I finally did it. For a month or so (maybe less, I don't know) my iPhone has had that little update reminder that there was an operating system upgrade available.

I just didn't think I could do it - it needed 2.9 GB of memory to do the upgrade, and I had something like 400 MB free.

But Monday night I had some time on my hands, so I took a stab at clearing some memory and doing the upgrade.

Allow me to take you through the process.

Monday, 8:30pm - I sit down to watch Monday Night Football. I have the Vikings +3.5 in my football pool. If they cover, and the total points in the game ends up at 45 or under, I'll win some money. I had planned on going to bed early, but this is very exciting for me.

Monday, 9:30pm - My wife gets back from tutoring. I thought she was coming back at 9pm, so I waited for her for pie. (Pies on the Common!) 9:30's a little late for pie, but in a close, three-point game, I'm in for the long haul with football tonight. So apple pie at 9:30 it is. We also watch How I Met Your Mother at halftime. There were a couple of laughs Monday, but it has not been a strong final season so far for that show.

Monday, 10:15pm - I move up to the bedroom for the second half. "Let's see if I can't clear some of the memory off my phone," I think to myself. I analyze the amount of memory taken up by certain apps. Good-bye Shazam, which I never use. Good-bye AOL Radio and Pandora, also unused. Good-bye Beat the Streak app. (Don't worry - I'll download you again in April.) Good bye, NHL GameCenter. Maybe I'll download you again if the Rangers decide to show up this hockey season.

Monday, 10:20pm - I swear to you, I've tried this before and it's never worked. I knew the key to clearing iPhone memory was to get rid of some of the music on my phone. Then I swiped and the 'delete' button appeared. That's never happened before. I rationalized that I had all of this music on my computer and could always add it later again. I got rid of The Beatles catalog. (I like The Beatles, but I rarely listen to them on the iPhone.) Other albums I've never listened to or that I skip when they come up on random were gone. Now we were cooking. I went over to the videos app and realized there was a lot of memory dedicated to videos. I watched the video for Matchbox Twenty's She's So Mean (I didn't realize I had it - it's a good video...and a great song), and then deleted all of the videos. I watched the available memory increase, all the way up to 2.9 GB.

Monday, 10:30pm - I set the alarm on my phone for 5:15am.

Monday, sometime between 10:30 and 11pm - I began to update the software.

Monday, 11:11pm - The Giants pull away from the Vikings in the most terrible Monday Night Football game ever. I will not win any money. I go to bed, with my phone plugged in and updating.

Then, in a panic, I realize that I don't know if my alarm will go off after the update. I check the phone, it looks like it's still set.

Monday, 11:45pm - I wake up from my half-sleep panicked. I check the phone. Still looks like the alarm is set, but the update is not complete.

Tuesday, 4am - I wake up from my full-sleep in a panic. I check the phone. The alarm is still set. The update is done.

Tuesday, 5:15am - I wake up to my alarm. Throughout the day I find New Things all over the phone. I heard the new system drains the battery, but mine didn't. Which is good, since I can't figure out how to close any apps. I have to adjust to the new look of the texts and the new look of e-mail. And there are new graphics I need to work with.

But - here's the best thing - after the upgrade, I still have 2.9 GB of memory on my phone.

Someone's about to go on a new app-downloading spree.

Or at least I'll put some music back on my phone.