iPhones an investment? Not so much!

It's rather ironic that I am writing an opinion piece about technology on a website that more or less is a byproduct of our dependence on all things new, but websites are easily changed, refreshed, and updated. iPhones will be updated, they will be changed, and they will be updated, but in case you didn't realize when you plucked the $500 down for a new one with the smaller memory version; yours will not fit that bill.
Phones of any sort, be it a regular camera phone, PDA, or smart phone are not investments in the traditional sense. An investment is something we put money towards to have an impact on our future. A lot of time there is risk involved. Sure, for those who want to be hip and in the now, buying an iPhone is a great investment in today, but do you really need it? Do other phones do almost, it not all the same things? Are those phones cheaper to buy? What do you do next year when the cost of your iPhone is down to $250 and the new one on the market has a new feature and will run you $600?
Having the newest and the best innovations is great, but sometimes it's good to know when something has long-term value. People get into a pattern of always buying the newest, cutting edge items, when they really should be buying something more practical and putting the rest of the money towards better use.
For example, I'm willing to bet that almost every, if not all, the people who bought iPhone, already have a nice cell phone with Bluetooth and internet capability. Furthermore, I bet these same folks have iPods. No, not the Nano, but the ones with the bigger screen and the loaded memory. Additionally, I'm willing to bet that both of these work perfectly fine, despite being separate devices. Now how about you take the $500-$600 dollars and either allocate that towards your 401K, IRA, or through it into a mutual fund. Then wait a year. Your devices will still probably work just as well, but you'll have made an investment that has yielded you something for the future. Women may not be swarming to see your new iPhone, but did you really think they would anyway? Bottom line; if you have the money to throw around, go ahead and buy one. It will still be a poor investment, but will not have the same economic impact that these have on most of their buyers.

Beer League

Spring in Maine means many things to many people. As snow-covered hills turn to mud and later to lush green grass, people search for what it is about the season that makes them happy. Thousands of people take late afternoon walks, some take trips, many get out the golf clubs and hit the links, others find ample time to plant flowers, and then there are those that take part in a true rite of spring – corporate softball leagues. Let’s not confuse the corporate part of the name; these leagues are the great American past time known fondly as “beer leagues.”

For me, it had been more than seven years since I had taken part in such a program, but when called upon several weeks ago, I couldn’t resist. The beer, not so much, but beer league softball is something everyone should try. Last night, my team, Know Skils, took on the aptly named Team 7. While my teammates and I had yet to taste victory this season, the variety of beers, burgers, and laughs have been innumerable.

True, there are some who really take this league seriously and scoff at those of us who get excited by scoring a couple runs or perhaps laugh when we fall on out butts, but by-in-large, everyone is out for fun. It’s a nice Monday evening reprieve from the confines of the office place and an opportunity to bond with co-workers while forgetting all about the work that will always be there on our desks the next day.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Know Skils took the field with a 1-run lead. Sure, we laughed as loudly as ever before, but in truth, we were 3 short outs from win number one. Despite a commensurate number of beer cans in out players’ hands as softball gloves, we staved off our newfound foes and lamented our place in the standings – just one game out of the cellar. So if you get the chance, grab a bat and head out with your friends after work. Get the grill going and start telling lies. It’s beer league season when good times are had by all, even if you don’t drink beer.