Cell phones came out and I was the stubborn one who didn't need it. I resisted the idea of people being able to track me down where ever I might be. I gave in eventually as most did but I lingered for a bit first. My first phone was a fat little flip thing with simple number buttons. After beating the hell out of it for years it dropped in the street and cracked in half. My photos and info gone forever. The next phone was equally clunky and embarrassing and had bright red on it. It was touted as having "music capabilities that would put others to shame". It was a a piece of doo doo. Can I say doo doo in a blog post? It's just such a perfect word for it. I never got the fancy shmancy touch screen information centers of scientific-blow-my-mind numbers. I was the "mom with a phone". Wahhhh wa waaaaaaaaaa. Then the Blackberry came along. It was cute. I could text like a demon. I could hold pictures of my babies doing all sorts of things. I could even check a calendar. There was some tweeting and definitely some status updating. But that was pretty much it. I watched the cellular world from the nose bleed bleacher seats as they all ran around on the field with their Droids and Iphones. I had to sit at a desk with a busted old laptop and a hooked up monitor just to play a game. I use a clunky old nasty keyboard to type these posts. No high tech area here. I waited as the Iphones passed me by...number by number..."g" by "g"...etc. And then there was a new one AND it would coincide so nicely with the upgrade portion of a contract that has UNLIMITED data. Whaaaaaat?!? Yep, this girl has entered the present with a hot white little phone that I might just have to give a name to.
All these new things and I'm still not always a fan of change. It was hard to say goodbye to the known. For a minute or two. And then the fun began...
Facebook and Twitter are a whole new experience on this bad girl. I have loaded my games and can FINALLY play Scramble (which I have missed so) and Words with Friends. If you previously gave up on me give me another try...it will be way easier to play my word. Calendars will make my countless events manageable. Pinterest has my interest again. I am finding fun little things to play with like Flow and Instagram. I will also use this little friend for a wonderful thing...Weight Watchers. It's hard enough not eating but when you have to run upstairs to research how many points something has time and time again...you tend to not log it in. This not only makes it so simple but even has a barcode scanner that will pop in my numbers for me. I have yet to play with the pedometer so that will be fun as well. So many new tools and tricks in such a cute little and (20% lighter then the 4) phone. I still have much to get used to and a world of new things at my fingertips.
There are also two little children battling the time to play with it. They got a speech yesterday that went a little something like this...
"This phone is a tool to ASSIST me. (We clarified the definition of assist). It can help me stick to my weight plan, it can give me a recipe (which I used yesterday) for better meals, it can remind me of appointments. It is also there if we need to research something or find our way to a place. (Yes, they have fixed map issue already). It will be there should we need a panoramic photo or to text people we need to be in touch with. It will NOT be a distraction. So if you are sitting and waiting for something and you should have the free time to play a round of Scramble...that's fine...but you don't blow off what needs to be done or the people around you to spend time with...to play something and ignore those you love. It can assist you if you can play something instead of just sitting and waiting (for a doctor let's say) but should never block you from being present in your own life."
Yes, I do speak to my ten and six year old this way because I see what these gadgets have done to too many. I don't want to hold kids back and yes, they have each played around with it and can navigate pretty well already but I get saddened when I see it acting as a babysitter in moments that should be for bonding, growth and sharing. So there will be a strive for balance just as in all areas.
In the meantime, I will be the one learning. I will be the one obsessing over bubbles in my protective film. I am also on the search for the perfect case (this free ugly thing just isn't doing it). If you would like to help in my journey to practice...feel free to text a little bit more often or invite me to play the games but ironically you won't get me to actually talk on the phone any MORE than before. No fancy little phone will change that. Now, I must be on my way...Scramble is waiting!
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