Thursday, September 10, 2009

Turn the BLEEPING cell phone off!!

My thoughts are all over the map on this topic I am wanting to write about. I find there are so many situations rolling around in my brain that it's hard to make it all come together, so I apologise if it's a bit disjointed.
Without fail my husband will walk in the house after being at work all day and his phone goes off, another text. I find as times goes on, and this continues happening I am bothered at my very core.
We have had many and conversation about this, sometimes a heated one, that when he walks through the door I want his work day to be O.V.E.R. He works alot so when he's home I want him here, with us.
My husband is a business owner so the buck stops with him as he tells me often and I understand that. I have no issue with him being contacted if there is an emergency. As far as I know there has not been too many of those and yet the texting continues.
I often wonder if all this new technology is all it's cracked up to be. To be accessible whenever and where ever bothers me, alot. I often will ask my husband if a certain employee, who is quite text happy, would use a little more discretion if she had to contact him via telephone( yes, it's the odd looking thing with a cord attached to it) to relay her messages. It feels like any boundaries are blurred or not really in place.
If texting wasn't in place I know this employee would think twice before interrupting our time to contact my husband. Texting gives you full access into someone's time without having to justify the intrusion.
Funny as I read this I can tell from my own words how much I resent the intrusion, well I do damn it.. ( sorry J, he doesn't like me cussing)
In the end the power we have is to turn the freaking phone OFF when we walk in the door. Did you know that you can actually turn the phone off, you don't have to be accessible 24/7??
We have a friend who is anti- cell phone, facebook, etc.. Now this young buck isn't married, no kids, and is a student at university so his life is polar opposite of ours, but his motto is if you can't reach me at home then you can't and leave a message and I will call you back. ( sounds like my life a few years ago- ah , the good ole days)
Anyway I could go on some more but I've rambled enough. My parting words, boundaries people, BOUNDARIES!

5 comments:

Bijoux said...

I totally agree.
I find it embarrassing that in so many family vacation photos, you can see my husband on his blackberry. It's ridiculous.

JodyJ said...

Oh, the dreaded Blackberry... I've heard those things are terrible... constantly alerting you whenever an email comes in. Your right, it is ridiculous!

flutterby said...

See, I'm of the notion that the responsibility lays with the receiver of the call/text, etc. to ensure that the Real People in his/her proximity are respected.

ie: The person sending the text, making the call, leaving the message, etc. is only utilizing a technology for it's intended purpose -- to relay information.

It is up to the Receiver to choose how/when/where they access that information.

Do they turn off the ringer and only check for messages at certain intervals? Screen calls? Avoid checking and/or answering the phone when they are around and engaging other people/family in conversation, etc.

That said, I totally know what you are talking about. This ready access to people often is an intrusion on the Real and Actual interactions that are going on right in front of you.

On the other hand, I also remember the days of not being able to leave home so as not to miss an important call or the inconvenience of not being able to reach someone when they were away from a landline.

We just sent the Princess off to a weekend camp and I can't tell you how uncomfortable it would make me to know that if there were an emergency, the camp could only reach us if we were at home. Yikes! Cell phones are a godsend for some things!

Jennifer Kindle said...

Hey girl....thanks for the comment on my blog....glad the words were useful to some ears...I know exactly how you feel....I often have to take a deep breath, count to 3 then say, "yes, honey...what do you need???" Have fun on vacation.

Anonymous said...

I agree with flutterby - I think it's the responsibility of the receiver to use discretion as to when/if/where they answer the phone/txt.

I confess I find myself often fighting the tech world but also deeply enthralled in it.

I like receiving txts. They're small mini conversations that can bring a wealth of entertainment and/or information in a short stint.

I am also learning cell-phone ethticity (totally spelt that wrong and don't care! lol). It should be a universal teaching like manners. tee hee.

I'm off - my cell is vibrating...bahaha.

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