Giving Birth

I did something I never thought I'd do today.  I gave birth.  Well, not to a bouncing human baby or anything, but rather to a rectangular piece of technology.  Otherwise known as a cell phone.  An Iphone 4 to be exact.

After months of contemplating the inevitable, I decided to join the modern times, abandon my stubborn ways, and purchase this new appendage.

An acquaintance warned me against getting one insisting that it would be the equivalent of  getting a child.  Indeed it is. 

Like a child, I must protect it.  Before leaving the house, I now have to take notice of where my phone is, and bundle it up to take along for the ride.  When it is in my presence, I must always be mindful of where it is, what it is doing.  When it is not in my care, I will, certainly, be wondering what it is doing.

And tonight, while washing dishes, my new "child" cried for me.  I debated whether or not to abandon my household duties to answer its cries, but decided it could wait.  Afterall, I don't want to spoil it, and my dishes had to get clean.

That brings me to my pledge.  I vow to not be a cell phone snob.  I won't make my new phone my priority when I am hanging out with buds.  Certainly I will become adept at hitting the "ignore" button.  My phone will not venture with me on most hikes (or at least be on SILENT) as I want to experience nature without the intrusion of technology.  I vow I will put my physically present friends above my technology texting friends remembering that the texters can wait.  It does not have to be much different than having a land line in that messages can be left, texts can be returned, and there is no law that says a phone MUST be answered (though I think some people believe that law does exist).

Much like a new baby requires an adjustment period, so does this new rectangular child of mine.  For the next few days, I will want it within my sight at all times, be scared to leave it when it comes time to go to work, and be eagerly anticipating  when I can pick it up once again.

Also, like a new baby, It was love at first sight.

Technology and Me

To cell phone or to not cell phone, that is the question.  I am probably one of the last people on this Earth who do not have a real cell phone.  The phone I do have is an embarrassing $10 flip phone on a pay-as-you-go plan.  It runs me about $10 a month, if that.  It suits me just fine and I rarely use it.  However, I am contemplating getting a real cell phone. An IPhone perhaps?

Part of me desperately wants one to join the "in crowd".  To be included in all the texts taking place around me.  To have the ability to check the status of all my friends on facebook no matter where I am.  To get emails almost immediately.  To play games from the comfort of my cozy bed.  To get almost immediate answers to any question I may have just by doing a search from my phone.  You never know when you might need the words to the song played during opening credits of an 80's sitcom. 
 
A bigger part of me wants to be oppositional and refuse to jump on the bandwagon.  Its how I take a stand against what is popular.  I watched Friends in reruns because I didn't want to jump on the Friend's bandwagon, and I am just now starting to get on board the Grey's Anatomy train.  I don't like to do what is popular so I revolt.  Plus, I don't need a smart phone.  Though I know if I do get one, I will love it!  It will likely be a little soul sucking, and though I don't want to be at its every beck and call, I know I would be.  From what I know about the different "apps", I certainly don't have a need, or even a desire, to have any of them.  Or maybe I just don't know about the ones I do need or want.  Ignorance can be bliss.
 
Each day I inch a tiny step closer into caving into cell phone land, but I am not there quite yet.  My prediction is that I will likely have one by the end of the year much to the delight of many of my friends.  That will be the day a small part of me dies.  Die not only from the soul sucking cell phone itself, but also because I gave in to what society deemed as important.