Pandora Woes, A Stinky House, and Phone Wars

Here it is, July 30th, just one day shy of a month, and I've officially maxed out my 40 hours of Pandora usage. For those of you who have never used Pandora, it is an internet radio. I have been an avid fan for over two years now.

With the rise in royalty rates, Internet radio companies are beginning to have to adjust the amount of listening they offer for free. Pandora has instituted a 40 hour limit per month before they give you the option of paying $0.99 for the rest of the month or upgrading to Pandora One for $36 annually.

I was fairly certain I'd hit the 40 hour limit. I listen to Pandora quite frequently as I'm working away at my desk. I listen to it at home while I do chores. I was even excited at installing the Pandora app on my iPhone (whenever I get it).

I'm surprised that I lasted almost the entire month. I've really tried to ration my usage, but it's just so hard. Many of my friends and even my own fiance are being babies about the whole thing and switching to Slacker Radio. Lame! You can't even thumbs down songs or shelf them for a month.

I still really dig Pandora. I refuse to pay for it, though. So that's my cunundrum.

Last night, the Hunk and I went to the new house to do some more painting. He had gone the night before to spray some OdorBan stuff he bought to kill the lovely cat piss smell that has permeated every surface in the house. Ripping out the old carpet has helped, but you still get a whif of it every so often. As we walked through the house last night, we didn't smell any cat! Insert dancing banana icon here! However, our happiness was smashed to smitherines shortly after we turned on the air conditioner. The house smells like cat piss. Again. The Hunk and I are very, very discouraged. Our next step is to have all of the ducts cleaned. After that, I may just burn the whole thing down. Nah, just kidding.

The Hunk is up for a possible promotion at work soon. One of the perks would be a company cell phone. He thinks he's going to go with the new Palm Pre. I also get a new cell phone whenever I make up my mind. I am considering going with Apple's iPhone, just to spite the Hunk. Is that terrible? Haha! However, as a long-time self-proclaimed Apple hater, I'm having a hard time taking the plunge. I loved my Treo, but it is dying a slow and painful death. It doesn't ring anymore, nor does it play a notification when I get more than one email simultaneously, which tends to happen a lot when you're in IT. Sigh... poor little Treo. Either one seems like a great option for a multi-tasking fiend such as myself. But yeah, I think there are going to be some major competitions arising if I get the iPhone and the Hunk gets the Pre. I am looking forward to it!

Well, all, I'm off to do some work.

Until next time,
-MFW