I think often about appropriate use of my cell phone. The topic seemed especially poignant when I switched over to an iPhone, a heart-breaking technological change in 2012. (Yes, I realize this was roughly five years after everyone else.)
The switch to iPhone
My beloved Droid 3 had finally broken beyond repair. I strolled to the Verizon store on 3rd Avenue, convincing myself that change was good. The panic welling was the same as when I was five and my parents would decide to “upgrade” our refrigerator. I still have an old-dog eared picture of my tearful, scraggly five-year-old self next to my cherished, ancient refrigerator during our lengthy goodbye.
The nice salesman at the Verizon store was very patient. He explained at least 3 times that they no longer sold a hybrid keyboard/touch screen phone (gone the way of the Blackberry). He used slightly different language in each explanation, clearly hoping to get through to me.
I walked out after a lengthy retail-based therapy session with an iPhone 5, feeling like a woman of the future.
I plugged my phone into my computer. Then, I took a panoramic photo. I iMessaged. I FaceTimed. After about fifteen minutes, I became a gleeful member of the iPhone-Steve-Jobs-emoji-alphabet-cult.
For years I have used my phone for everything from calendar reminders to delightfully in accurate Fitness Pal logs to companionship. In light of the new iPhone 6S-Plus-super-star-rose-gold-whatever with the weird big brother camera, I have been reflecting on my existence as A Person with A Mobile Phone.
Appropriate Use of my Cell Phone
I think my cell phone causes some stress in my life. It’s time to find the balance between “I-need-my-phone-to-communicate-with-others” and “I-need-my-phone-in-my-hand-at-all-times-incase-something-interesting-happens-on-Instagram”. First, I am going to keep my phone an airplane mode during the day. I work, frantically, for 10 hours a day. Anything happening on my whatsapp/iMessage/personal email is not necessary. Second, I am not going to use my phone while I’m walking. I think this will have a direct effect on my observational abilities as well as general friendliness and not walking things. Third, I am deleting Facebook. Again.
Not Instagram. Obviously.
Thanks to Oleg Magni for the banner photo. Check out their work on Unsplash.