. I don't even have a card for emergencies anymore and it's all due to my lack of self-control. Since cutting the card and flushing it this past Friday I found out one more piece of information: my credit card information was saved to the Amazon.com site as a default payment account. Before deleting the information, however, I made one more purchase of another gadget. I saw it as my last hurrah before biting the bullet of my credit consolidation and my cash reliance on future purchases. This just goes to show how serious my problem is and I need to get control of it quickly.
Looking ahead into the future I hope to consolidate all of my own credit card debt into one bank loan at a low interest rate.
I honestly have been going through withdrawal from the instant gratification on buying tech toys on credit, but it's all for the best.
TRENT
Sent from my TyTN II
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