My first month without a cell phone

You read that correctly guys and dolls, yesterday was the one month mark without my personal cell phone. In an effort to save money, I have connected a home phone ($15 with unlimited local and long distance) and put my cell phone ($65 to 75 a month) on hold for three months.

The first week was incredibly hard. Everytime I jumped in my car I would reach for a phantom that was no longer there. The drive home had become my personal phone booth. (Those of you too young to remember: long before cell phones, people had to use what were known as public phones. They were found throughout urban areas and some were housed inside a small enclosed area known as a booth.) So you see, my car was a mobile, private place to converse with family and friends. Unlike my grey cube at work, there was no danger of someone overhearing me. Plus it was quite the time saver, being able to drive and catch up with my peeps at the same time. Suddenly I had to remember who I wanted to call and to make those calls before I left the office or once I got home. What a disaster, my parents and some of my closest friends started to hear from me less often, some were even worried.

The next big void was the “beard” that a cell phone can provide. When you are waiting for a date to show up at a bar or coffeeshop and you get there early, what do you do to avoid looking like a total loser? Why, you whip out the old cell phone and start texting you buddy about the your day, the weather, or the new Paris Hilton presidental ad. What if you are standing outside a movie theater or restaurant waiting for your friend to show up? Don’t want to be bothered by the staff to be seated? Pull that bad boy out of your holster and call your brother. You know, the one who you should call more often, but really only call when you need something, like a way to pass those agonizing 10 minutes alone. I suddenly find myself in all sorts of waiting situations when I have manage to look cool and collected without something to occupy my time. Plus, since I don’t wear a watch I am utterly clueless as to how long I have been leaning against the wall with one hand in my pocket staring thoughtfully into the distance.

By week four I was starting to adjust more, except for the fact that I forgot to call my father on his birthday!!!!! I’d overslept that morning and had no time to call before leaving for work. No phone to call him on the way there, no time once at the office, exhausted by the time I got home, I fell asleep at 6:30 PM. What a horrible daughter I am!! Blaming my dependance on technology for being so insensitive. I am assamed of myself.

Yesterday I did use my work cell phone to make a personal call, it was raining and I had it on hand in case something bad happened. Which was the original reason why most of us got a cell phone, remember? Not for texting, V-casts, MP3 players, online access, or e-mails. The phone call was actually for directions to my friend’s house, which I could have made from the Starbucks phone. But I chose not to. Hey, you’ve got to hand it to me. Any of you who know how much I used to use my cell phone (I had a 1500 minute plan that I usually went over on) realize that this is a big step for me. So, I can’t go Cold Turkey, but I am trying.

Tune in next month for an update.

~ by scifibutterfly on August 17, 2008.