Dancing through life...

I am getting a new cellular on April the 26th.

We have AT&T, and I definitely want a phone with a QWERTY keyboard.

I'm thinking of getting the Palm Centro in ice blue. Right now, it's thirty dollars after rebates and all that jazz.

I played with a display model in Best Buy a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't an actual functioning phone so I didn't get to mess about with the features, but I'm fine with the size of the phone and the buttons.

It has gotten fairly decent reviews, but I want to know a couple of things.

The AT&T site doesn't mention anything about MP3 ringtone capability. I love using my Beatles and Fraggle Rock MP3's as ringtones, so that's something I'd like to know about.

There's also no mention of data plans in conjunction with that phone on the AT&T site. It's brought up in one of the reviews, though. I don't want to have to pay extra every month for a data plan that I probably won't end up taking advantage of.

Anyone have any knowledge of this phone? (I'm looking at YOU, RadioShack people!)

I just ordered my KitchenAid Artisan Stand mixer from Le Gourmet Chef!

Ever since Rich and I started talking about moving in together, I've had my heart set on getting one of those. We moved in November, and I hadn't been able to justify spending the money.

Until now!

My mother, who is the most AWESOME shopper I have ever met, discovered that Le Gourmet Chef sells refurbished KitchenAid mixers on their website. I looked in to it, and it has the same exact warranty as a brand new model, but for HALF the price. Plus, right now they're having free shipping on orders of fifty dollars or more.

I was planning on (eventually) spending about two hundred forty dollars on the mixer at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but for about one hundred eighty dollars I got the mixer, and a SilPat that will fit in my oven!

The e-mail I just got says it will be here before next Tuesday!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Now I just need some better cookie cutters, and I'll be set!

Mom, Rich, and I are going to Washington DC in July. There is a baby panda at the National Zoo. I wish to photograph the little mite with my super spiffy camera, but alas, the standard lens, while sufficient for every day use, is not as super-spifftastic as I wish it to be for animal photography. (ie, I can't get really close to the baby panda, but I want good shots.)

So I did some research, and came to the conclusion that I'd be spending about three hundred dollars on a telephoto zoom lens. After further research, I decided on this lens. Nothing too fancy, since I don't have a whole lot of experience with zoom lenses.

I found it for two hundred twenty dollars at CompUSA, available immediately. Staples had it for two hundred with free shipping, and I happened to have access to a twenty dollar off coupon. Problem was, they didn't have it in stock, and they couldn't tell me when they'd be able to get it to me. Unacceptable!

So I did a Froogle search, and found this place, where it was about one eighty. Problem is, they charge twenty bucks for shipping.

Enter Mommy. Mommy not only found it for one hundred forty four dollars here, but she ALSO found a ten dollar rebate from Canon! So I'm spending roughly HALF of what I originally planned on spending!

Since I saved so much money, I also picked up one of these babies, so my nose doesn't smudge up my LCD screen any more. When you add in a lens cleaning kit and shipping, my total STILL came to less than the lowest price I found for just the lens!

The website I ordered from has gotten great reviews, and they're located in Edison. My new toys should be here by Wednesday, at the latest. (Damn federal holiday...)

Now I just need to find a camera bag that will fit my camera and the extra lens, and I'm golden.

I must have Mommy teach me the ways of the Bargain Hunting Ninja. I have much to learn...