Thursday, October 1, 2009

Baptized by Water and by Fire

As most moms of small children know, cell phones have a short and miserable life in our clutches. I first realized this universal law when Amber was two years old and my prized phone fell out of my pocket and into the tub while bathing the girls. Since I'm too cheap to buy a phone that costs more than $25, I quickly rescued my SIM card and plugged it into a twenty-dollar GoPhone from Walmart.
Adam was kind enough to give me his used Razr when he was eligible for a new, free phone, and that one met its fate one night when it fell into the toilet (yet another bathing-of-the-children incident). You can bet I wasn't going to use that phone again, and luckily I was eligible (finally) for a free phone. I was thrilled to get the updated version of the first phone I had baptized; it's a great model by Sony-Ericsson and it's so green and cute!
Last Thursday as we prepared for cheer class, I repeatedly asked Amber to refrain from filling the bathroom sinks with water. As I picked up the laundry from the bathroom floor, my phone flew out of the pocket of my sweatshirt and right into the full sink. It sank before I could grab it and the malfunctions began immediately.
I quickly removed the battery and SIM card and put the phone in a bowl full of dry rice. 24 hours later, I could receive calls on it, but couldn't use the "back" button. After a few days, it was as good as new and I was so relieved.
Can you imagine my horror when last night, as I washed my hands, my phone jumped out of my sweatshirt pocket and right into the sink again?! What is it with me and phones in bathrooms? I never actually use my phone in the bathroom, so why am I cursed to have it leap from its protected surroundings and into any body of open water?
Panic mode struck as I hurried to disassemble the phone. I remembered that my sister-in-law told me how her sister's Blackberry took a dive in the pool and was resuscitated by a stint in a warm oven. I was so skeptical, but honestly, what did I have to lose at that point? I heated the oven to 200 degrees, made a nice and comfy bed from a cake pan lined with paper towels, and tucked the poor, water-logged body of my favorite phone into its place. I turned off the oven, threw it in, and hoped for the best.
Success! My phone works like a charm, all the buttons have their original functions, and all that's left of the water is a few droplets under the screen. Thank the heavens!

4 comments:

Becky said...

Amazing! You are the one to call if I should ever drop mine into a cell phone eating body of water.

I voted on your names for Max by the way. It's just that all of the other names I've been hearing quite a bit. My cousin named her baby Cash and I heard someone at the Big M calling their child Cash. It's tough when you think the name you give your kid is unique and suddenly you take them to the Nursery and every other kid is named your kid's name! I've actually had no prob. with Reed and Douglas, but Isaacs are EVERYWHERE!

Christina White said...

I have yet to baptize my cell phone, but it doesn't sound fun. Good tip on baking it afterwards though . . . hope it holds up for you!! :)

Deanne said...

Remind me to never let you borrow my cell phone! ;)

Kacey said...

You could be like me and never have your phone on you, miss most of your calls and frustrate your husband til he asks "why do I pay for your phone if you NEVER answer it?" So I can text my friends and coordinate play dates, duh!