I can't remember when I got my first smart phone, but I went through two Blackberry's, a Samsung and a Motorola Droid. The apps and features just kept getting better and more addictive. I loved reading my email...I loved talking my texts...using it to check in at the airlines....the Northwest app was great...I loved reading the New York Times....looking for restaurant reviews.....I totally relied on the excellent GPS....I would look up JoAnne Fabrics coupons as I walked in the door...
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| This is a seriously cool piece of technology....life changing.... |
Oh, yeah, I completely understand the benefits...AND I LOVED IT.
SO WHY DID I GET RID OF IT?? At some point, the HATE overwhelmed the LOVE.
Of course, I hated the BILL every month for the data plan. That was annoying.
But mostly, I hated the behavior, the addiction, and the rudeness.
This has become a serious issue in today's world. I can remember when people used to TALK TO each other -- in doctor's offices, waiting rooms, airports -- NOT ANY MORE...we're all absorbed by our cellphones. There is no interaction. Ever.
One of my particular pet peeves is when I see young parents playing on their phones and completely ignoring their children. I've witnessed this behavior in restaurants, in parks, at McDonald's, at the Children's Museum, the library, while driving a car...IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE....All the time. In every city and town in America.
How about this? TURN YOUR PHONE OFF WHENEVER YOU ARE IN THE VICINITY OF A REAL PERSON...ugh...
The truth is, I was falling into some addictive behavior myself. If I had a spare minute any where, any time, any place -- I was checking my phone. For what? Like most people -- the stuff I was looking at was garbage. Absolute. Total. Garbage. For example -- Facebook postings of pictures of meals being eaten by people I barely know?? Or yet another email from a Mexican Viagra pharmaceutical company.
The stuff that was coming to me via my SMART phone was really, at the end of the day, completely STUPID....and a total waste of time. My time. Your time. EVERYBODY'S TIME...
WHAT ARE WE DOING, PEOPLE??
And if you are playing GAMES on your smartphone -- you are missing your real life.
Last spring, I was sitting in the waiting room of Lilly's dance studio. There were two Grandmothers and four young Moms. I had a lovely conversation with the other Grandma. But the four Moms were all on their phones. Emma (3 years old) was having a hard time. She started to cry, and the teacher sent her to the the wall. Emma totally melted down. Crying, she kept looking towards her Mom. Who was sitting right next to me -- playing Angry Birds on her phone. She was so involved in the game -- her child's crying did not register. Long minutes passed....Another Mom poked her -- and when Emma's Mom finally looked up, she said, (very annoyed) "what happened?"
I'm thinking, ""your daughter realized 5 minutes ago that a meaningless video game is more important to you than she is." THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, YOU IDIOT.
I wanted to stand up and scream: YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
Clearly, if I'm going to judge -- AND I AM -- I need to put my money where my mouth is. Or rather, I need to NOT put my money where the smart phone is...
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Next Saturday, I'll give you an update...
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