Hello, my BFFs. I'm LOL about how society has become so dependent on electronic gadgets. I long for the good ole days when you actually had to look someone in the eye to talk to them. Now, we have texting, facebooking, tweeting, IMing, Skyping, voice mail and of course, e-mail. Do you know how hard it is to stomp your feet and have a hissy fit through an e-mail!!! Or to tell a story in 140 characters!!!
Going to dinner has become a multi-tasking event, too. The other night, I saw an older couple sitting across from each other in a booth and instead of talking, they were both scrolling on their phones. I wanted to shout, hey, granny and grandpa, say something to each other.
And I'm sure you've been with someone and you see them across the table, one eye on the phone in their hand under the table while you're telling them your delightful and colorful story of how you wrestled a pair of Jimmy Choos out of a woman's hands during clearance in the shoe department. Only they are not really listening. They're more interested in what's streaming on Twitter or what's pinning on Pinterest.
So what about it? I know these necessary evils are here to stay and I actually enjoy them myself. I love being in touch with my friends, my readers and my darling editors. But part of me longs for the days when I didn't know who was calling or I didn't have a phone nearby while enjoying a long, leisurely lunch with a friend. A lunch where we focused on each other and laughed and gossiped and had another round of martinis. Oh, wait. That's only on Mad Men. I don't drink martinis!
Anyway, let's discuss Electronic Etiquette. Have you had experiences that left you exasperated and agitated to the point that you couldn't wait to get home and expound on facebook? Let's hear them!
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Hi Lenora! I get frustrated with these gadgets, too. Last week, I turned off the sound notifications for my emails and boy did that make a difference! I'm much more at peace. I don't feel the need to drop everything every time my phone dings. It was mostly Facebook comments anyway. Sometimes I wish I could toss the thing, but it is handy in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteI guess the key is to learn to use it wisely and leave it in the car during dinner out. :)
Lenora, great rant...er, post. :) Personally, I hate texting. My fingers just don't work on a tiny screen. I resort back to hunting and pecking, which is so not efficient. I really enjoy my pets. Guess why...because I actually have to give them one-on-one attention. No texting, no emailing, no telephoning. JOY!
ReplyDeleteKaren, it is nice to just turn all the dingers off!! Good idea. I leave my phone upstairs when I come down for lunch so I can chat with Big Daddy. Even if he is on the iPad. !!
ReplyDeleteRenee, I never mastered the thumb typing. I use regular fingers. And come up with some strange text messages!!
Hi Lenora! I am right there with you. At one time I was a slave to my phone, now not so much. I no longer do Facebook on the phone. It drove me crazy with all it's dinging. As for meal time, I put my phone in another room or leave it in my purse. If it rings, I look to see if it is any of the really important people in my life... if not, I don't answer it. These are new habits I'm working on because like Karen I found I am more at peace when it isn't ruling my life.
ReplyDeleteNow to work on all the distractions of the internet :) Wish me luck!
Laughing, let me correct the part about only checking to see if it's the important people in my life, that is when I am away from home and the phone is in my purse.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, maybe I am still part slave. Who knew?
Rhonda, it is refreshing to know I'm not the only one who is becoming "electronic weary". I love all of my lovely electronic toys and they sure do come in handy at conferences and while driving through a strange place. But I think every now and then, we just need to let go and live without them for a while each day.
ReplyDeleteImagine what we might discover without even having to Google it??
So true!! Good post Lenora. Getting my son off his device is a constant battle.
ReplyDeleteI hear that. Our children will social skills that will be different from ours!
ReplyDeleteI hate when cell phones ring during church.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. That seems to happen a lot!!
ReplyDeleteMe, too. That seems to happen a lot!!
ReplyDelete