Hi, my name is Tina and I'm an addict.

I have an addiction. An expensive addiction. I love gadgets.

There isn't a new tech gadget that comes out that I don't want. Even when I have absolutely no use for it. Christopher is great about it and let's me indulge myself. This was done with a lot less guilt when I was also working and made more money than he did. Now, I just have to space out my indulgences.

After three weeks of owning my Kindle, I am now officially in love. At first, I was kind of iffy about it because I love real books. Seriously, I love book stores, I love holding books, I love the way they smell, I love collecting them, and I love having them on the bookshelf. I think this also has to do with my addiction to buying things and looking at them. As if owning a bunch of similar things is something of an accomplishment.

But seriously... I love my Kindle. I can't put it down. I love the click sound when I push the button for the next page. I am fascinated with the screen. I take it everywhere with me and I'm ignoring Christopher. He hates it when I read because he's a big baby and wants me to pay attention to him. I try to get him to read but he just falls asleep after the first page. Sometimes, he doesn't even get the book open.

I also love my FlipHD. It is so freakin convenient and it's going to come in handy when Christopher deploys so I can send him clips of the baby. I had to buy it. I had to. I've had it for a month and a half and I haven't really recorded a damn thing but I love it and it's necessary.

Six months ago, I also bought an awesome camera. The Canon Rebel T1i. I had to have it. I mean, we knew we were moving to Germany and we're about to have a baby and seriously, I needed it. I have barely used the damn thing. Nevermind the $650 lens I bought after that and the $350 lens I currently drool over and have sitting in my Amazon cart. And seriously, I love Amazon. WTF. Greatest website EVER.

The iPhone 4. C'mon... I don't even need to explain why that was necessary. So, I only have two contacts. SO WHAT?! It's sad that I actually feel proud of myself for not wanting to buy an equally useless iPad.

We got two new laptops and a desktop at the beginning of this year too. Christopher makes fun of me because I have a "Command Station." I have three external hard drives filled with all sorts of crap, the laptop hooked up to the 42" LCD TV, and all sorts of other shit going on. I'm the one who deals with setting up the electronics in our house. Internet connection won't work? I fix it. Computers acting funny? I handle it. It's frustrating to watch Christopher struggle through it. I can work my way through most computer issues.

You know... getting into IT would have made a lot more sense. But no... I have a BS in Psychology and I'm in my last week of class for my MS in International Relations. I am proof that you can go to school, and still be an idiot. I hate school. I hate the 35K I racked up in student loans. But guess what I'm considering! Getting certs in IT. Yay me! At least now, I'm married to Christopher and can use his GI Bill if I'm stupid enough to really try to get certs with a new baby taking up 100% of my time. Eh... we'll see how I feel after this baby gets here.

Anyway, yay for gadgets!