Ups and Downs

So, I've had a mixed week without my cell phone.  It started with some ups, and ended with some downs.  One thing I noticed about this week, however, was that the topic of technology (cell phones in particular) continues coming up in conversation.

A couple of days ago, I got a really awesome message from my friend Patty.  I think the stress here at RIT gets the best of us sometimes, and technology doesn't help.  She wrote:

Hannah, I recently threw my phone on the floor of my car in a fit of rage because it keeps on turning itself off during phone calls. I haven't picked it up since. That little square box makes me so aggravated that it's just not worth it anymore. I don't know when I'll pick it up, but for now I am happily using my alarm clock, looking at the wall to check the time, and making plans via email.

My hats off to you girl. Perhaps you have the right idea.

It was really nice to get this message because it made me feel like I wasn't alone in all of my frustrations with gadgets.  It also spoke to the concept of this challenge, and the fact that disconnecting can be a release.

I want to point out that Patty's phone kept turning off on her unexpectedly.  Technology is not perfect, yet we depend upon it so much.  Our day to day lives are often kept on track by "that little square box", and sorry to tell you, but machines can be unreliable.

This dependence has also decreased the ability of tech users to depend on other people.  We trust our cell phones more than our best friends these days.  This may be another way technology is reducing the value of our interpersonal relationships.

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On the flip side of things, today I had a miss my phone moment (the first one so far, really).  I had told my resident (Caitlin) that I would go to lunch with her and her boyfriend today, and before lunch I had a meeting of sorts.

I journeyed across campus for my meeting, and arrived thinking I'd be back within the hour for lunch (I was actually hoping for 45 minutes, but that was clearly out of the question).  Well... two and a half hours later, I was still across campus and I had missed my lunch date with Caitlin and Shon.  

I realized when I got back to the dorms exactly what had happened, and I felt SO bad about it.  Granted, I didn't remember till well afterward (and a cell phone wouldn't have helped if I had kept it on silent).  However, I'm sure Caitlin would have texted me, "Where are you?" if I had a cell, and at that point I would have made it to lunch.

This is the first time that I've really forgotten something like that (I'm normally on time or 5 minutes early to all scheduled happenings), and that was frustrating.  Caitlin was a good sport, however, and agreed to reschedule on a day that I didn't have meetings scheduled.  I'm glad I have good friends who are forgiving and understanding.  That was one good aspect of the whole ordeal; I learned something about a positive quality in someone else... Maybe it was worth the mishap?  Well, that's probably a matter of opinion.