If the Circle Fits...

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I recently got a new green iPhone which says, "I'm fun!" and "I don't take myself too seriously!" and "I don't see well in the dark but still need to find my phone!" My phone arrived and I set it up and then realized I needed a new case. I had an OtterBox case for my old phone because I am a dropper. I was in denial about this fact for many years but I have had to come to terms with a few things like the fact that I cannot seem to cut tags off pillows or stuffed animals without those items requiring repair and I spill things more than the average person and I drop my phone. For several days, I flitted through life with my phone unprotected but I was nervous and kept wondering when (not if) I would drop my beautiful new phone. I shopped for a case online but I wanted one that would show off the color and protect it when I accidentally dropped it on the ice/street/hardwood floor/tile/my face. I eventually decided that I had to go to an actual store in the real world and look at my options because this decision was too important to be left to the uncertainty of online shopping. I wouldn't buy a bra online and a case is kinda like a bra for your phone. Kinda.

So, I went out into the world and ended up getting an OtterBox case in black…just like the old one. I was disappointed because it covered up all the pretty green but, in the end, I chose safety over style. As soon as I got home, I ripped open the packaging and put my phone in it's new case. I flipped it over to see the little green and black Apple showing through the circle in the back and was horrified by what I saw...

The Apple logo was not centered in the circle.

I gasped and then figured I had just put the phone in the case incorrectly. I am going to tell you what you already know - there is only one way to put a phone in a case. This was not user error. I then did what I always do when things go terribly wrong - I went to Luisa.

Vikki (holding phone to Luisa's face): LOOK AT THIS.

Luisa (backing away): What?

Vikki: The logo is not centered!

Luisa: Huh. Weird.

Vikki: I cannot live like this.

Luisa: I think you can.

And I tried. I tried for an entire week and then a friend asked me to go to the Apple store with her. While she dealt with a hardware issue with her phone, I looked at the wall of iPhone cases and then found one that I liked - a clear case with orange bumpers - the perfect choice for the stylish phone dropper in your life.

I texted Luisa and said I found a better case and she told me to get it and return the OtterBox and I said I wasn't sure I could return the Otter Box. I was sad! I was filled with regret! She said, "If you want a different one just get it."

So I did.

Today, Luisa and I went to Best Buy to return the first case and I approached customer service and told the guy I wanted to return it.

Customer Service Guy: What is the reason for the return?

Vikki: Well, it's complicated.

Luisa laughs out loud

Customer Service Guy: Okay...

Vikki: You see, the Apple logo was not centered in the circle on the back of the case.

Luisa laughs harder

Customer Service Guy joins Luisa in laughter

Whatever. I don't care. I have a brand new green phone in a funky clear case with orange accents and everything is aligned and centered and protected and all is right with the world.

My Phone Problem

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Today, at VillageQ, I posted about my struggle to balance my online work, personal writing and family. Putting my phone away so that I'm present with my children is something I know I need to do and yet have a hard time remembering. I hear that ding telling me I have a text or I see those seductive little red notification numbers and I want to see what's going on. I know that it impacts my kids and I know I'm setting a bad example for them. They have some media limits and I have none. It's the most glaring double standard in our house. The other one is "No food after 9 p.m." but don't tell them about that one. One day, Zeca said, “If your iPhone and I were both falling off of a cliff, would you save me or your iPhone?”

Bad, right? You can read the rest of the story here.

One of the reasons this post is late tonight is that we celebrated a friend's birthday tonight and then, after everyone left, Zeca and I had a Tea and Reading night. I made us each a cup of tea and we crawled into my bed and read our books. We started this awhile ago to encourage reading but I was inconsistent. We talked and we set our nights - Tuesdays and Sundays. I'm sticking to it.

PHOTO CREDIT: VIKKI REICH

Lazy Cat

Miguel has been home this week and, while I was out visiting garbage houses and Luisa was talking to people all over the world, our son was apparently making short movies starring Momo the Cat. He showed me this video last night and my first thought was, "I hope he put that beer back in the fridge when he was done." My second thought was, "This is kinda funny." So, I'm sharing it with you today. I present to you, "Lazy Cat" - a short film by Miguel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sjstijVYNk