I Could (Have) Be(en) a Winner!

FM Talk 101.1 ran a contest this week for an Apple iPhone. Be the 20th caller after you hear the Apple noise, and you get entered into a raffle for the iPhone. . . a $600 value. The iPhone is the latest/greatest cool new geek toy that saw thousands of people lining up outside of Apple stores for hours or days in advance of last week's on-sale date.

I was the 20th caller.

There was one entrant per hour of the show, on each of four days, so there were sixteen total entrants. One in 16. . . not bad odds.

On Friday near the end of the show, they took the 16 preliminary entrants, and eliminated eight of them.

I was not eliminated.
My odds were now one in eight.

Later, they eliminated four of the eight remaining.

I was not eliminated.
My odds were now one in four.
I have a 25% shot at an iPhone.

Later, they eliminated two of the four.

They called my name, adding insult to injury by mispronouncing it in the process. (Come on, it's a four-letter, one-syllable name!)

I was eliminated.
My odds are now zero in . . . . . whatever.

I had big, non-specific plans for that iPhone. I wasn't going to activate it, as the minimum service plan is $60/month, which is $15/month more than what I'm currently paying for two phones. I could give it to Jennifer for her birthday. That would be a pretty sweet gift. We could hack it, and just use it as an iPod and wireless web browser. That would be pretty cool. I could auction it on eBay, and use the proceeds to buy my next camera, or maybe swap it with someone for something.

My iNtentions have fallen to the floor.