Spin Cycle: What I Can't Live Without...

I really hate to admit this, but I love my cell phone. In fact, I'd hate to think of life without it.

Oh, I'm sure I'd get by. After all, it took me long enough to break down and get the damned thing, so I know I could do without it if I had to.

But I don't want to.

I got my first cell phone when First-Born Son was in middle school. Suddenly he was going places and we needed to reach one another when neither of us was at home.

For my kids and their cell phones it may have been love at first sight, but it's only the last two or three years that I've felt this way. And that has everything to do with texting.

Texting is like magic. It really is. If I try and call my college-aged kids, it's a crapshoot whether or not they'll answer their phones. I understand. Life is busy. They're in a class or a bar (I kid!) or otherwise indisposed.

But, usually, they can text. And it's never long before I get a reply. It's an amazing way to keep in touch.

My kids will text me at the nicest times. To wish me a happy Valentine's Day. Or a happy New Year at midnight. To tell me they just saw a great movie. Or need money (okay, I admit it; it's not all fun and games, but it's pretty darned close).

Here's a good one. A while back, Daughter #2 and I went to a movie and the film was out of focus. Not so much that we couldn't watch it, but just enough to drive us crazy.

I don't know about the real world, but here on Martha's Vineyard this is not an uncommon occurrence. Somebody usually gets up to inform the management and within minutes the problem is solved.

But this was a weeknight, and there were only about 20 people in the theater. Twenty lazy people, myself included.

It was driving Daughter #2 bonkers, although apparently not enough to get up and do anything about it.

"I'm texting First-Born Son," she finally said, pulling out her cell phone. 

"Why?" I asked. First-Born Son was in Manhattan, miles away. What could he do?

Then I realized. The kid in charge of the theater that night was First-Born Son's good pal. My daughter was texting her brother to text this friend, who was no doubt a mere 50 feet away from us in the lobby at that very moment, so that he would go and fix the focus.

Which he did, in less than two minutes time. Done, First-Born Son texted back to Daughter #2.

But of course, by then, we already knew.

Has technology changed anything about your life in a significant way?

 

For more Spins about the things we can't live without, visit Sprite's Keeper.

 

 

Comments

[SuziCate]

Lovin' my cell phone, also. And texting is the way to correspond with the kids.

[the mama bird diaries]

I think I love my cell phone as much as my husband. Don't tell him.

[Erin]

I think texting is a great communication tool. I sort of love my cellphone too, but would love it more if the internet lived on it... I was at my parents over the last weekend and they are, of course, generationally challenged in this regard. They don't understand that these tools help us connect better with people.

[LPC]

Hahahahahaha. Love that story.

[Libby]

i didn't get a cell phone until two years ago. Now I am thinking of having it grafted to my palm. Oh, and I am angered when other people either don't have a phone, or don't turn it on (yeah, like my Mom).

[Peggy]

I love my cell phone and texting. It's just so convenient. And I got one of those phones that has the qwerty keyboard so I don't have to hit #2 three times for a C.... so love it. That and my laptop. I haven't had my laptop a year yet and wonder how I ever did without it!

[PLRH]

That's a great story. Technology sure has changed the way we communicate... and it's fun! Yesterday I tried calling my oldest son at home after school. I needed him to take something out of the freezer. He didn't hear the house phone because he had his iPod on. I jumped on Facebook on my work computer, saw that he was online, and opened a chat with him. So simple. Plus I didn't have my nosey co-worker eavesdropping on me. :)

[Midlife Mama]

Oh man, I am so linked in. I don't think I could ever go a moment without some sort of electronic device to connect me to my email, etc. And yes, my 27 and 22 year old sons will be more likely to answer a text than a phone call. Love texting and I never thought I would. Although the autocorrect feature on texting sometimes drives me batty though. Sometimes it saves me; other times I want to type some unusual word or name or be funny and misspell a word on purpose, and trying to convince that auto correct feature won't hardly let me do it. ha!

[~The South Dakota Cowgirl~]

So I have always loved my cell phone. That is until I moved to the middle of nowhere, nowhere, SD. And no, that isn't a typo. It's what my sister calls where I live. Then my cell phone well the coverage was so poor that I quit carrying it. Much to the dismay of my friends that desired to get a hold of me at a moment's notice, because prior to the move it'd been attached to my ear, practically.

Then in November Zach surprised me with a new BlackBerry- and my cell phone love has been re-ignited. I can text, twitter, facebook, surf the web and reply to blog comments, only via email, but nonetheless. Ah, that's the life!

[Twenty Four At Heart]

I'm stuck on the part about the movies being out of focus???

[Michele]

When we trained my husband to text his life changed over night. He hates talking on the phone but texting has become his life's blood. When he was traveling I'd get texts instead of phone calls. Sometimes I'd call just to hear his voice. Which always said something like this: Hey, what to you want? I just texted you. So.not. what I was looking for.

[Jane]

Oh my goodness, you sound like my daughter - and she's just 17. Maybe that's what I love about you - you're young at heart and not afraid to embrace it!

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

Hee Hee. That's funny. There are certain people in my life that will only talk to me via text.

[Sprite's Keeper]

I love my cell phone only when I really need it. The other times it's actually annoying since I'm usually at work or otherwise engaged when the phone rings or a text comes in.
The one thing I DO love about technology? Email. I can get everything in the note, not get interrupted and it's clear.
Great Spin! You're linked!

[Kristen @ Motherese]

Sometimes I wonder if technology has changed everything in my life! I have mixed feelings about the plugged-in quality of my life and wonder all the time whether I spend too much time dedicated to the world of wires.

[Heather]

I guess I haven't really gotten that personal with my cell, but then again it is just a plain Jane phone.

Technology..My house phone! I just can't live with out my house phone! I had to once when we was a lot poorer and it was awful!

[Vince]

A car. I lived for years in London then to Galway and onwards to Dublin, all of which you can survive well without a car. But now I live in the depths of the countryside, a car is not so much a must as a absolute need.

[Jan]

I can't remembered the last time I talked to Oldest Son on the phone - we instant message each other. Every day - both of us are almost always near a computer. As for The Young One, he never talks on his phone, but it flips open to a full QWERTY keyboard and the kid can text almost as fast as he can type.

The girls, though? They want to gab. Phones are for talking, don't you know.

[Terry]

I love texting for the same reasons. I recently got a text from my stressed out Junior who wrote:

"I got a B- in Pre-calc. I hate my life. Sign me up for UC Merced."

A single text can say it all.

Hope you are feeling better

[Katherine]

I am embarrassed to say I have actually fussed out my oldest about his current grades by texting him. He was in school, I found out online about a bad set of grades and couldn't-help-myself and had to text him that he better bring his books home! Sad but true. BUT it worked, the books came home.

Think we will all have brain cancer in 15 years from these phones? Ugh. But you gotta love 'em!

[TheKitchenWitch]

Oh my God, I am hopeless at the cell phone. It makes my husband crazy. I either forget it altogether or take it and realize I haven't charged it in like, a month. Heaven help me if I'm ever in an accident.

I need to get better, because as my girls grow, I know they'll be communicating via text and I don't want to be the Dinosaur.

[Tracie]

I'm not a texter. I used to be until I got a smartphone and I find the keyboard next to impossible to use.

I do love my cell phone though. Especially as a home health provider. It is so much easier than in the good old days when I had to find a payphone or stop for directions all the time.

[Vintage Simple]

Sigh. I wish I had your texting skills. And your kids' connections. I was trying to watch The New Adventures of Old Christine just now, and it seemed like someone had forgotten to turn on the track with the actors' voices. All you heard was silence while the actors moved their mouths (and heavily gesticulated in the case of Christine). And the canned laughter track *was* on. It was as if I'd stepped into a completely bizarre world. Interesting for a few of minutes because it caused some dissonance of sorts in my brain, but I really would have rather one of your kids could have texted their connection at CBS. ;)

xoxo,
-maria

[lisleman]

that's a great texting story. I like the texting option because many times and places just don't provide that chance to talk. What I don't understand is why teenagers seem to prefer texting to talking. From what I notice they could talk but would rather text. I guess it's more private.

I heard that life guards (don't remember where) were now equipped to get texts (twitter I think) about any shark alerts.

Technology has been my career so I'm very biased about it.

One last item - don't text and drive - not safe

[Court]

I am so with you on this. I had the same phone for ten years and just changed it and cannot remember my new number or figure out how to work the blasted thing to save my life.

[BumbleVee]

I hate most of modern technology... especially when it gets in the way of personal interaction. Libby would be ticked with me... I don't have a cell..don't want one ...and pick and choose when I answer my home phone.

When I do answer my phone and somebody is speaking to me... it annoys the hell out of me when I hear "hold on".. somebody is calling me". Huh? Didn't they just call me? How rude!! If they called me... can't they finish our conversation and then return their other calls? I have begun to hang up the second that happens. Sometimes they call back right away and ask what happened...sometimes they continue speaking to whomever for several minutes before calling back... .. so, now.. when they call back...I can't be bothered answering.

Don't even get me started on cell phones or texting while driving....the only way to curb that is to develop some new technology that will disable cell phones the moment they are inside a vehicle. It'll never happen..and people will never stop calling or texting now..it's like an addiction. It's so prevalent that I am considering buying a war surplus tank to protect myself. At a time when we need to be thinking smaller in the car market... now it is becoming too dangerous. I've had 7 near misses in the past month.... and I'm thinking maybe it's time to get a gun. Every driver that cuts me off or makes me swerve... will get a shot through a window.... doubt it will work. They are all so self centered and so desperate for "connection" they wouldn't even get it. What a strange lot most of us have become... technological connection has actually alienated and replaced much of the personal aspect of our lives. The more "connected" we are, the less we actually connect in person. And when we are together.... phones are constantly interrupting what should be an enjoyable time. Most calls just are not that important. As a matter of fact... they are usually pretty insignificant in the scheme of things. ... Sigh........

I'm ecstatic about NOT having a cell phone .... I'm freeeeeee .... woohoooo ..... happy I don't feel that desperate need to never be separated from a stupid phone. But, I do love my camera, my dishwasher, my stove, my microwave, my fancy washer and dryer, my computer, and, oh, yeah !..... my new technologically improved Big Bertha..... I can whack the ball so much better with that baby!..

[Kate@And Then I Was a Mom]

Honestly, it is becoming difficult to remember how I got by--or at least felt secure--without a cell phone. And my young daughter? She has no idea. Of course, she also believes the Internet taught me everything I know. (That's not true, right? Right?)

[Gropius]

It's terrible, and I'm ashamed to admit it, but I feel a bit anxious when I forget to take my cell phone with me when I leave the house. What if I got in an accident? Or needed to talk to Husband RIGHT NOW? Or...? What the heck is wrong with me? Yes, I've really become too dependent on it. But here we are.

[Sarah]

Oh the texting awesomeness. That is just brilliant! BRILLIANT! I text my husband from the car to help me carry in the groceries. And text him from the bedroom to bring me up a glass of water or...you know...whatever.

We are technology fanatics in my house and I could not under any circumstances live without my cell phone now. Pathetic? Nah. It's a weapon, I tell you. And a saviour. :)

[Aidan Donnelley Rowley @ Ivy League Insecurities]

I feel naked without my cell phone. Sad, but true. And, yes, technology has changed my life in innumerable ways. I think it is a blessing and a curse. I hope and pray and tell myself that it is more of the former than that latter, but some days I do wonder.

[Patty]

So funny! And though I don't really go in for cell phones, I can totally see the allure of them. In fact, I could so easily see myself becoming addicted to them, which is partly why I try not to use one. I am way too addicted to too many other things.

I love that your kids text you things they might not normally call you to say. That's awesome, and I am pretty sure when my young kids get older, we will be cell phone junkies too.

[kathryn]

Oh, my God! This is the BEST story, Maureen! I'll be passing this one along to family and friends, to be sure!

I've texted da boys to tell them the garage door won't open...the funniest text I ever got was from Taylor (17) when I was on my way to pick him up from an after-school event. It read "I'm in a tree across the street from the school. Look for me."

Typical Taylor...

[Camille]

THAT is funny!

I, too, have been affected by the lazy bug since technology. I thought having a cell phone made me lazy, but I didn't know the MEANING of lazy until I got an iPhone for Christmas two months ago.

Phone books? Psh. I'll look it up on Yellowpages.com. Dictionary? My phone can totally do that. Mapquest? PLEASE. Even my laptop has become irrelevant in light of my new multitasking phone (sorry, lappy).

Good spin!

[Casey]

I love it, what a creative solution to the problem. I was reluctant to become a texter and declared my disdain for it but now I'm a regular.