New Cell Phones...
One for each of us. And mine has WiFi. 
Which lets me blog from just about anywhere. Like right now I'm watching TV with Rachel. And Jake can now text his Dad. And his has this "Chaperone" feature that lets us keep track of where he is. 
And Rachel has a phone that works. Hers died about a month ago.
It's weird how important these things have become. And how dependent on them we've become.
We had one phone growing up, and my parents have had the same number for over 30 years. I remember when we got our first answering machine. And when we first got call waiting.
Now we have three phone lines into our house (we used to have four, plus an eFax number), a toll free number for CommTech, and three cell phones.
How did we ever talk to anyone back in the day?
Which lets me blog from just about anywhere. Like right now I'm watching TV with Rachel. And Jake can now text his Dad. And his has this "Chaperone" feature that lets us keep track of where he is. And Rachel has a phone that works. Hers died about a month ago. It's weird how important these things have become. And how dependent on them we've become.
We had one phone growing up, and my parents have had the same number for over 30 years. I remember when we got our first answering machine. And when we first got call waiting.
Now we have three phone lines into our house (we used to have four, plus an eFax number), a toll free number for CommTech, and three cell phones.
How did we ever talk to anyone back in the day?
posted by Eric Soderstrom at 10:45 PM
5 Comments:
I was thinking a few days ago about how when "Caller ID" came out and how invasive it felt when you called someone and they answered the phone with "Hello Ted" or "Hello Eric." Now Caller ID is simply a given.
First it was the Party Line, then your own number still dialing with an operator ( I remember Andy Griffith picking up the phone saying to the operator: "Sarah, get me my house!"), then dial yourself, then push buttons (but we still call it 'dialing,') then cordless phones (remember the movie 'Risky Business' with Tom Cruise in a panic, walking around his wealthy Chicago home talking on his cordless with the camera leading him as he paced - how cool that scene was then), then into the cell phone generation, and now with you being able to 'Chapperone' Jake and blog from your crapper at the same time. Someday, the next leap or two in technology will seem old-hat (like that expression does now).
I was talking to someone the other day about planning a trip to Europe, and how easy it is with the internet. I love technology!! I said, How did people do it before the internet, and he said, I think there was this profession called "travel agents". Back in the day, indeed. What was that, about 10 years ago?
I was SO resistive to getting a cell phone, then I had children, and started the mother process of inventing worst-case scenarios, most of them involving my car, my kids, and the freeway, and I got one. And I had that herking Nokia phone, and it played "For Elise" as a ring tone, which I found very embarassing. When I went to get a new phone and I pulled that one out of my purse, the T Mobile guys about peed themselves laughing at it, then when they opened it and saw my "Voice Stream" card, they were dying. I literally had the prehistory of cellphones, there, and it was all about 4 years old.
I can't wait to see what will make your new phones seem quaint in four years.....
Back in the day... oh yeah - if we had to talk to somebody, we would WAIT. People were generally home in the evening, so you could call them then. I think society has lost a lot of patience. I can understand the pressure at work, but for all of the people on the phone discussing relationship problems while waiting in line at the market - I think they should probably re-examine their understanding of courtesy, privacy and urgency. Is it really that urgent that you need to discuss everything immediately? I actually prefer the text message for instantaneous communication. You can send information to someone immediately, but they have the flexibility to respond when convenient. Maybe when they are somewhere quiet. What a concept.
Of course, I do believe everyone needs at least one cell phone nowadays - more if you can afford it. Emergency use and all that. Why yes, I do work for a wireless phone comapny. Why do you ask?
The convenience of looking up movie showtimes while sitting in a restaurant is wonderful to me. Of course, I can't really say it is necessary - just really cool.
One of the next things I have heard they are working on is airline boarding passes. The idea is that you will be able to check in for your flight on your phone & they would send you a barcode that would display on your phone that could be scanned at the gate. Don't let your battery die (especially if you have an iPhone - shudder).
Ah yes, I have gone off on another rant. Oh well. I hope you have a lovely New Year's Eve celebration. No plans for me but to sit at home & maybe stay up til midnight.
-Joe
I love the convenience of getting information as well - movie times, sure, but also directions, alternative news, and so forth. I also find it invaluable when I travel for things like directions and maps. It's a little slow, but better than trying to find a hot spot with my laptop and all that.
As for texting and such, I think they can wreck relationships - e-mail was bad enough, but text messages are the worst. You just gotta be there with your sweetie.
i still have my playschool size cellphone which is
the size of a small potato and is probably giving me cancer of the cock when it's in my jeans pocket...
I'm due for a new one as well...Happy New Year Eric!
I'm gonna post something someday...I promise!
best wishes for the west coast familia in 08!
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