I enjoy social media.
Okay, I love it.
I also love my iphone.
Okay, I adore it.
If I could make love to it, I would. Actually, I am sure I could make love to it. So let me rethink this.
I just like my iphone.
A lot.
But, today I learned something about myself. When it comes to time with my family, I would rather be with them then text, tweet, status update, blog or email. I also learned that I am quick to judge others.
This morning while we were at the park, the kids ended up playing with some other kids who were at the park with what I assume to be their grandparents. They were an older couple in their late sixties or early seventies. And they were Grandparents who chose to be on their phones instead of watching their grandchildren climb, swing or slide.
It shocked me. First, who taught these old people how to use an iphone?
My Dad still can't be trusted with the microwave.
But mostly, it annoyed me. It's one thing to pull out the phone to check your messages but to completely ignore your grandchildren so you can text or play solitaire is completely unacceptable in my book.
In their defense, maybe they had those little bastards for the entire weekend and just needed a bloody moment to themselves?
I get that.
Or maybe they were just texting their children to tell them they were at the park?
I get that too.
Or maybe they were googling, "Murder She Wrote"?
Angela Lansbury is one hell of an actress, so I get that too.
I don't know.
I just wonder when do we stop being present and make our phones more important than what we are experiencing at that moment.
You know, in "real time".
When I was done pondering all this, I whispered to Zed, "Look at those old people on their cell phones, seriously, I am not sure if it bugs me that they old and texting or if its the fact that they are completely ignoring their grandchildren to text?
"What...." He said.
I turned to him.
He was checking his Blackberry.
Yeah. I have a husband like this too. This weekend, our last together before our oldest moves over seas for ten months, I told him if I saw him texting or reading his e-mail for work AT ANY TIME, I would throw his iPhone in the lake. He must have believed me as he didn't do it. And yes, I would have.... :) Great post.
ReplyDeleteZed is pretty good. We had a great debate though. Is someone playing on their cell phone any different than me visiting with another Mom?
Deletep.s Glad you didn't toss it in the lake.
I was at a conference & went into a bar for refreshments (much needed). It was dark, and the whole place was lit up with a phone in front of each person. It pissed me off that ppl can't go for 2 minutes without checking texts & emails. Can't we drink & talk dirty without the damned phones!!!??
ReplyDeleteI think having a phone makes you feel less alone. It can be instant esteem in an uncomfy situation.
DeleteFirst, I just woke my husband up because I laughed out loud at the "Murder She Wrote" line. I remember being on a date back in 1998 when a guy took a cell phone call while we were out. I vowed to never see him again because he valued the random phone caller more than the goddess in front of him. We need to stop the decline of proper manners and eye contact in today's world now!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not just saying that because I don't know how to text and I don't own an iPhone.
Well. Maybe I am. But still...
MARIANNE. I just learned how to text in July! You need an iPhone. I will buy you one. Where in Chicago should I ship too?
DeleteHey Kyla, if you are giving out cell phones (sorry iphones, see how bad I need one?)sign me up! We only have 1 cell in our house and it isn't even turned on...we only use it for roadtrips etc. but I'm sure if we had the money, we would all have one in a heartbeat. About the texting thing, i got mad at my mom last night at dinner (she's in her late 50's) for getting up from the table to check a text. I think sometimes (like dinner time) the texting should wait.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your Mom's deal? I don't get it. Old People should NOT be allowed to text. I kid, I kid. Sort of.
DeleteI have a "stupid" phone because I'm afraid I'd fall in love with a "smart" one and the dogs would starve, the house would fall down and life as my family knows it would just cease to exist...
ReplyDeleteYeah I have myself on a big time pedestal.
My mom is 69 and she texts! My kids think it's so darn cool that their grandma is so hip! Although they don't say "hip", I think they say "cool"...I can't keep up with the terms these days ;-)
My hubby is not a big texter; he ignores me to play spider solitaire on the computer. The dork.
Pamela, THAT IS EXACTLY why I didn't have a smart phone either. But, I had a live on location at a cell phone store and just HAD to take the FREE IPHONE. It's a dream. You need it. You neeeeeeeeeed it!
Deletep.s I also say "hip". ALL THE DAMN TIME.
sometimes i hate technology....i just got a cell phone maybe 4 months ago. an old flip up phone. i like to be able to text my girls...know what is going on..or for them to text me. my husband texts me...it actually is nice sometimes but i see far too many people with their faces in their phones and i think that is why i am and have been so resistant in getting one.
ReplyDeletelike i see moms all the time texting and pushing their strollers...is the message that important? and I guess that is my issue. why is it that we have come to a point where texting takes priority over pushing your baby in the buggy with two hands or some many other activities? time and place and all that.
my husband tries to put his away when we are out and stuff cause he knows it drives me nuts....i think though he would probably die without it.
i like going without technology sometimes...even taking a day to not go near the computer. it is refreshing sometimes.
They even make cell phone holders for strollers so you can push and text. Genius. No?
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