One morning not too long ago I left the house to run errands. I had a lot to do and ended up being out and about for almost four hours. When I returned home, the first thing I saw was my cell phone sitting on the table in the den. Although I'd been perfectly fine for several hours without realizing I was de facto incommunicado, the second I realized I had left home without my phone I started panicking in retrospect: what if I'd had an accident? a flat tire? car trouble? lost my purse? fallen down? gotten sick? I had to tell myself to calm down--but I hate being without my phone, even if the sense of security it provides is in part illusory.
Another cautionary tale: one day last year I was alone in the house (my husband and all our kids were out and about). I went into the garage to get some dog food and the connecting door between the house and the garage slammed shut behind me. When I tried to get back in, I discovered the door was locked! I went to a neighbor's house to borrow their phone to call someone to come home and let me in when I realized the only cell phone number I knew was my husband's and he was an hour away! Yes--I'm a terrible mom who doesn't have her kids' cell phone numbers committed to memory. It took quite a while to finally make contact with someone. But at least I hadn't left anything on the stove!
I'm probably too obsessed in the opposite direction as I hardly ever answer my phone, nor did I in the olden land-line days, except when at my job. Fortunately my wife is connected to most everything 8-)
I still use a flip phone, which causes no end of sneers directed toward me in family get togethers. I use it to make actual phone calls and for texting. OK, once in a while I use the calculator. And the alarm... but that's about it.
My 38 year old son, hooked on an iPhone, has developed arthritis and carpal. My wife is glued to her iPhone. I have resolved to be different. Doesn't mean that I am a Luddite.
7 comments:
One morning not too long ago I left the house to run errands. I had a lot to do and ended up being out and about for almost four hours. When I returned home, the first thing I saw was my cell phone sitting on the table in the den. Although I'd been perfectly fine for several hours without realizing I was de facto incommunicado, the second I realized I had left home without my phone I started panicking in retrospect: what if I'd had an accident? a flat tire? car trouble? lost my purse? fallen down? gotten sick? I had to tell myself to calm down--but I hate being without my phone, even if the sense of security it provides is in part illusory.
Particularly if your phone usually resides in your purse.
Yes-- that would be an issue if I'd lost my purse!
Another cautionary tale: one day last year I was alone in the house (my husband and all our kids were out and about). I went into the garage to get some dog food and the connecting door between the house and the garage slammed shut behind me. When I tried to get back in, I discovered the door was locked! I went to a neighbor's house to borrow their phone to call someone to come home and let me in when I realized the only cell phone number I knew was my husband's and he was an hour away! Yes--I'm a terrible mom who doesn't have her kids' cell phone numbers committed to memory. It took quite a while to finally make contact with someone. But at least I hadn't left anything on the stove!
I'm probably too obsessed in the opposite direction as I hardly ever answer my phone, nor did I in the olden land-line days, except when at my job. Fortunately my wife is connected to most everything 8-)
I still use a flip phone, which causes no end of sneers directed toward me in family get togethers. I use it to make actual phone calls and for texting. OK, once in a while I use the calculator. And the alarm... but that's about it.
My 38 year old son, hooked on an iPhone, has developed arthritis and carpal. My wife is glued to her iPhone. I have resolved to be different. Doesn't mean that I am a Luddite.
I'm not THAT obsessed...
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