I have a love/hate relationship with my phone.
I kind of treat it like an unwanted child I inherited through strange, fish-out-of-water circumstances. Consider me Kate Hudson in Raising Helen, and my phone Hayden Panettiere and her annoying siblings. Somehow, against everything that’s good in the world, I have a cell phone.
And my friends and family know that I notoriously neglect it. I’ve had possible suitors tell me that I’m frustrating to talk to because I don’t have my phone on me constantly.
However, most recently, on a Saturday night, I experienced a classic sitcom situation: I was invited to two parties in one night. Before you go tattling on me to Mr. Furley, the modern twist was that I forgot my cell phone at home.
Suddenly, the thing I had always neglected was vital. What would I do? How would I get directions to venues? Most importantly, how would I text my friends from the parking lot of a bar to make sure they were there so I wouldn’t have to attempt conversation with strangers?
Then, I reminded myself that humans haven’t always depended on cell phones. Before GPS, people stopped and asked for directions. Before texting, people actually had to call significant others to break up. Before smart phones, people read books at bus stops while quietly hiding their disdain and racism toward fellow riders instead of tweeting about it.
No—I would not let my cell phone scare me into not enjoying a night out!
And I must say, not having a phone added a little excitement to the whole evening, as well as a safety net. Although I did not get intoxicated, should I have partaken in a night of crazy drinking, my phone was nowhere to be found, so I wouldn’t be drunk dialing anyone (e.g., my sister with the topic of who shouldn’t have won the Oscars in 2011). Two, as the only woman in a gaggle of ladies to not have her nose in a phone, I stood out from the crowd and possibly to potential suitors equally as distrustful of technology (e.g., septuagenarians).
It was also exciting to know that I had no back-up plan when it came to figuring out where I was going. I knew the first venue location, but the second one was a mystery that I had to solve based on instinct, craftiness, and simply asking the parking lot attendants for directions. I had to go primitive (think: ’90s) and rely on personal contact.
When I got home later that night, I found my phone on my bed, safe and sound and with no messages, so it’s not like I really even missed “anything.” I may leave my phone at home again sometime soon, so if you call, and I’m not there, I’m not ignoring you. I’m ignoring my phone.
Somehow cell phones became a necessity right up there with food and water. Glad you made it through the trauma ok
I have a nice cell phone that I not only use as my main phone number, but also, on occasion, as a camera and a vehicle for texting my boss when I’m running late for work or going to have to take a sick day.
That said, I HATE phones. I hate long conversations on them. When I get on the phone, I want to get whatever business I have done and get off the damned thing. I carry my cell phone around at all times, but only because you never know when you will need it. Because I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to it, I am one of those people who has to be reminded to turn it off in theaters.
Other gadgets are a different story. I am practically married to my Kindle, and if I had the time I would become a real computer techie.
If you want to keep in touch with me, and at the same time keep my undying affection, the best thing to do is to e-mail me.
… or catch me on Facebook. I do that, too.
I’m always worried my car will break down when I don’t have my cell phone! That’s really the reason I keep one on me. hahaha
I’ve never tried the tablet! I’d probably neglect it, too.
I have a smart phone, but my electronic best friend is my tablet.