To celebrate my birthday Dallas wanted to get me a nice gift. Something I could surely use. Something I don't already have. Something that would be cool, high-tech, and modern. A "real" cell phone.
OK look---I never had one in Europe. Never needed one. I had a phone at work, and one at home. And computers everywhere. And no one cared where I was nor were they ever desperately trying to reach me when I was en route to someplace or out somewhere or in the grocery store or sitting outside at a cafe'. But for some reason, when we moved back to the States at the end of 2010, I suddenly needed one. All of a sudden, it was imperative that I be reached at all times, everywhere. So I got a phone. It was a lovely (free) plastic flip phone. Navy blue plastic. No voicemail, no extra features, no camera, no internet, no apps, nothing. Just a small plastic phone.
I liked it. What's not to like? It fits in my purse easily, has a little robotic-mechanical-sounding chime for a ring, and I just pay a few pennies per call (of which I made very few).
Now fast forward to 2012---And realize that Dallas is probably one of the most tech-savvy, gadget-loving people that I know. He finally informed me that not only is my phone practically an antique---but that it is embarrassing. He did not want to be seen with me when I was chatting on my navy blue plastic phone that cleverly (to me anyway) flips open. He mentioned this several times, so that eventually I began to feel self-conscious when I would talk on it in public. I imagined that people were staring at me and snickering at my low-tech, ridiculous phone. I would attempt to palm it in my hand, so that others wouldn't see the glare of the shiny plastic or bury it in my hair as I talked . And I began to notice that I seemed to be the only person left on the planet with a cute little plastic navy blue flip phone.
So although I was fine with the phone. Happy with it actually----I finally gave in to Dallas and accepted his gift to me for my birthday. A real grown up phone. Now I have stuff. I don't know much about this stuff---but I have all kinds of stuff on that phone. I have something called a cheese shutter and ice cream sandwich on my phone (which apparently is very important.....and way better than the other option, which is gingerbread). Oh and I have Gorilla Glass too! That sounds really cool. And now I no longer have to hide my phone in my hand or under my hair when I talk. I can proudly talk on my phone in public, check my email, take photos of every meal I eat (a popular Facebook pastime) and receive voicemail messages even.
Now if only I can figure out how to hit the imaginary buttons on the screen. Apparently it is not fingernail sensitive.....and my fingernails get in the way of my fingertips. So my typing is all messed up. And autocorrect is a big failure so I have discovered. (I am apparently cooking dinner in my crackpot tomorrow)
So for my 49th birthday I get to learn something new, hold my head a little higher (cuz I am no longer lowering my head ---trying to hide that blue plastic phone in my hair), and get my nails cut down. How did we ever get along without these phones? Oh yeah....we carried change with us for the pay phone......and no one ever tried to hunt us down when we were not home. We were not chained to the world. It was called Freedom. I kinda miss it. (and my navy blue plastic phone too)
