Welcome to the 21st Century

We interrupt my travels in Shanghai to bring you this breaking news--I purchased an iPhone today. Yes, I broke down and jumped on the smartphone bandwagon. Now perhaps I'll be able to look a little bit less like a tourist, especially when it comes to taking pictures.

I don't have a service plan yet (I'll get one in Xi'an so I can have a Xi'an phone number, and thus avoid the nasty roaming fees I would be charged if I had a Shanghai number), but I have the phone! I still feel slightly odd without a working cell phone within reach though. A sign of the times?
Anyway, here it is, in sleek Apple packaging:

Sitting with my new phone is Jasweck, a sock monkey given to me by my colleagues in Rockford (interesting tidbit: the sock monkey made its U.S. debut in Rockford, IL). His name is made up of the initial letters of my colleagues' first names. He will be appearing in pictures throughout the blog. Keep an eye out for him!