My life without a cell phone
Before we came back to the US, we looked into what it would take for me to have a cell phone for six weeks here. We maintained a regular AT&T account until two years ago, and last Christmas I had a Verizon pre-paid cell phone. Neither arrangement made me happy. AT&T rewarded me for years of complaint-free consuming with a tsk tsk lecture about my wanting to use a non-AT&T phone and features (like twitter!) not available on a "really old" phone number. Verizon pre-paid restricted me to using a really crummy phone, something I didn't really want to do this year with my new N97 mini. There are other cell phone companies out there, but for where the bulk of my travel would take me this summer, AT&T and Verizon are the only choices. So I exercised what little free-market choice an American consumer has in this situation--I am going without a cell phone for six weeks.
I know; this is so shocking in 2010 that maybe I could write a memoir about. Instead of My Life without China it would be My Life without a Cell Phone. Oddly the decision was easy to make. This summer I knew the bulk of my time would be spent at my sister's in Pittsburgh, my in-law's in the Clarion area, and my parents' house. At my in-law's house there is almost no cell phone service of any kind. And the hour-long-drive between Clarion and my hometown also has virtually no coverage. Randy and I reasoned that for at least half of my stay here, the cell phone would be of no use. Since I really wanted to use my own existing phone, I also wouldn't have signal at all in Kane, either.
It hasn't been hard. I do like to tweet, and that is really the only thing I have missed. I am still on twitter (see the sidebar?) but it is only when I am online. Family and friends can find me at the houses where I am staying. As for meeting up, plans have to be firm. For instance, my sister Kate and I were going in separate cars to meet up at a kids' playroom in Squirrel Hill. I was going to arrive first to see if it was open. I told her if it wasn't or I wasn't there, to go to the Crazy Mocha down the street and I would meet her there. Without cell phone contact we were actually able to execute this plan. Amazing!
My mom was worried about me going out without a cell phone during my high school reunion. I didn't want to be responsible for her BlackBerry, but she insisted I carry it with me. The only call I got was from my sister Megs to tell me she was on her way to meet me. I would have learned this soon enough anyway.
I'm not trying to argue for a cell phone-free life. I love my gadgets as much as most people (with the exception of you Apple people who have elevated tech-love to a new level). But I have surprised myself in how not panicked I've been over not having a phone on hand. In fact, the bigger stress for me is the absence of Internet service at my inlaws' house. I'm getting through that, mostly by hitting a local coffee shop a few times this week (like, now!).
I know; this is so shocking in 2010 that maybe I could write a memoir about. Instead of My Life without China it would be My Life without a Cell Phone. Oddly the decision was easy to make. This summer I knew the bulk of my time would be spent at my sister's in Pittsburgh, my in-law's in the Clarion area, and my parents' house. At my in-law's house there is almost no cell phone service of any kind. And the hour-long-drive between Clarion and my hometown also has virtually no coverage. Randy and I reasoned that for at least half of my stay here, the cell phone would be of no use. Since I really wanted to use my own existing phone, I also wouldn't have signal at all in Kane, either.
It hasn't been hard. I do like to tweet, and that is really the only thing I have missed. I am still on twitter (see the sidebar?) but it is only when I am online. Family and friends can find me at the houses where I am staying. As for meeting up, plans have to be firm. For instance, my sister Kate and I were going in separate cars to meet up at a kids' playroom in Squirrel Hill. I was going to arrive first to see if it was open. I told her if it wasn't or I wasn't there, to go to the Crazy Mocha down the street and I would meet her there. Without cell phone contact we were actually able to execute this plan. Amazing!
My mom was worried about me going out without a cell phone during my high school reunion. I didn't want to be responsible for her BlackBerry, but she insisted I carry it with me. The only call I got was from my sister Megs to tell me she was on her way to meet me. I would have learned this soon enough anyway.
I'm not trying to argue for a cell phone-free life. I love my gadgets as much as most people (with the exception of you Apple people who have elevated tech-love to a new level). But I have surprised myself in how not panicked I've been over not having a phone on hand. In fact, the bigger stress for me is the absence of Internet service at my inlaws' house. I'm getting through that, mostly by hitting a local coffee shop a few times this week (like, now!).
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