I broke my iPhone yesterday.
Don’t be deceived by the smile. This is just me trying to be a good sport. I’m not happy. (Photo: Fiver Löcker)
I dropped the phone during an Instawalk. Last weekend, the people at Instagram challenged Instagrammers all over the world to meet up locally and walk together. It went without saying that the Instagram groups from Joburg (@IGersJozi) and Pretoria (@IGersPretoria) would get together and do a walk, as we do on most Sunday afternoons.
Sunday’s walk — which went through Braamfontein and Newtown — was special, and we had an extra good turnout. When we reached the graffiti walls in Newtown just before sunset, we decided to take a group “jumpstagram”. While jumping we would throw colored powder left over from the weekend’s Holi One festival.
As I tried to juggle my phone and grab a handful of orange powder, the phone crashed to the pavement.
The shot below (on the top left of the frame) is what caused the demise of my phone.
I’m on the far right of the powder-throwing shot. The picture, shot by @miklasmanneke, was featured by Instagram today in their weekend round-up, which is a really big deal. Yay for us.
Yesterday’s Instawalk was really fun, as our Jozi Instawalks always are. Even after the phone-shattering calamity I managed to stay relatively upbeat. But when I woke up this morning I felt pretty depressed. I had been hoping it was all a bad dream and my phone wasn’t broken after all. But there it was, alarm chiming, staring me in the face. The phone still works fine but the front glass is a precarious web of cracks.
Then I saw this video. And everything was okay again.
Video courtesy of garethpon.com.
I don’t want to explain what the video is or why I’ve played it 20 times today. Just watch, please. It sums up everything I love about Instagram and everything I love about Joburg. It also features me and my phone.
The video was created and edited by Gareth Pon, with help from Miklas Manneke and Brad Roberts. It’s featured today on Instagram’s blog, which is also a really big deal.
The friends that I’ve made through Instagram mean more to me than they realize. They’re mostly guys, mostly much younger than me, and to be honest we don’t have much in common. But they’ve welcomed me into their group and let me in on their inside jokes. They’ve given me the chance to act silly and ridiculous, which is something I desperately need in my life right now. They’ve also taught me a lot about making good pictures.
I’m grateful to have found these friends and I’m grateful to Instagram for helping me find them.
Okay, that’s enough sap for one evening.
Here are a few of the Instagrams I shot over the weekend, on Sunday evening’s walk and on a sunrise walk that we took on Saturday morning.
Sunrise at Custom House, an abandoned building in the Jozi CBD.
Another view from Custom House.
Saturday morning traffic in the CBD.
Graffiti in Newtown, Sunday afternoon.
Instagram friends, old and new.
Cranes over the city.
Nelson Mandela Bridge, where our Sunday walk started and ended.
In summary: We had a great weekend of Instawalking in Jozi, culminating in a fantastic and inspiring Instagram video. However, my phone is still broken and I am broke.
I am open to suggestions on what to do about this phone problem. To be honest, I’m hoping an important person from Instagram will read my post, see my sad face on the video, and take pity on me. Whaddaya say, Instagram? Got any extra iPhones laying around? I will patiently await your response.
Oh I do feel for you Heather! Sorry, I”m broke too, but I’m sure there’s a kind person out there who’ll be a benefactor 🙂 Yep, you’ve been getting the ‘therapy’ you needed, goodonyermate! 🙂
Yep, Instagram is good therapy. Albeit a bit addictive.
Wish I could help! Someone will. And I love the video, especially the baby!
I know, that baby is awesome. So are his parents!
Loved the video and sorry about your phone.
Thanks Gail!
I feel your pain Heather.
I was given a hand-me-down iPhone a couple of weeks ago after having smashed my GalaxyS before Christmas and making do with an ancient, crappy Samsung for about three months since. I was really happy to have a smart phone again, but only three days after getting it my cat was having a very early morning drink from my (or his) water next to my bed and swept the phone of my bedside table and onto the floor and the screen took on a spider’s web appearance that is even worse than yours. I was really pissed off and like you I woke up in the morning hoping it had all been a dream but alas….no. I couldn’t afford to get it fixed but it still worked and so to keep it all together I covered the screen with one of those sticky screen covers you can buy (I actually cut one out of an iPap cover I had lying around) and it’s been fine ever since. In fact, it has taken on a sort of post-apocalyptic appearance and lots of people comment on how cool it looks. The camera works perfectly. I will get if fixed eventaully but for now it is fine.
If you really want to zoot your phone up why don’t you try this:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/making-the-best-of-a-broken-iphonereddit-178982
Richard, that is a very sad story. Sadder than mine! I like the broken phone decoration link — thanks for sharing. If another solution does not present itself I plan to do exactly what you did.
Oh, I meant to say that the pics are great. 🙂
Brilliant, makes you want to run out and take pics…
Thanks, I’m glad the post makes you feel that way 🙂
Brilliant 🙂
Hi there. When is the next Instawalk? I would love to go. Based on your pics and Gareth’s video, it looks like incredible fun. Love your blog as always.
Hi Lee, we’re having a walk in Irene on 28 April. You’re on Instagram, right? You should follow @igersjozi and @igerssouthafrica for updates on when the walks are. Hope to see you there!
Love the video and im very sory for your phone ma”m.
Thanks Uapindika! I hope you’re well.
very cool video and catchy toon adds to it
Thanks 🙂