Cell Phones

When we purchased cell phones for our children and ourselves, we never imagined that they would become what they have: a device that demands instant attention at all times.

There are the advantages. In this cold climate, it is helpful to know that young people driving all over the place can call for help when needed.

On the other hand, there seems to be this ever growing list of "friends", such as on facebook, who need to virtually text everyone when they've got up, gone to bed, when they are bored and so on and on... It becomes one more way to be connected to an appliance and disconnected with your family.

This weekend, I had to laugh at the Doonesbury cartoon in the newspaper. The son is complaining that the mother did not pick up his phone call when he needed more chips to eat. She responded that she was on the phone with the dad. The son thought she should have put dad on hold to answer his call. Then her phone rings because her son had put her on redial and she was now off the phone. But then the son can't take the call that he got from his redial because he had another incoming call...

There is something intensely ridiculous about it all.