Day One Without a Cellphone
Let me preface this by saying I grew up long before cell phones were in everyone's pocket. In fact, I didn't have my first cell phone until I was in my twenties, so I know a thing or two about living without having the world's knowledge at my fingertips.
My first day without a cell phone was both frustrating and liberating. It began as all things do - in the beginning:
My alarm didn't go off. As it turns out, like many of us, I use my cell phone as an alarm clock, which is convenient since it's on the charger all night next to the bed.
Normally in the mornings I'll check for any emails that came in overnight, check the headlines to make sure no one has started World War III and then, maybe if I'm not in a rush, I'll flip through social media to see who's doing all the exciting things I'm not. Or look at pretty pictures.
The real inconvenience came when I realized I had no reminder for an appointment. Luckily for me I knew the appointment was coming up and had checked just a day earlier so the time and location were fresh on my mind.
Yes, it's frowned upon, but I prefer to make calls while I'm driving and yet, today I couldn't. No calling a friend to ask a question, no calling my appointment location to verify the address, no nothing. Not only couldn't I call anyone but neither could I verify the address on Google Maps.
While waiting for my meeting to start I had to read an actual physical magazine instead of perusing my device. When waiting for an extra party to arrive I couldn't pull out my Android and check email or call the home office. Later, when I needed to confer information with an associate, I couldn't call or text her, instead I had to ask to use a local land line.
More importantly, I couldn't take any photos.
I stopped to run a personal errand on the way back and while discussing 360° cameras I had no phone to pull out and demonstrate what I meant. No one at the place where I was asking about them seemed to understand what they were for or why anyone would want one. With a simple Google search, or even my own Photosphere shots, I could have demonstrated what a 360° camera looked like on mobile. Without, I had no examples and none of the people I spoke with were willing to pull out their own phones and look.
After I arrived home I had to run to the store to fill a prescription. There were a few things I was supposed to grab while there but - for the life of me - I couldn't recall what they were and without a cell phone there was no way to call/text home and verify the list. Nor could I say ,"Send me a Keep list." In the end I only remembered milk and yogurt, forgetting a handful of other things. Nothing that can't be bought another day, luckily.
When I finally arrived home I was, let's say "politely", informed that my mother had been calling and texting in response to a recent doctor's appointment. I couldn't take any or make any calls while away from the house.
Now I'm sitting here typing this out and not at all perturbed by the fact that my cell phone needs replacing. In fact, this might be a good way to disconnect for a few weeks or a month.
My first day without a cell phone was both frustrating and liberating. It began as all things do - in the beginning:
My alarm didn't go off. As it turns out, like many of us, I use my cell phone as an alarm clock, which is convenient since it's on the charger all night next to the bed.
Normally in the mornings I'll check for any emails that came in overnight, check the headlines to make sure no one has started World War III and then, maybe if I'm not in a rush, I'll flip through social media to see who's doing all the exciting things I'm not. Or look at pretty pictures.
The real inconvenience came when I realized I had no reminder for an appointment. Luckily for me I knew the appointment was coming up and had checked just a day earlier so the time and location were fresh on my mind.
Yes, it's frowned upon, but I prefer to make calls while I'm driving and yet, today I couldn't. No calling a friend to ask a question, no calling my appointment location to verify the address, no nothing. Not only couldn't I call anyone but neither could I verify the address on Google Maps.
While waiting for my meeting to start I had to read an actual physical magazine instead of perusing my device. When waiting for an extra party to arrive I couldn't pull out my Android and check email or call the home office. Later, when I needed to confer information with an associate, I couldn't call or text her, instead I had to ask to use a local land line.
More importantly, I couldn't take any photos.
I stopped to run a personal errand on the way back and while discussing 360° cameras I had no phone to pull out and demonstrate what I meant. No one at the place where I was asking about them seemed to understand what they were for or why anyone would want one. With a simple Google search, or even my own Photosphere shots, I could have demonstrated what a 360° camera looked like on mobile. Without, I had no examples and none of the people I spoke with were willing to pull out their own phones and look.
After I arrived home I had to run to the store to fill a prescription. There were a few things I was supposed to grab while there but - for the life of me - I couldn't recall what they were and without a cell phone there was no way to call/text home and verify the list. Nor could I say ,"Send me a Keep list." In the end I only remembered milk and yogurt, forgetting a handful of other things. Nothing that can't be bought another day, luckily.
When I finally arrived home I was, let's say "politely", informed that my mother had been calling and texting in response to a recent doctor's appointment. I couldn't take any or make any calls while away from the house.
Now I'm sitting here typing this out and not at all perturbed by the fact that my cell phone needs replacing. In fact, this might be a good way to disconnect for a few weeks or a month.
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| Photo for no reason whatsoever |
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