Tuesday 6 March 2018

Cell Phone Etiquette

For years I have been the only adult in the family without a cell phone or tablet. The teens and preteens have phones, and everyone has a share in the use of family tablets.

I finally broke down and agreed to get a cell phone. I wanted the use of a the camera, and the ability to text when away from home. And okay, in case of an emergency, it might come in handy.

My daughter set the phone up for me, added my contacts and organized some apps. See, I know the lingo. I also have an i pad and have enjoyed the portability of it over the laptop. The downfall is trying to write with it, something I haven't attempted seriously as I use the i pad in bed.

So wasn't it funny, after all the family gatherings, dinners out, coffee get togethers, where others have been on their phones, texting someone else while I sat there idle, that I found myself at the table with my phone out when everyone else had theirs in their pocket.

No fair, this time I wanted to be the one to ignore everyone else, and what happened? I got called out for being on my phone, the only one on their phone. I found the situation hilarious, and couldn't help but laugh.

I was actually seeking assistance as I had texts that didn't go through and needed another lesson. I just wasn't expecting the lesson to be one of cell phone etiquette. I should have complained before, for all those times I was ignored.

I do understand some of the cell phone use when out with others. My daughter, for example, uses her phone for work and some messages need a time sensitive response. And, she has kids, two of them teenagers, so enough said.

I feel like that cartoon about the young child on the phone, giving his grandmother advice for her computer. Amazingly enough, I am that younger person for my older friends. The level of knowledge is greater the younger you go. I had a lesson on the i pad from my thirteen year old granddaughter.

I was going to blast my kids with a plethora of texts, just to show how right they were that their old Mom needed to get with the times. I do have a strange sense of humor.

But, with the i pad, I have been annoyed with that constant ping, ping ping. I would be in the middle of a crochet project and didn't want to stop, but curiosity always wins out. And I do love that daily connection with family, with my children and the grandkids.

So ping away everyone.



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