Hang up and eat!

[Beach Runner]

I frequently have been given instructions by a family member to purcahse a particular item with which I'm not familiar, or I get to the store and remember that I left something off my list and want to call home and see if we have any in the pantry. How can it be bad to call home for a substitution or a pantry check as long as I don't yell and I don't block the aisles? I mean, there can be some middle ground.

 

[Matt J]

I frequently have been given instructions by a family member to purcahse a particular item with which I'm not familiar, or I get to the store and remember that I left something off my list and want to call home and see if we have any in the pantry. How can it be bad to call home for a substitution or a pantry check as long as I don't yell and I don't block the aisles? I mean, there can be some middle ground.

I do this all the time, but I'm not blocking the aisle and I don't broadcast my voice for all of Publix to hear. If you can still hear me asking if we have eggs or not then you might be listening a little to hard.

 

[scooterbug44]

I frequently have been given instructions by a family member to purcahse a particular item with which I'm not familiar, or I get to the store and remember that I left something off my list and want to call home and see if we have any in the pantry. How can it be bad to call home for a substitution or a pantry check as long as I don't yell and I don't block the aisles? I mean, there can be some middle ground.

It's the people who go up and down all the aisles yapping and disrupting other shoppers that are the problem, not a person who makes a 30 second call to quickly check a list or item.

 

[Teresa]

I wonder what life was like on this planet before the cellphone??

--oh, wait! I do know....it was GLORIOUS!

.

Absolutely glorious!

those were definitely the days.

Recently, I went all the way to Fort Walton Beach for the day, taking my little one to the dentist, having lunch, shopping, etc. I realized on the way I had left my cell phone charging at home. and realizing this made me feel kind of happy. I had not one urge or need to use my cell phone the entire day.

of course, I had my child with me. If he had been at school or elsewhere, I would have had a tiny moment of anxiety not having my cell phone. but it would have passed quickly after remembering that we lived quite wonderfully without the cell phone back in the day, even in the event of emergencies, sickness, and other every day, normal problems, etc. I am not the only person who can competently care for my kid if he needs help and I'm not immediately available via phone. thankfully, he has many people in his village.

another thing about people and their cell phones that makes me sad to think about. even when a friend takes the call outside of a restaurant, or wherever, in most cases taking that call is so not important to do right then. it is such a habit to think that each call is of such importance, that you must take it immediately no matter what you are involved in. Manypeople absolutely MUST answer the phone when it rings! Every call is of utmost importance! even in art class, cooking class, eating at home or in restaurant, walking in the park with family, relaxing on the beach.. nothing is sacred. no time is uninterrupted by your cell phone, or by someone elses. its not the fault of the cell phone. people choose to live connected to friends and work via cell phone, ipod, etc., on a continual, nonstop basis. but imo, they are losing connection with life in the moment. but its entirely their own choice.

For me, I will answer my cell phone at my convenience (email, internet too!). It is available to me when i need it, when I want it, only. voice mail is a beautiful thing.

but I really really do appreciate my cell phone. its always there when I need it and it works so beautifully I never use my home (land) phone anymore.

 

[John R]

and so comes the point; humans, like Pavlovian dogs, must answer the phone. i used this tack all the time when in the corporate environment; if I went to someone's office who i need an answer or signature from and the door was closed, I just went to the nearest phone and called them. 99% of the time they answered. If you're going to take a meeting with someone, use the dnd button or turn the ringer off.

 

[scooterbug44]

I am constantly amazed at how people now get so frustrated when they cannot contact someone immediately.

Drives me nuts when people call my house phone, then my cell phone, and don't leave a message- if it was important enough to call me about, it was important enough to leave a message about. Or when they get frustrated because it takes me several hours to return their non-emergency call because I was doing something unreasonable like being at work, out w/ friends, at the beach etc. My mother's greeting has changed from "hello" to "where were you?" and I have to remind her that she went for months w/o talking to me when I lived in a foreign country, so I am fine for several hours in Florida.

I drive friends and relatives nuts with my crazy policy of leaving my cell phone at home if I don't have an immediate need for it and not answering it while I am at work, doing something etc. Call waiting is also not used - partly because I don't know how to use it, but mainly because it is one of the rudest inventions ever!

 

[Teresa]

I am constantly amazed at how people now get so frustrated when they cannot contact someone immediately.

Drives me nuts when people call my house phone, then my cell phone, and don't leave a message- if it was important enough to call me about, it was important enough to leave a message about. Or when they get frustrated because it takes me several hours to return their non-emergency call because I was doing something unreasonable like being at work, out w/ friends, at the beach etc. My mother's greeting has changed from "hello" to "where were you?" and I have to remind her that she went for months w/o talking to me when I lived in a foreign country, so I am fine for several hours in Florida.

I drive friends and relatives nuts with my crazy policy of leaving my cell phone at home if I don't have an immediate need for it and not answering it while I am at work, doing something etc. Call waiting is also not used - partly because I don't know how to use it, but mainly because it is one of the rudest inventions ever!

call waiting!!! don't get me started!! I don't even know what to say about that. rude doesn't cover it.

 

[Matt J]

I am constantly amazed at how people now get so frustrated when they cannot contact someone immediately.

Drives me nuts when people call my house phone, then my cell phone, and don't leave a message- if it was important enough to call me about, it was important enough to leave a message about. Or when they get frustrated because it takes me several hours to return their non-emergency call because I was doing something unreasonable like being at work, out w/ friends, at the beach etc. My mother's greeting has changed from "hello" to "where were you?" and I have to remind her that she went for months w/o talking to me when I lived in a foreign country, so I am fine for several hours in Florida.

I drive friends and relatives nuts with my crazy policy of leaving my cell phone at home if I don't have an immediate need for it and not answering it while I am at work, doing something etc. Call waiting is also not used - partly because I don't know how to use it, but mainly because it is one of the rudest inventions ever!

The reason we don't leave a message is because we are usually inviting you to do something in 2-4 hours. If you don't answer the phone right then there's no way you'll be ready in time.

 

[scooterbug44]

The reason we don't leave a message is because we are usually inviting you to do something in 2-4 hours. If you don't answer the phone right then there's no way you'll be ready in time.

:rofl: Okay, I deserved that one!

 

[ohmom]

at funeral, cell phone rings, look across aisle, phone being turned off belonged to a nun
at school, presenting to parents gathered at curriculum night, cell phone rings in middle of presentation, several minute convo ensued between parent and child wanting to go somewhere with friend, parent never excused herself

not much of a user; children grown, husband refuses to carry one; my own children did not have cell phones until college when they traveled to co-op jobs and teaching internships in high school they had earned my trust and traveled in groups so I felt they were safe and quite frankly the expense of the phones did not fit in our budget

major complaints...many conversations are inane and could wait; the idea that parents have that cell phones means they can check up on their child is an illusion, there's a lot to be said for being proactive about where they are going and with whom etc., gradually expanding boundaries and building trust and good judgment;
a few people use cell phones to end up not making decisions and commitments since changes in plans can be communicated at the last minute...I enjoy it when people made plans ahead of time; looking forward to the event and showing up on time

all that being said; there are true emergencies so cell phones are here to stay
as everyone has pointed out - it is the abuse/missuse that annoys and aggravates