I know, this puts me in a distinctly fuddy-duddy underclass, but I don't care. When I see people at the grocery store with phone-to-ear deep in conversation about trivialities I feel like asking them, "Why can't you just BE where you ARE?"
Maybe it's the result of my working years when I had to spend a lot of time on the phone, but I don't want the intrusion of phone calls when I'm out and about. There is a certain serenity about being removed from others and free to dwell on the things at hand. I never have to worry about receiving a phone call when I'm driving. I will never have to face the embarrassment of forgetting to turn it off when I'm at a meeting or the fear of forgetting to turn it on and causing concern to family or friends.
Of course, I'm lucky enough that I'm not likely to be needed in any kind of emergency. Sometimes I feel sorry for those who nervously check their cell phone over and over for fear they will miss a call. I'm content to wait until I get home and check my answering machine. This is working for me!
11 comments:
Hear, Hear. Horrible things.
My cell phone lives in the car, the only place I figure I'll ever have an emergency. And I did use it to call 911 when I was rear ended. But only after I put it on the charger and got some juice in it.
Place such as London are now populated by mobile phone zombies - hundreds of thousands of ex-people, all walking with their heads down, thumbing the heck out of their phone. The Human Race is back on its way to all fours again!
Elaine, I fear we are a minority.
Joanne, You brought up another negative thing about the darn things--you have to recharge the batteries all the time!
Owl, It's kinda scary, isn't it? I keep telling my grandkids their thumbs will be worn out by the time they're forty. Mine are painful and I have never even texted.
(I just remembered that my mom used to say grumpy people were "owly", is that an expression you've heard before?)
We travel a lot and, though I don't talk on the phone much, or text much, I'm glad to be able to reach my kids or home if necessary - or to have them be able to reach me.
Hi Ms Sparrow - well, "Grumpy" is certainly in my repertoire: you can't scowl without an owl in there somewhere! Mostly I just do "bemused" and "bewildered".
I take mine on the road with me but rarely use it. I'm back to using a land line at home and love it! It's very liberating and I applaud you for staying cell-free! We've grown all too used to thinking we live in a state of possible emergency.
Linda: It makes a lot of sense to have a cell phone in your circumstances--you don't have to deal with sometimes sketchy telephone service in foreign countries.
Owl: The context of "owly" was "got up on the wrong side of the bed" kind of crabby.
Teresa: There's nothing like a ringing phone to destroy your peace or concentration--even if it's one of the many cute ring-tones available.
Life used to be so simple....look how we've all complicated our lives by adding so much technology to it! You have the right idea toots!
I don't give out my cell phone number, so I never have to answer it. But I can make a call from the road if necessary, and now that I have an iPhone I can use it for other purposes (like finding a Home Depot or reading blogs). I absolutely agree that we do not need to be perpetually linked together. P.S. My mom used the term "owly" all the time.
I don't have a cell phone either. Awful things.
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