Cell Phones, Pain or Pleasure??
I know that cell phones are so important for so many people. I wonder how we ever got along without them? It's pretty amazing to me how many people have them. Even people I know that say they would not have a computer, but they love their cell phone. I personally think cell phones are a mixed blessing. They can be bad, but then they can be good. First of all let me say that I do have a cell phone but I never turn it on unless I'm going to use it to call someone when I'm in my car, which is about once or twice a year, more or less. I have one of those where you pay so much for the minutes. They always expire before I go out and get more added on.I think cell phones are great when you are traveling and so handy to have if you need them.
I know many people use them with their jobs. If I were working outside the home and had a job, when I get off work I would not want anyone calling me about work. But that's just me. Recently I was at a restaurant and there were 3 men in one booth. They were all talking on their cell phones at the same time. I sat there and wondered if two of them might be talking to each other! Then there was a man that came in with his wife and two little girls. He came in the door talking on his cell phone. If the little girls got too chatty their mother shussed them and said, "Daddy is on the phone." He continued to talk until their meals were brought. I saw a young lady at the grocery store and she was talking and I thought she was talking to me at first. She was bent down getting something off the bottom shelf and then I noticed she had a wire going up to her ear and she had the little "look Mom, no hands" unit attached. Again, maybe this is just me, but if I'm grocery shopping I do not want to be bothered. If you are in a meeting or out with friends to eat I think the cell phones should be turned off. Who wants to eat with a friend when that friend spends half the time talking to someone else?? How rude is that? Oh sure, if Aunt Martha is in the hospital and she might die anytime and you need to be informed then certainly leave it on. That is different.
This past Christmas my nephew and his family went to Gatlinburg for a few days. They were to return on Christmas Day. He is very close to his parents (my brother and wife). They talked to them on Saturday morning but after that they did not hear from them. On Sunday evening I talked to my SIL and she said they were a little concerned because they had not heard from them and could not get in touch with either one of them. She said he would always call them back on his cell phone after he had seen they had tried to call. Then on Christmas afternoon my brother called me and he was frantic. They still could not get in touch with them and they had not called in and it was Christmas Day! He said he knew that he would call on Christmas Day and that he just knew something had happened. I told him if there had of been an accident that the authories would have gotten in touch with them. He said, "Not if they ran off a mountain or something down there and no one saw it!!" He wanted me (who has a key to my nephew's home) to go over there and look for addresses and phone numbers of her sisters and anyone, in case they had gone somewhere else. I did and found some numbers. Thank God the address book was right in the drawer below the telephone and I didn't have to search high and low (which I didn't want to do). Then I called my brother with the numbers I found. By this time I was getting worried. I knew it had been foggy here on that Saturday morning and with the mountains in TN it probably had been worse and maybe they could have run off a mountain! Their fear was feeding my fear!! I sat there at his house and waited about 15 minutes and called my brother back. He said that his DIL had finally called and they were on their way home. Relief flowed through me. Then I thought, this could have all been avoided if there were no cell phones! They had been out hiking, in the rain, on a trail and could not get a signal that morning. As soon as she got to where she could get a signal she had called. Thank God she called or I think my brother would have had been on his way to TN to start looking over every mountain!
I know many people use them with their jobs. If I were working outside the home and had a job, when I get off work I would not want anyone calling me about work. But that's just me. Recently I was at a restaurant and there were 3 men in one booth. They were all talking on their cell phones at the same time. I sat there and wondered if two of them might be talking to each other! Then there was a man that came in with his wife and two little girls. He came in the door talking on his cell phone. If the little girls got too chatty their mother shussed them and said, "Daddy is on the phone." He continued to talk until their meals were brought. I saw a young lady at the grocery store and she was talking and I thought she was talking to me at first. She was bent down getting something off the bottom shelf and then I noticed she had a wire going up to her ear and she had the little "look Mom, no hands" unit attached. Again, maybe this is just me, but if I'm grocery shopping I do not want to be bothered. If you are in a meeting or out with friends to eat I think the cell phones should be turned off. Who wants to eat with a friend when that friend spends half the time talking to someone else?? How rude is that? Oh sure, if Aunt Martha is in the hospital and she might die anytime and you need to be informed then certainly leave it on. That is different.
This past Christmas my nephew and his family went to Gatlinburg for a few days. They were to return on Christmas Day. He is very close to his parents (my brother and wife). They talked to them on Saturday morning but after that they did not hear from them. On Sunday evening I talked to my SIL and she said they were a little concerned because they had not heard from them and could not get in touch with either one of them. She said he would always call them back on his cell phone after he had seen they had tried to call. Then on Christmas afternoon my brother called me and he was frantic. They still could not get in touch with them and they had not called in and it was Christmas Day! He said he knew that he would call on Christmas Day and that he just knew something had happened. I told him if there had of been an accident that the authories would have gotten in touch with them. He said, "Not if they ran off a mountain or something down there and no one saw it!!" He wanted me (who has a key to my nephew's home) to go over there and look for addresses and phone numbers of her sisters and anyone, in case they had gone somewhere else. I did and found some numbers. Thank God the address book was right in the drawer below the telephone and I didn't have to search high and low (which I didn't want to do). Then I called my brother with the numbers I found. By this time I was getting worried. I knew it had been foggy here on that Saturday morning and with the mountains in TN it probably had been worse and maybe they could have run off a mountain! Their fear was feeding my fear!! I sat there at his house and waited about 15 minutes and called my brother back. He said that his DIL had finally called and they were on their way home. Relief flowed through me. Then I thought, this could have all been avoided if there were no cell phones! They had been out hiking, in the rain, on a trail and could not get a signal that morning. As soon as she got to where she could get a signal she had called. Thank God she called or I think my brother would have had been on his way to TN to start looking over every mountain!
posted by Rachel at 4:33 PM
25 Comments:
Rachel!!! I must scold you here. I started out reading your small rant on cell phones (of which I agreed with most of what you said) and then suddenly you get me wrapped up in a thriller. I wanted to skip to the end to see how it came out. My life doesn't need more drama right now. But thanks for getting my heart to racing before bedtime.:)
I'm glad they were ok.
I don't like cell phones. And I don't have one.
But I do borrow one when I take trips..
Well like most everything. Cellphones have their advantages and disadvantages. At first I didn't want a cellphone too, but I found it very handy when you go out shopping or a certain place where there are no phones. Very handy when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
Thanks for stopping by.
I have a cellphone but like you I only use it for emergencies. I buy the minutes once a year. I agree they should not be used in a restaurant or the grocery store and I might add in a movie theater. My husband gets livid when he sees people using them while driving.
I am so glad your nephew was okay. You had me on the edge of my seat there.
You can't look to an old book and study cell phone etiquette. They are making some laws when they realized talking on the phone can distract people from paying attention while driving. I have trouble with the people who are rude with them. There is a time and place for them unless it is an emergency. I had not gone out in years, I mean years, and went to see a comedian perform live and the person in front of me was answering their cell phone, call after call. I was very aggravated and considered that rude. It was obvious the calls were just idle chit chat. They do come in handy for emergencies and such but I think some people are taking it to far like the people having dinner and talking on the phone.
You got me going..sorry..
Have a wonderful day!
*^_^
(=':'=) hugs
(")_ (")Š from
the Cool Raggedy one
I could have written the first part of this. I cannot believe the level of rudeness that cell phones have brought to this world. My pettest peeves are driving and talking, businessmen in airport thinking their business is something everyone wants to hear, cell phones in restaurants, in CHURCH (forgetting to turn them off), and students (I work at a university) walking down the sidewalk four abreast, each one talking on a phone to someone else. YUCK!! I wish they'd never been invented. We truly got along fine before we knew they were possible. Sorry, didn't mean to rant.
Thanks for stopping by today!
Well, I'm glad that story had a happy ending.
I'm one of the ones who has become more dependent on a cell phone. I have to run after grandkids who have after school activites (that get out at unusual times, and I'm trying to keep after the needs of my Grandpa who is in Hospice. Sometimes I need to reach family members who are scattered to update them.
I don't love cell phones but they are part of me life right now anyway..
:)
I understand what you are saying! It's true that we used to not be in touch every minute of every day. But, I do like having my cell phone. I don't use it often, but I sure like having it.
It's an old joke, but this has happened to me: A woman in the next public bathroom stall said, "What are you doing?" I was shocked, and I replied, "Huh?" She didn't reply to me, but she continued talking and it hit me that she was on her cell phone. Ewwwww....who makes phone calls while on a toilet, public or otherwise. People! Get over yourselves. You are not that important.
kdmaprmdI know what you mean about cell phones! I don't have one but my kids do. My son is going crazy right now because his went thru the washer and dryer! He can't get any of his phone numbers because they were all in the phone!I'm sure glad everything came out all right!
That was a thriller, Rachel. It was skillful how you baited us with the whole cell phone phenomenon. Nice job.
I've had a cell phone for about 4 years now and only turn it on when I'm travelling. I don't use it for any other purpose. I really dislike being in a restaurant and hearing cell phones ringing and then loud conversations over the phone. These days, though, it seems no matter where you look, people are walking around with a cell phone at their ear!! Thank God your nephew was ok, it's no wonder everyone was getting worried about them! Hugs xoxo
Um, I love my cell phone. I'm a multi-tasker so it comes in handy. Great to track down my kiddos too. I'm a newbie to your blog. It's been fun reading.
I so agree with you Rachel...I personally think the whole Cell Phone/I Pod/Computer/ (what's next a stove???) Has gone completely out of whack! When people cannot just be with another person or two without checking their Cell phone or "Texting" someone, etc....we are in trouble. Whatever happened to intimate conversation? Dinner for two or three or four....not 15 other people not even there with you????
And you are so right about your Nephew and his wife and your brother. If no one had cell phones there would have been NO expectation of a phone call...!
I, like you, have a cell phone for "emergemcy's", in the car...itr is never on unless I need to call someone and I don';t even know my own cell phone number!
What did we do before cell phones? We got along just fine.
No question they are invaluable in an emergency IF you can get a signal. BUT, I do not get this pathological NEED to be in touch with everyone every minute of every day....Do people have that ear thingy in theor ears while they sleep??? OY!
Hi Rachel, you outlined my reason for having and method of using a cellphone (called a mobile phone here) perfectly.
My daughter and son in law, who farm for a living, use their multiple phones constantly to run their business eficiently
so it's a "horses for courses" situation.
Glad to read the drama worked out OK.
Hello Rachel -- We have had that several years ago around here with the cells.
Now I think nothing of putting it on the table when I'm at a restaurant.
I don't get many calls but if I do, I answer. Mrs. Jim says I am talking too loud, but I have trouble hearing with all the restaurant noise. She is a little old fashioned too.
Twenty years ago I had a routine for drivers with the cell phones. Now I am one.
It all will catch up with you.
Being rude is relevant you know.
..
I know you are correct Rachel. I agree with every word you wrote here.
Hate is a word we use far too often, but I HATE cellphones...until the time I need mine in an EMERGENCY and then, it's a GODSEND. I have an emergency cell phone that I keep in my car...that's IT. I call it an emergency cell phone because that's what it is.
Well! Hey! I didn't care much for the regular land line we had in our house for most of my life. Still, there is a time when communicating MUST be done. As a society, we do not have a clue as to when that IS. It's as if we have a pandemic of tourette's telephone syndrome.
I don't think we should expect it to get any better any time soon, in fact...I expect it will grow worse and worse until we discover without a doubt that it causes brain cancer and then, most won't care and keep at it.
I'm waiting for the day that someone discovers that we shouldn't be using our computers this way. Then, what we will do?
I'm quite sure that neither you nor I will come up with an answer to the problem that everyone will like and abide by. That's the way we are.
So let's rant when we feel like it, then run it up the flagpole to see who will salute it and feel better. I say "Hear...Hear!"
I consider my cell phone a necessary evil ~ it's so handy at times, but can easily become a nuisance!
Thanks for stopping by.
Debbie
Well, I have a cell phone but I don't use it very much either. I used to use it when I wanted to call someone. My husband talked in into keeping it one during the day so that he could call me or my grown daughter could call me. Sometimes I have to go pick up JJ at school and Jen can get me on my cell phone if I am not at home. When I go grocery shopping and I find a bargain, I can call my two friends and see if they want me to get them some too. I really don't get many calls on my cell phone, but I do have it if my family needs to get in touch with me....It has it's good and bad points.....
Rachel,
I agree with you on cell phones. I just got a work cell phone, which I requested because I was going over my allotted minutes and having to do expense reports to get reimbursed. But I'm not giving out the new number to just everybody.
I have two friends who are absolute cell phone junkies. I have never riden with either of them in a vehicle when they haven't called or received a call on their cell phone. I think it's extremely rude.
I hope cell phones are never allowed to be used during flights. It's bad enough to listen to all the chatter when you're trying to exit the plane.
Well Rachel you hit a couple of nerves with this one. I love cell phones but like you there is a time and place to use them as well as not use them. But they have increased that fear factor you mentioned when people are out of their coverage area.
Ralph
I'm glad that story had a happy ending!!!
The no-hands cell phone thingies cause those who use them to seem like they are crazy. They look like they are talking to themselves or having a conversation with an imaginary person.
I'm thankful for cell phones. It makes me feel like my kids are safer on the road or wherever they go. I know they can get ahold of me if they need to.
BUT, I agree with you that cell phones allow people to be very rude. They should sit and enjoy a meal with their family or friends and not be preoccupied on the phone.
I was in Target one time and this man walked by me talking in a suggestive way...at first I thought he was flirting then realized he had one of those cell phones in his ear...boy his better half must have been sizzling...lol!!
:-D
PS...glad your family members were ok!!
Thanks so much, Rachel for voting for Whitney...and for planning on voting each day...Gee, I hope she wins, don't you? Vesides making her grandpappy very happy it will make her ecstatic! And I think she DESERVES to win...the only female of the five finalists and the only 'single'...all the others are "boy bands'...! We ladies have to stick together! (lol), You are a sweetheart to do this, my dear.
Ya had me worried there for a moment.
What a scare!!! I have a cell phone I use it case of emergency when I'm going someplace. I keep it in my purse, not plugged into my ear, and if I need to use it I pull over and stop my car, or wait until I'm in a parking lot.
I nearly got run into by a girl who was punching in numbers and not looking where she was going. Good lesson for me.
I think they are good to have but like everything else should be used properly.
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