Still sick, but now i'm buying stuff

Amplifying my viola has never been easy. a) I am poor because I eat and drink too much b) i am a moron when it comes to electronics and even a bigger moron when it comes to sound electronics - see? i said "sound electronics." But thanks to savvy folks around me - band mates, I've purchased my second gadget- a pre-amp (my first gadget was my $90 pickup, some 8 years ago). I'll be able to control volume and hopefully have no more feedback. Also, it'll be tastefully clipped to my belt. Like Batman. Here are some relevant pictures: