This week's blog-hop topic is: Cell phones: necessary but unwanted, or stuck to you like glue?
Let me start off by saying that I didn't want a cell phone, or as the British call them, a mobile, at first. I was a sales rep for a big Chicago marketing firm years ago, and about 1983, I had a national client in my car. He was from L.A. We were driving to one of my accounts. He asked me how I kept in touch with my office during the day, when I was calling on grocery stores or warehouses. I told him that if the office needed me, they would call the stores I was slated to be at that day, and the manager would let me know to call them back. He was shocked. "Everyone needs a mobile phone," he insisted, further explaining to me that as an important owner and rep for a national food product, he was essential to the business, and could never be out of reach of his office. He showed me his rather large mobile phone. (no size jokes, please. LOL!) I shuddered, telling him that when I was between calls, I rolled down my windows, turned my stereo on really loud, and pretended I wasn't at work. That's how I maintained my sanity. If the office needed me, they could wait.
Flash forward a few years, and my four kids were in the grade school across the street from me. But when my oldest, who has type 1 diabetes, was headed to the middle school he'd be bused to, he told me he didn't want me to come to his school every day at lunch anymore, to test his blood sugar and administer insulin. He'd do it himself. Realizing that was a huge step for him, I agreed--but I got my first cell phone, so that if the school needed me to respond to any situation with him, I'd be accessible. That was in 2001.
I've had a few cell phones since then, but I never answer if I don't recognize the number. I detest spam calls, which have been relentless this election season--especially irritating since I already voted the last week of September, when early voting opened in my county. The calls come from every other state in the union. I won't volunteer for phone banks, even for candidates I support--I don't want to be one of them.
I also continue to muddle along with my flip-phone. That's right, no smart-phone for this gal! When I want to amuse the teens I sub for, I show them my phone. They giggle and marvel at the antique in my hand, until I explain that it's only a couple of years old--I bought it on purpose, because I don't need to go on-line with my phone, nor do I ever intend to play games on it. I use it for calls and texts. That's it. Besides, I don't want a phone that's smarter than me. If I need to check something, it can wait until I get home to my laptop. Nothing is that urgent.
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Let me start off by saying that I didn't want a cell phone, or as the British call them, a mobile, at first. I was a sales rep for a big Chicago marketing firm years ago, and about 1983, I had a national client in my car. He was from L.A. We were driving to one of my accounts. He asked me how I kept in touch with my office during the day, when I was calling on grocery stores or warehouses. I told him that if the office needed me, they would call the stores I was slated to be at that day, and the manager would let me know to call them back. He was shocked. "Everyone needs a mobile phone," he insisted, further explaining to me that as an important owner and rep for a national food product, he was essential to the business, and could never be out of reach of his office. He showed me his rather large mobile phone. (no size jokes, please. LOL!) I shuddered, telling him that when I was between calls, I rolled down my windows, turned my stereo on really loud, and pretended I wasn't at work. That's how I maintained my sanity. If the office needed me, they could wait.
Flash forward a few years, and my four kids were in the grade school across the street from me. But when my oldest, who has type 1 diabetes, was headed to the middle school he'd be bused to, he told me he didn't want me to come to his school every day at lunch anymore, to test his blood sugar and administer insulin. He'd do it himself. Realizing that was a huge step for him, I agreed--but I got my first cell phone, so that if the school needed me to respond to any situation with him, I'd be accessible. That was in 2001.
I've had a few cell phones since then, but I never answer if I don't recognize the number. I detest spam calls, which have been relentless this election season--especially irritating since I already voted the last week of September, when early voting opened in my county. The calls come from every other state in the union. I won't volunteer for phone banks, even for candidates I support--I don't want to be one of them.
I also continue to muddle along with my flip-phone. That's right, no smart-phone for this gal! When I want to amuse the teens I sub for, I show them my phone. They giggle and marvel at the antique in my hand, until I explain that it's only a couple of years old--I bought it on purpose, because I don't need to go on-line with my phone, nor do I ever intend to play games on it. I use it for calls and texts. That's it. Besides, I don't want a phone that's smarter than me. If I need to check something, it can wait until I get home to my laptop. Nothing is that urgent.
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Click for publisher's buy link.
I have to mention my latest book, The Right Choice. Pamela started running away from home when she was little, because her busy, upwardly-mobile parents didn't have time for her. It was her way of making them pay attention to her. When the blue-collar guy she dated in high school and while she was in college, wanted her to openly date him, instead of sneaking to see him so her parents who disapproved of him didn't know--she ran away from him too.
On the way down the aisle to marry the successful lawyer her parents chose for her, she sees him answer his cell phone while standing at the altar. They'd had their differences, but that was the last straw! Once again, her feet got moving and she ran. But to where?
To a cabin that's been in the blue-collar man's family for a long time. Does he still own it? Is he still single? And is there any hope that she will finally make the right choice?
www.amazon.com/Right-Choice-Fiona-McGier-ebook/dp/B08L2YJKZY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+right+choice+by+fiona+mcgier&qid=1602703695&sr=8-1
On the way down the aisle to marry the successful lawyer her parents chose for her, she sees him answer his cell phone while standing at the altar. They'd had their differences, but that was the last straw! Once again, her feet got moving and she ran. But to where?
To a cabin that's been in the blue-collar man's family for a long time. Does he still own it? Is he still single? And is there any hope that she will finally make the right choice?
www.amazon.com/Right-Choice-Fiona-McGier-ebook/dp/B08L2YJKZY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+right+choice+by+fiona+mcgier&qid=1602703695&sr=8-1
What do other authors think about cell phones? Hop to the other blogs to find out!
