Thursday, July 7, 2011

‎True friends just call...

‎"True friends just call... they don't text to see if it's ok to call." - Julie Herman

About a year ago an article was brought to my attention about the Death of the Phone Call by Clive Thompson.  Statistically phone calls are getting shorter and we are making less of them.  While I can't deny the facts in the article, I can't say I'm happy with this either.  Take a few minutes to read the article and come back... it's worth it.
...
...

Ok you're back... so the phone call deserves to die? Really?  I seriously don't agree.

I understand that I'm arguing about how technology is advancing through a form of technology.  My point of view is that things can co-exist and we can have different mediums that are for different things.  And with all of that being said my blog has become a wonderful place of communication without replacing actual face to face communication.  I am more than my blog & while I embrace technology... it isn't everything.

Here are a few examples of how technology has changed communication in my life.

Example #1
Recently my parents were in California visiting with my brother, SIL, & the kids.  One day my dad was on the phone with me when Elijah came in the room.  He said "Do you want to say hi to Aunt Julie?"  I heard Elijah say "Yes"... and then I heard him say "I can't see her."  It was then that I realized he has never talked to me on the phone.  Our conversations occur through Skype and Facetime.  He just assumes that when he gets to talk to me he'll see me at the same time.  Initially this thought was crazy to me, but he's grown up in an all digital world with parents that are very techno savvy.  He knows how to work an iPad better than I do! {Since everyone always asks for updates when I talk about him... he is doing ok.  Treatment is going as expected and his counts have been good enough that he has been able to have some friends over.  If you are new to my blog & wondering what I'm talking about you can read E's story.}
© Photo by Karin Herman - Please do not remove & repost this photo.


Example #2
Last night Rachael called me to talk.  She didn't check first to see if I could talk by texting me or sending me an e-mail.  We didn't pre-arrange a time to talk... she just called.  If I had been busy and missed her call the world wouldn't have ended.  I would have called her back when I could.  Sometimes you just want to talk to someone and should be able to call without arranging a call.  True friends get that.

At the end of our call she joked about not having to text before calling.  That is when I said if you ever text me to ask if you can call I'm saying NO!  Later I thought... ‎"True friends just call... they don't text to see if it's ok to call."  The idea to write this post came to me after talking to Rachael.  Had she not called last night who knows if I even would have blogged today?...


Example #3
I took off work on Tuesday and spent the day at a water park.  My phone went in a locker upon arrival along with everything else I didn't want soaked.  It was hours before I was back at the locker.  E-mail, phone calls, text messages... all waited till I got back to the locker.  Nobody was mad for waiting and the world didn't end.  Sometimes we all need a break from the constant beeping of alerts.  In addition I got to enjoy a giant rainbow ICEE.



I don't want a phone that shows my status and tells you when to call.
I don't want to leave video chat open all day.

I want to embrace change while still feeling like I can make last minute decisions, do things without asking first, and not have my life work off of a schedule where technology tells me what I'm supposed to do.
I want to have the ability to have a Skype or Facetime call while still having the ability to have a voice call.

I enjoy the ability to send a text message during a concert or baseball game when it may be too loud to make a call, but don't expect me to have a text message conversation with you!

Side Note... If you ever have something important to tell me... don't do it through Facebook or Twitter.  Send me an e-mail or give me a call.  While I use FB & Twitter regularly... I find that they aren't the best for remembering to reply to things and get things done.  I use them for casual conversation and sharing good blog posts.


So what do you think?
Should the phone call die?
Do you talk less?... text more?






© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

56 comments:

Nancy said...

My phone doesn't text..I had it turned off cause my family couldn't seem to remember that i have to pay for each text... so I get to hear my daughters voices and my grandkids voices...not just the words...

Needled Mom said...

AMEN!!!!! You have covered this subject beautifully and yes, we all survived those days without phones attached to our bodies.

Dana said...

You make a lot of good points and you give us a lot to think about. Do I text to see if someone can take a call,sometimes, yes, but only if I know that person might be at work or an appt. During the evening hours or a weekend, though, I just call. I can always leave a message. I find that two of my adult children mostly text, which gets a little annoying! No easy answers for this, but we do need to remember that sometimes just hearing someone's voice does more for our mental health than anything!
I hope Rachel's hubby is doing OK

Kirsty @ Bonjour Quilts said...

That is just sad - I never text before calling, and have never thought to. I just open the conversation with (after hello, of course) 'do you have time to talk now?'. If so, we talk, if not we make a time to talk later. Is the world really coming to this?

Susanne said...

This was a great post.....

I don't completely agree with the not texting before calling thought. My BFF and I are on different time zones and I have kids and her work hou hours never stay the same. I find we can talk much longer when we schedule a time that both of us can devote to talking :)

I'm going to try to do a post on this tonight!! It really is a thought provoking post!!

Jacquie said...

Great post Julie. It is amazing how the different generations perceive technology. My 5 year old son was amazed that we could not skype with his great grandma, as she does not have a computer. He offered to send her one of ours and could not grasp that she did not know how to use one. When we do speak to her on the phone it is only for 5 or 10 mins at a time as she still thinks that long distance calls are super expensive and doesn't want us running up the phone bill!

Tiffany said...

I like texting random little comments with my mom, and she doesn't like to chat on the phone all that much (and neither do I) so it works. Just fun to say hi or pass on a random thought throughout the day.

However, if its important, just call! I so agree - don't ask me if its ok to call and don't think I hate you if I miss your call.

... that is one thing I hate about cell phones. Sometimes you just don't want to talk right then, and its like the end of the world just happened if someone has to leave a voicemail and get called back later. Why? If its not an emergency, you lived through it before cell phones, you can live through it now.

I am all for ignoring the cell phone when you feel like it and just letting the digital and real world wait... life is about living it, not about staying connected 24-7.

Vesuviusmama said...

I don't talk on the phone much, but when I do want to talk with someone, I just call. I'm still bummed about the fact that people don't just drop by at their friends' houses anymore. I miss the spontaneity. And while caller ID is a lifesaver from those pesky telemarketers, I miss the suspense of discovering who is calling, or the ability to call someone and say SURPRISE! I know I'm not that old, and I do like change, but sometimes I pine for the "good old days".

mascanlon said...

Thoughtful post Julie. The only person I text before calling is my youngest daughter wih the new baby...don't want to disturb sleeping baby Ilika. I often talk with my 3yr old granddaughter and we sometimes Skype but as she's nearby she sees me to almost every week. As for my friends I always call, texting is great for a quick, "I'm running late so order me this." or "check out the sale at Fresh Picked fabrics" but not to really spend time and catch up.

Angela Nash said...

I think I'm too old (40 - eek!) to even consider the loss of voice calls. But when I was getting Caleb his first cell phone a month ago and looking at packages, I found a good one. It has unlimited text and data but only 100 minutes of talk time per month. So I told him about it and warned him that he would have to limit and keep an eye on talk time. His response was - why? nobody talks on the phone!

Related - Kenton has a friend that will drop by and just ring the doorbell to play. So nice. No fancy playdate schedule needed!

Terry said...

I don't text on my cell phone...I use it to make and receive calls when I'm away from home. At home I use my home phone (yes, I still have one). I don't email on my cell phone either. I have my computer for that. Call me old fashioned but I like my life the way it is. Technology is wonderful, but that doesn't mean we have to be a slave to it. :0)

corina said...

Great post! I miss old fashioned phone calls. No matter how many emoticons you put in an email IT IS NOT THE SAME! What about old fashioned mail?! Somehow I can't see myself printing off old emails, tying them up with a ribbon and saving them in my keepsake box!

Paul said...

Julie, you have hit the nail on the head! I love this post. I do not want the phone call to die. But, I feel we must respect people's preferred method of communication.

For example, my baby brother is a "texter". I KNOW that if I want to get a hold of him, and get a response, I need to text. He HATES talking on the phone. I prefer to talk on the phone, but I also want to stay in touch with my brother. I can call him while he is sitting at home doing nothing, and he will look at the phone, KNOW it is me, and let it go to voice mail. If I text him, any time of day or night, I get a response within 5 minutes at the most, and usually I get the response before I have set the phone down. It's just HIS preference. So I have learned to text.

Everyone else gets a call. If they don't answer, I leave a message.

I also don't look at my phone every time it makes a sound, so I often don't even know I have received a text message until much later. I can answer the phone while I am driving (Bluetooth is a godsend), but I can not text while I am driving. The only time I don't answer my phone is if I am in the bathroom, or in a business meeting.

Your comment about receiving a text to ask if it's OK to talk made me chuckle because I do the opposite. I will call and tell someone to text me. This is often when I am stopping to get dinner, or stopping at the grocery store and need a list of things to get. These calls also happen most often while I am driving.

Texting is an awesome tool, but for me it is just that, a tool. Useful for some things but not all things. What kills me is while purchasing my most recent phone, the salesman did a double take when I told him the most important feature of the phone I would buy was that it HAD to sound good, and project my voice well... It had to be a good PHONE. I didn't care about it's web surfing capabilities, it's hot spot capabilities, etc. Although I did also want a slideout keyboard for texting Leon...

Forgive my long response.... Loved this post!!

Paul
www.OutnumberedQuilter.com

Sandy said...

Of course I am older and still even have a landline phone. But...I say...AMEN to your post. I love the idea that you put your phone "away" when you were at the waterpark....not too many young people would do that. I text to my kids, but I call more often. Thanks for a great post.

natalie. beyond the reef said...

Guess that makes me a 'true friend'.....awwwwww.
And glad to be one too!

You know the old saying, "there's a time and a place for everything"...

pbs said...

My son made an intersting observation about cell phones. When you call a cell phone you usually only get the person who owns the phone as opposed to calling the land line and getting whoever answers the phone in the home. He misses calling and getting to talk to both parents, grandparents, etc. I know the younger generation loves texting, and video calls (yikes do I really look that bad today?). Thanks for the thoughtful observation.

By the way, the Off the Rails pattern arrived on Saturday. I can barely wait to get started. Thanks for your quick response to my email regarding using a layer cake and charm pack.

Timolily said...

I live in France, so communication with the English speaking world via e-mail and Facebook are necessary for the survival of my sanity. I used to hog the phone, but over here I am hesitant about calling people because I find that I can't explain things properly in French without the use of my hands to point or to form shapes..the message comes across much better by e-mail where I have the time to formulate my sentences!
I recently sent you an e-mail, I also sent it to several other bloggers who work in the fabric industry (in one form or another, buy mostly quilt pattern designers)and out of the eight people not one person replied..maybe I should have rung?!

Mrs. Monkeyboy said...

No, it should not die.

I talk more than text.
I text to get short messages to loved ones.
However, sometimes I don't answer the phone when it rings because I may not be in the mood to talk with the caller.
I always call a loved one back regardless if they leave a message.

Melissa said...

I text more which surprises me a bit because before I got my iphone I just didn't get the whole concept of texting and why people do it.

It works out well with my husband who is tied up in meetings all day so I can send him a quick message and he can call me back at a convenient moment.

That said, I do love a good phone call. But I want to be able to enjoy it without distractions and really focus on the person I'm speaking with. It's nice to have choices to suit different situations.

Interesting point about skype and the kiddos. We don't do that here at my house yet but I can see how easy it would be for little ones to get used to it.

Rhonda the Rambler said...

My very best friend lives 500 miles away. We text just about every day but I can't imagine going more than a week without talking to her. I need to hear her voice periodically. NO the phone call SHOULD NOT die!!!

Kimberly said...

I do understand your point and it is a good one!...I am deaf and texting is the best tech for me... teachers can contact me and my husband will text if something important.. even short text is good and sweet thought...soon my older son will be needed cell phone but he will text his friend and it might get lost with realtly but At least i will know where and what he doing and he can text me.. another words this is one good postive about texting is deaf can still "talk" on phone...

Kim said...

I don't have text messaging on my family's phones because I feel that it's important for them to be able to converse with their friends by picking up the phone and just call. I feel that if they have time to text, they have time to pick up the phone, granted there are times when texting does come in handy. People think that I am too strict on my kids when it comes to technology but seeing their friends glued to social media and texting all the time makes me wonder.
My friends also just picks up the phone and calls me.
Thanks for a wonderful post.

Josie McRazie said...

I have just recently become aware of our kids (and their friends) not having appropriate phone manners! They call and ask if my daughter is here I say yes and they do not respond! I do not let them talk to her unless they ask! I have even hugn up on them (hehe) but it is horrible that even a simple thing like phone (or conversational) manners have gone out the window!!

Rachel said...

I text more talk less....but I do NOT think the phone call should be eliminated. I think it is a huge benefit to be able to talk with someone in person!

Jennifer said...

i talk on the phone plenty, and text a lot (it's fun!). i don't tweet and i don't use facebook.

lately i've been wrestling with the concept of tweeting-- it seems like a great way to connect with my students. but i don't think i would tweet socially.

additionally, i don't like the concept of facebook. both twitter and facebook make people constantly available, especially with apps on smartphones. i'm not sure if that's a great thing.

dolores said...

I have NEVER liked to talk on the phone except to my family...just not a phone talker but then again I also don't text that much because I have an old cell phone(8 years old) so it takes forever.

That said it has been wonderful for talking with my dad since he is 60% deaf in both ears and even with his 1st class hearing aids has a hard time using the phone.

We have dial up so no skyping or anything like that which is too bad since our daughter is studying in the UK and our son has been touring a lot with his band...but there is nothing really affordable in our neck of the woods.

Actually been thinking about getting rid of long distance since we usually use our cells so why pay for it...just don't like the thought of spending so much time on the phone with a sales person who doesn't want me to end my service!:)

Emails and blogging has been my way of keeping in touch with the people I love...and of course visiting!

Kelli said...

My family talks often. It's almost always on cell phones and it's often through text. I agree with other commenters that I most often text with my brother because that's how he communicates most often. But it's an "unwritten rule" in our family that if you call someone (and they don't pick up) and you don't leave a message you were just calling to talk, they can call back if they want to/have time. If you leave a message, then you needed something. No one gets offended, no one's feelings are hurt.
Cell phones are a great addition to our lives for safety when driving and for getting ahold of someone when necessary...but they are a part of our lives, not the basis of our lives.
Great post, Julie!

Joelle said...

Cell phones are a great convenience, however in my experience they have limited value as actual "phones" in this day and age since I seem to use them primarily for texting,checking email and surfing the net, as do my kids. I have received texts from my daughter who was in another room in the house. When I want to have a real conversation, which is admittedly less frequent now than in the past, I use my land line so service doesn't drop, and the quality of that interaction is much better than that achieved with a text.

Who knows what the future will bring. When I think of the changes my father saw during his lifetime (born in 1912) and the incredible changes in my lifetime, I am awestruck. Dad saw coal used for heating his home, and few people had cars when he was born. I have seen the invention of the computer, the advent of cell phones and so much else, having started out my childhood with party lines, a wringer washer, clotheslines, milkmen and black and white TV. Will the cell phone die? It may well die, only to be replaced by something that I can't even imagine yet. And so on...

Jessica said...

Interesting post.
My husband and I don't even have cell phones. It's not always easy, but challenges us to plan ahead.

Charlotte M. said...

I get so tired of all the texting. It takes so much less time to just call and ask a question and get the answer. And I don't like being "connected" 24/7. I love a good chatty phone call. And yes, good friends should just call. Thanks for your great post.

MWalker said...

I hate talking on the telephone. Always have, always will. I'm very new texting (not even 6 months, lol) and I love that I can drop my best friend a line and she can reply at her convenience, or we can talk for hours on end and it not distract from our days. Even before cell phones, I did all my long distance communicating be email, and before that, traditional mail, simply because I liked going back and re-reading about little things I may have forgotten about. My whole family communicates better through written words than any other form. Maybe because we are all such avid readers?
So, the phone can die, but leave me my writing abilities, thanks!

The One and Only said...

I totally agree with you....I will text my husband while he's at work because he is a longshoreman and the machine he is in is so loud, it's hard to hear him. My parents live in the country where there isn't cell phone reception (and they couldn't text to save their lives) so I will call my mother regularly (my dad isn't a phone guy) to say HI and what not...I can't wait to SKYPE though, because my niece is going to CT for college (we are in CA) and my son and her share the same birthday so I want her to be able to SEE him as well as TALK to him when we do communicate...can you just imagine what people did when they didn't have phones at all?

Unknown said...

First, I am so glad E is doing good with the treatment. It's no fun, I've gone through chemo three times in the past 8 years, but, a positive outlook gets you through anything.
Second, love this post. I have a GO phone, the one you pay as you go, so, needless to say, I don't use it much. I don't want to people to know the where and what I'm doing all the time. My feelings, if you need to talk to me, leave me a message at home and I will call you back. I HATE TEXTING AND WILL NOT TEXT. God gave us a voice so we can communicate, use it.

Mommarock said...

There used to be a day.. a long long time ago. When we would call someone, when we left on a long drive, and they wouldn't freak out if they didn't hear from us for hours and hours.. they would wait until we called. Sometimes when it was long distance we would call, let it ring twice and then hang up as our signal that we made it just fine. Especially if it were late at night. The next day we would call and actually have an extended phone conversation. Things have changed, it is like we need to call someone and be in contact constantly and let them know that we are stopping to go potty on our trip.. giggles.. my life is just not exctiting enough to have that many people to call that often, or text. I call my momma once a week and really talk to her on the phone so that I know that she is just fine. I need to hear it in her voice. If I put my phone away most of the rest of the time... well it is just fine with me. It is there just in case my children need to call me.

Dorian said...

I'm in total agreement with you Julie!! A phone call, or an email is so much more personnal. I much prefer chatting on the phone, or like I do 5 days a week with my best friend...we use IM. I don't even OWN a cell phone :D so no texting, I don't do facebook and I don't twitter...to each his own, but I agree with your arguements.

Lindsay said...

I miss having real conversations. I call my friends as best I can but sometimes there are times where a text is necessary. My brother and younger cousins on the other hand have little concept of what a real phone conversation is like because all they do is text (and their spelling is miserable). I remember at their age having to call friend houses, talk to their parents and then finally get in touch to chat or make plans. Now there is no need to even converse, let alone talk to anyone else's family.

on another note, i never text before calling.

Dara said...

I am a mom of four young children and do not own a phone- much less distraction in the day. People truly need to relax. I question sometimes if for safety reasons I should get a phone, but when I really think about it, I am never too far from home during the day. I think that people are becoming less comfortable with quiet and not feeling like they have to check their phone for whatever reason.

Clothesline Club said...

Love it Julie. The phone call should never die. There is nothing better than chatting with your family and friends. My friends all know that I don't live with my cell in my pocket. It is truly for my convience and for emergencies. I don't think I have ever even used 1/2 my monthly cell minutes and texting! Maybe 4 or 5 in a month. I'd rather talk to you in person. Thanks for asking for our input.

momto2wasd said...

The phone call should never die!! I miss the face to face in person that used to be the norm, and I've been thinking about this a lot lately. We know so much about what's going on w/each other these days via twitter, facebook, etc, that we rarely take the time to call, much less get together in person. I still love it when friends drop by--a very rare occasion these days!

Jennifer said...

Oooh, oooh, oooh I can't wait to get some of the Route 66 fabric!
But then again Ruby is sooo pretty. Boys at work is really cool too. Although Butterscotch and Roses is really calling my name.....Uh, Do I have to pick just one???!!!

KatheG said...

I agree with you - phone calls please. Emails and this type of conversation is okay but I love talking on the phone. I have friends I can talk to for over an hour at a time and then see them the next day and still talk. One of my friends IM'd me to let me know some bad news - she was moving away to Baltimore. I called her and told her this is not an email type of discussion - she thought IMing would be the same as talking - no way. I still use a land line - cell is mainly for emergency. And the bills are getting shorter thanks to the combining of features and paying one fee for long distance, etc. And I refuse to have the texting feature on my cell. Long Live The Telephone!!

Sylvia said...

I didn't know that I was supposed to text people before calling them. I guess I'm old-fashioned like that. I do think text messaging can be a useful form of communication, but I only got a text messaging plan last month because the 20-cent per message cost finally exceeded the $5 for a plan a few months ago. It drives me crazy when people try to plan things via text message. Just call! If I can't talk, I won't answer the phone!

Sharon said...

Great post! My phone doesn't text either and it is mostly for emergencies when I drive from California to Arizona to visit family. In fact, my voice mail message says... "My phone is in the car and I'm not so please leave me a message and I'll call you back, thanks" I love it when I'm thinking about my sister and the phone rings and its her and we gab for an hour or so.

Patty said...

No let the phone call live, while I do enjoy the convenience of texting I like to hear a human voice.

bethanndodd said...

Although there are obvious benefits to technololy I would be lost without the original purpose of the phone. My bestie lives 3 hours a day and we talk on the phone just about every day of the week (weekends are family time) and sometimes more than once a day. Also, my sister is moving 8 hours away (in just over a week...sniff, sniff). I plan on talking to her every day as well. It wouldn't be the same if I couldn't here her voice. Glad to read that E is doing OK. Smiles~Beth

Anonymous said...

This one has me saying, "Really? Seriously?" I guess it depends on how you live your life.
When everything crashed in 2008 and I lost my job, I had to learn to give up on the whole rat race. My then swanky razor phone was shut off and it didn't even kill me. Mtter of fact it was really nice not to have the bill or bother. It took me two years later to get a prepaid phone that I rarely use or remember to use it. And the only reason why I have it is because of my ailing SUV that is paid off but we cannot replace at the moment. Love that truck but it scares me to death to drive it. But any way the phone still rings in this house despite the rat race going on in the rest of the world. If friends and family want to chat our phone is there and the yes, the answering machine will pick up if any of us do not. Trust me we will call you back. Another thing about having the house phone there, is for when my husband works over time or when my daughter needs me to bring something to school that she has forgotten. Both of those calls reasures me of where the both of them are really at thanks to caller ID.
Now my sister and my Ex can not live without a smart phone. My ex is currently waiting the new arrival from his now wife and is frustrated that our daughter does not have a phone to text back and forth with, And my sister can not even get through a family dinner without having the blasted phone in her hand because she is constantly texting. You can not even have a conversation with her and that is even seeing her in person.
Lastly, as much as I love social media as a great tool. It has also killed off quite a few friendships. I no longer have the great conversations that I used to have and because of stat posts new conversations are killed of instantly. Leaving nothing to talk about. Now that bums me out because I miss those people who used to be that true friend. Now we don't even talk.

Glad to here E is doing okay! Here is to hoping Rachel's hubby is doing all right! And to you Julie, Cheers! Sorry about the long comment. Take care now!

gablehousesewing.com

Kelly O. said...

people email me and I call them back... I don't love the email...I don't love talking to machines.
When I can order something online or over the phone-I always choose to call and chat with a live person. I prefer people.

VickiT said...

Can I adopt you please? Every single one of our kids (3 are mine/1 his) absolutely refuse to call me. They all text or use Facebook but mostly, it's text messages. I HATE texting constantly and am always telling them to call. Then they say they're in a place they can't call and I get really upset thinking if you have time to text then you have time to walk outside and friggin CALL your own mother. One is usually taking a small break in a law library so I understand not talking but geez, get up, walk outside, have a cig, move your legs and CALL your mother! Another one texts because he doesn't like playing 20 questions and that's what it's like for hubby or I in talking to that one because he only ever gives us a tiny bit of a story and then expects to get our opinion from that. So then, 20 questions game starts. Texting means we can't hear his voice and know when we are begining that game we hate so much. LOL Those are the two I hear from most of the time. One has a GF who does text first to see if she can call. HUH? I am disabled. I go nowhere. I do not work. I have a cat that is in the drawer next to my arm all day long and a husband who is gone all day at work. WHY wouldn't you be able to call me? I'm here and have nothing pressing to do other than talk unless I've smashed my toe dropping my iron on it or something. LOL

So yea, can I adopt you? I won't even expect a quilt from my only daughter. :)

Dirt Road Quilter said...

No, the phone call shouldn't die and along with that, neither should the good long visit on a porch over a glass of iced tea. I love technology, but I hope that we're not going to lose the way we used to communicate completely. There is something to be said for finding a good old fashioned letter in your mailbox.

KeyQuilter said...

texting gets the job done if you only need to know a quick yes or no but I'm with you- if you gotta ask me if it's ok to call, there's something wrong! On the other hand, phone calls (except for required "work") shouldn't interrupt any other kind of social interaction- such as, when we're lunching together,it's disrespectful to lay your phone on the table as if you're waiting for something better to do than talk to me right in front of you! I fear that our never-stop-texting youth will suffer from lack of face-to-face social skills.

Sooz said...

Of course we should never eliminate ANY form of communication. The phone call will never die. It has just become one of many other forms of communication. WE get to choose our preferences. One of the many perks to being Human.
Long live the Voice!

**nicke... said...

amen!

suz said...

Love this post! I have a cell phone because it was important when my mom was sick. I kept it and got rid of the land line because it was cheaper to just have one and now that my son doesn't live at home, it does important stuff (like let me call AAA when I break down). That being said, I just make calls with it. I'm in constant arguments with my provider about getting a cheaper rate because I just make calls - nothing else. I have a computer for emails. I have facebook to be sure my family is okay if I haven't heard from then in a while. After that, I have pens and paper!
I work for attorneys who never get time off now because they are always accessible to their clients. It's insane.

Amy R said...

You so hit the nail on the head. I miss phone calls. And, I'm so very happy to hear things are progressing for Elijah. Thanks for the update! You and your family often cross my mind and I wonder how he's doing.

Teresa Marie said...

I so totally agree with you, Julie. It's to the point that I am starting to hate texting and being texted. It's like we've lost the art of conversation, and are drifting farther and farther from personal relationships. I am seriously considering getting rid of my Droid phone when my contract is up, just so that I don't have the lure of Facebook, Twitter & email to steal more of my precious minutes.

TheaMinPA said...

Hi Julie, you have such a wonderful grip on communication skills, and worded your blog so well.... I keep telling my DIL, grands and DS that I'd rather hear their voices but they just don't get it. Maybe I'll send them a link to this blog post!