Thank you for all the kind words. I agree that my job first and foremost is to be a parent and teach my children values and that you earn what you have. We do have gaming systems, a couple in fact, along with computers (2) and games for them. But homework and chores are done first, then 30 minutes of time ONLY on one of the games. Time for research on the computer is given, but if you've asked for research or homework time on the computer, I'd better not catch you doing anything else. Though my older kids I did let them IM while doing homework, but by that time the sense that homework or research must be the focus was ingrained. I let my older children, including my daughter, have the buy your minutes cell for the same reason as Linda. My children walked to school, and Tiffy still does, until they could buy their first car. It's a safety precaution. It also allows her to remind me when she's going to be late for one reason or another. But I can't see the reason for a child who does not walk to school to have, at a very young age, a cell phone that they take to school. My 11 yr old knows that despite what his friends have or don't, their parents don't make the rules for our house. I don't let them roam the neighborhood either. They may walk to the park a half block from my house with a friend or sibling, but if I've given permission to go somewhere, that's where they'd better be. I do have fun with and enjoy my children. I don't want to give the wrong message here. But I am their parent first and foremost and a friend secondly. Oddly enough, my older children will discuss anything in their lives with me, including some things that I'd really rather not be privy too in the case of my grown sons. I have a very good relationship with all my children. But they know that I am their parent above all. It's my job to keep them safe and teach them what life is about and I only have about 18-19 years to teach them the things that will shape their lives for, God willing, another 70 -80 years after they are grown. I'm not knocking parents who do allow their young children to have a phone, to each their own and I'm sure you have your reasons. Also not trying to make myself sound like an ogress or "super mom", I'm neither, and just expressing my views on parenting. My children have been my greatest joys, my sanity and insanity and my lifeline through some of the worst times of my life. They, along with my precious husband :), are the focus of everything I do, no matter what it is. Kathy

But I also think there are exceptions to the exception. Like taking a kid to a kid movie? If the whole theater is kids and their parents, I'm much less concerned about the little one sitting still and or being quiet. No one else is, and I fully expect a lot of the leeway that I am giving. Cell phones/laptops are standard business practice at meetings. I cannot see cell phones disappearing at meetings. Cannot. It's only gotten more prevalent over the years, and I think you're trying to fight a rising tide expecting it to be limited to what you find "acceptable". Now none of my associates who would bring a phone to a meeting and read emails before/after a meeting, would bring it to lunch and text all lunch long. Maybe you're not so lucky, and that's the problem? Not here. Honestly, I really don't understand the mindset of the whole cell phones are evil thing. People have always carried on conversations. For some reason, it is absolutely acceptable when the participants are standing nearby, face to face. But put a cell phone in one of the participant's hands and have the other person be somewhere else, and it's evil/wrong/bad manners??? Cell phone conversations being overheard is becoming more acceptable, and less seen as bad manners any more. I never saw it being a problem, except when someone couldn't hear and they were yelling. Which has gone by the wayside too, so maybe that's why it's more tolerated. I truly don't understand cell phones being in business settings as being wrong. Just don't get it. Even if I didn't have a son to watch. I saw colleagues using their phones before I had one and it didn't bother me then. I really am beginning to wonder if this is a generational thing?

I started off something is changing or about to and then you answered that question later in your post -- the providers are outsourcing the towers. It is a cost saving measure -- not only do they put maintenance in the hands of specialists who can work on any provider's towers, they are moving to combining towers so the hardware cost, the land rents, the need for number of people and locations are all reduced as well. Why can you not do the deals directly? Economics. You have one tower. You are inexperienced and are going to be in over your head. They won't want to deal with you on solo terms, They either have to stop and explain everything or you will be run over. It will take them far more time to deal with you than it is worth to them. It is also likely to cost you more time than it is worth to you. A good attorney in a specialized area would be cheap at $500-600/hr and could be $1000/hr or more (top guy -- who probably has associates and paralegals at a lesser rate doing some of the work and also billing). Every time you talk to them, they talk to the tower lawyer, read documents or do any work, you get billed. You would likely burn up years of the rent you are currently getting and it may outweigh the increases they would be offering for years to come. And that's not only the original deal, but wth any questions or problems down the road. My DH was involved in some licensing deals 7 or 8 years ago and they are still dealing with disputes on those. Not using experienced, specialized lawyers who know what issues to spot and forsee would be against your interests. Stupid in laymans terms. But again, it would cost them more money to deal with you as someone outside the game and they might not even talk to you. They have likely set up a system to have all their contracts the same and want to keep it that way for simplicity and efficiency. My guess is that you would get nowhere. They will wait for you to give up and come to them or find another spot and leave you out of the deal. What I would look at is whether you are willing to have the tower on your property for as many years as they need it? Does it limit your use, interfere with anything? Would it prevent you from leasing or selling the property down the road (a buyer might like the income, but depending on their purpose, the tower could get in the way and nix the deal -- but the income might also lessen the interest you have in selling the property). I get the frustration -- you don't seem to know enough to understand what is happening and what it should be worth to you. You want to make sure you get a fair deal. Your negotiation position is limited. I just entered cell tower lease in google and the first hit is for a group that says it works with property owners, government agencies, etc in negotiating leases (steelintheair - I know nothing about them, so proceed with some caution). I'm sure the will want to sign you up and claim a fee or possibly a percentage of the rents you would recieve. You could start with talking to someone there or a similar group. I would expect a strong sell and some pressure to sign up -- not unlike the personal injury lawyers on TV. But stand your ground and get questions answered first and make sure you understand what the will and won't do for you. Read carefully any contract they offer and consider having another attorney look it over to make sure you don't sign away something without realizing it. Know exactly what it is going to cost you to have them represent you and why it would be a benefit over not using them. Perhaps this group or another had contacted you or your neighbor. Compare notes. Your taller tower is likely worth more, so don't focus on dollars so much as concepts and rights in the deal (how add-ons are treated, whether rents increase over the years or with inflation, etc.). Don't be rushed into signing anything. Make sure you understand everything before you sign. Sleep on it, get away from it and make sure you don't have any forgotten or unrealized questions (you probably will at some point -- the pros get into years of disputes because what they thought was clear isn't so clear years later, but you want to minimize those issues). The values aren't likely to decrease in the short term. There is sometimes a premium for the last folks who sign -- but you risk them finding a way to go around you and having nothing at the end of your current term (maybe sooner if there is an out under the current lease). I've just scratched the surface and this is long. Haven't seen or read anything -- can you see why it could cost a small fortune to try to go it alone? On the other hand, for no real time or effort on your part, you could wind up with a nice stream of income -- but it isn't likely to replace your day job. Enjoy it, don't be run over, but don't get thinking greedy if you want to stay in the game. And that's about all I can tell you -- keep in mind I know nothing about any particulars and my answers are intended to be common sense replies to general questions, not particular legal advise. As my mom always said, it may be worth exactly what you paid for it. But I hope it helps at least a bit.

Lilsophie...Nice to see you too. I usually buy my cases on ebay. I actually just received one of the two flip cases I ordered today...just slipped the phone in. Of course the first challenge is not seeing the screen. Most of time I have my phone on silent/vibrate so I rely on visually checking for texts...I supposed I'll have to start keep the volume on. I like ebay because the cases are affordable. I usually look for free shipping and I do the "buy it now" feature vs bidding on items. I find good cases and good prices for the Iphone 6's (daughter has a 6) at TJ maxx and marshalls. Etsy also has cute cases. My phone is the dinosaur of the iPhones now...I plan on upgrading once the new phones come out at the end of the year.