iphone hell

Today's the day!!! The day I get my iphone!!! I got the gift cards for a graduation present, and as long as I waited until July 16th, when my contract expired, I could get the brand new iphone! I woke up excited, ready to GET IT DONE!

So I walked around to the first AT&T store I could find... signed in, waited on line for 30 minutes and when I finally got to the counter I was told they didn't have the new iphone in stock. So then I walked back to the apartment to find another store, then went to that one, and they didn't have it either. Walked back to the apartment, found another one, called, they said they had one left, so rushed over there, got lost, and was told the person on the phone lied. NO AT&T stores in Manhattan have the iphone, and the only way to get one was to go to the Apple store, or pre-order online and it would come in 2-3 days. What luck eh?
SO I go to the Apple store. Waiting on line they tell me I can't do anything if I'm not the primary account holder (which I'm not) but I lie through my teeth, give my mom's info as mine, and get through the first screening. After 30 minutes, I my own personal representative to help me out. We pick out the phone, then her computer dies, so I have to wait for another representative. Then get my phone, pick out a case, all that jazz and it takes a while to go through all my information. FINALLY! I'm ready to pay when they say they don't accept gift cards. But the iphone has already been activated and my number and sim card in the phone are active, meaning my phone isn't. So they have to find a manager and buy the iphone with a fake giftcard and fake money, then return it.
So then I go to the nearest AT&T store (20 minute walk away) and decide fine, I'll pre-order it. Sooooooo I wait again and finally get to a representative, and they say I can't upgrade because I just did and now my contract won't expire for another 2 years. I have to explain that I didn't actually and show my receipt and everything and we finally get all set, and the computer crashed. Again! So wait some more for another representative and another computer and go through the whole process again. Time comes to pay and I swipe my gift cards! NO. Because it's pre-order (the only way I can get one with my giftcards...), I can only use one giftcard. Sooo I ask if they can combine all the giftcards into one for me, and they say no because their highest gift card is $100. UGH?! WHAT?!?

By then it's time for rehearsal so iphone struggle on pause for a couple hours. Yay T.A.B!

So after rehearsal I think.... I'll go to the AT&T store, buy $300 worth of random accessories, then return them for cash and pre-order the phone. So I go, and they say you need a credit card to preorder the phone (mine expired like two days ago...). Giving up, I go home! I try ordering online but it says I can't (you can't show a receipt to a computer). So after half a pint of the best ice cream EVER - Ciao Bella Key Lime Graham Cracker gelato, I decide to screw it and go back and just pay without the cards. Jump on my bike and pedal as fast as I can to the Apple store. It's hot as hell and I'm exhausted, but I pedal like nobodys business. Get to the store, jump in line and BAM! They cut the line off RIGHT BEFORE ME! They've sold out for the day.

I just started laughing. Laughing hysterically. Why does Apple and the iphone hate me? It was just not in the cards today.... All day I was hating Manhattan. Crowded, having to walk everywhere, hot, smelly, lines everywhere, so many people.... frustrated.

Then jumping on my bike back home.... looking at the beautiful firey red-orange glowing sunset sinking in the west, the light reflecting off the buildings and seeing all the people gathering for parties in chic west village bars, live music coming from bookshops where people are crowded around drinking wine, everyone enjoying the NYC summer and sigh. Lovely. Just lovely.

Returned home to my beautiful pint of Ciao Bella Key Lime Graham Cracker Gelato :-D