Unlike many people, I don’t use a smartphone (I’ve got a tablet). In fact, it wasn’t until 2006 that I got around to even getting a cellphone. I’ve been using no-contract (Tracfone) flip phones ever since (well, the first one was a Nokia candy bar). I have found it useful to have one, particularly at night, since I can put it on the bedside table and Mom can call me if she needs something.

Last night she tried to call me and the call went straight to voice mail. I’ve never run this phone down to even a low battery, so this struck me as odd. However, I didn’t know what else to do so I plugged it in to charge, and it told me it was doing so. A little while later it told me the battery was full. Yeah, well, then why aren’t you showing me the home screen? And why when I call you does the call go straight to voice mail?

Today I went out looking for a replacement battery. The one the nearest battery place had in stock was $37 for one with a lifetime guarantee. I said, “Nah. Not when I can buy a new flip phone for $15.” So that’s what I did. Unfortunately Tracfone hasn’t yet figured out how to transfer its customers’ phone contact data from an old phone to a new one, so now I have to re-key those numbers in to the new phone. Fortunately I don’t use the thing much so I only have about a dozen numbers to enter.

Oh, and it was raining the whole time I was out looking for phones and batteries. Bleah.