My iphone took a swim in my morning coffee that spilled all over it. I tried to rice it...but its dead. My beautiful angel lays still and silent. And because its the 64GB version, I am on backorder for awhile... So if you need to reach me... You might have to... wait for it... be patient. Leave a message. Ill get back to you. I will periodically check my phone messages by dialing in and using my passcode. The year is now 1996 folks. AOL is hogging my landline and leaving a busy signal when you try to call my phone. You might have to hit up my pager. Or leave a message on my home phone with my digital answering machine. I might not get to it until I get home. I cannot tweet, friend, or poke you. I will not immediately pick up, in a frantic manner, to try to solve your problem or chat about that cool YouTube video or your online poll where you discover that you are a treefrog in the animal kingdom. Heck, I dont even think I can get back to you unless I borrow someones phone or find the ever elusive pay phone. But I got to tell you... I like it. I have been really hit with the reality of just how far into the Matrix Ive become... As I wait the 45 seconds for the elevator to come, Im unsure what to do with my hands. As I quickly dash out to grab a bite to eat, I am forced to pay attention to traffic and the world around me. As I drive in my car and stop at a light, there is no pressing information to check on. Now email to which I can respond. When the impulse strikes me to call someone or text someone in a quick moment of freedom to handle a piece of business... I cant do it. I cant text you that Im 5 minutes away, then around the corner, then looking for parking, then at your door. I just have to Listen, Think, Reflect. Existence continues despite me. I am rediscovering some creativity that has been put on the back burner. I am watching myself listen more deeply. To have longer conversations with the people I love. To not feel the compelling need to get back to work. You see, Its a slippery slope. I remember being the person who refused to text and then I did. It became an necessary part of my existence. I remember being the person who refused to get a smartphone... but, again, I capitulated. And now I stand back and reflect on how I have become a part of the Borg (or iBorg) with a smartphone strapped to my head. I watch how nobody looks anybody on the street. People are all walking around staring at phones or in offices counting the moments until they call look at their phones. Its crazy. Madness. Are we any happier? Arent we more wound up and less connected? Who is truly feeling more satisfied with their world? Now I know I am not the first to shake my fist against this tyranny. The self imposed tyranny. (and Im not going to lie to you-childcare coordination has been a challenge.) Doable, but a challenge. I am curious if other people might feel the same....SO to co-opt the recent trend on facebook: I challenge you, Jim Budig, Adam Moore, and Bernadette Acuna to put your phone away for 3 days. Then Tell us what you notice about your life.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:42:30 +0000
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