Shutting down...

While I've thought about doing this and wrote about doing this in a future blog post, I did it first hand, cold turkey, no warning!

8.5 hours with no cell phone! Yep, you read that right, no phone! At first I was alarmed... not only did I have lots of information on my phone, but I was spending the day with my mom and sister! At least I knew we'd have Debs phone, so we are covered for emergencies. Still I felt naked, reminded every time I thought to call someone, check weather or send a text, that I was without that option.

And here's the thing, I survived! We went to lunch and there was no quick peek at facebook, or update on instagram, I spent the time with both my mom and Debbie.  I did notice at every other table people on their phones almost the entire lunch! What have we come to, no longer interacting with those around us?

While sitting at the restaurant the hostess brought me the restaurant phone and said is there a Tina here, I laughed and said yes. I talked to a friend we were meeting for lunch that was unable to make it, and unable to get in touch with me.  See, I guess we really aren't all that disconnected without our cell phones?

What did we do  years ago before everyone was always connected? I went years not needing/wanting a cell phone until out on a bike ride with the kids and in the middle of the ride Zach fell off the trail and once out, he didn't want to ride anymore, unfortunately, he had no choice, we were dropped off and had to get to the other end. But it did wake me up to say if I had a phone, I could of called for help.

Now phones are used for everything but phones. Its our camera, internet, book, games and every app imaginable to distract us from the world around us.

I did find my phone late that afternoon, and the loss did teach me that checking facebook and instagram had become a habit I want to change. Spending the time with those surrounding me and not on my phone, even if I didn't lose it, is a new goal for me...