February 8, 2011
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The Challenge
I've come to realize that people are addicted to their lungs, hearts, and chestal cavities. And by people I mean me. And by lungs, hearts, and chestal cavities I mean cell phones. See, it hasn't always been this way. I didn't get my very first cell phone until October 2006, which was well past the time most people got their first cell phones. And I got my second and current cell phone complete with a flip keypad in November of 2009. When I first got my cell phone, I had a plan that gave me 300 texts a month. I thought that was a lot and most months didn't even exceed 300 texts. About a year or so into it I found out that I could change to a plan that had unlimited texts and it would not cost me a damn thing more. So I switched plans. Now I find it impossible to NOT to need at least 700 texts a month. And my current plan has the world wide internets on my phone, so I've got instant access to email, weather, news, porn and all sorts of shit. Shit, because of my cell phone I barely have to even get out of bed in the morning.
I've realized though that I'm addicted to the cell phone. Last week I punched an old lady in the face because she looked at me while I was using it. Oh sure, I was sending a text as I was urinating on her lawn, but that is no excuse to look at me while I text! And unless the phone is off while I'm working, I never go longer than a few minutes without doing something with my phone such as texting, looking at the weather, looking at email, looking at news stories or just seeing how much of the phone I can fit in my mouth. It is actually pathetic. When I bought the damn thing I swore I would never become one of those people who could not live without a cell phone or who just HAD to constantly have the cell phone within an arm's reach. Well, lo and behold, here we are, the very definition of what I despised.
Until now. I've decided that I'm going to attempt to go at least one day without using my cell phone. And I don't mean a work day. I mean an honest 24 hours, turn it off at night somewhere around 10 in the pm and not turn it on again until 10 the next night. I will still carry it with me, after all, I've got a 10 year old car and breaking down in weather this cold is what can lead one to lose a pinky toe. If I do need to use it for an emergency on the day in question, I will end the challenge right there and start it all over fresh another day. I know one day is certainly not a lot of time, but when you look at it every 5 minutes, that is a big deal.
You might be wondering why I don't just not use it instead of turning it off, but the truth is, I can't be trusted. If I turn the damn thing on, than I'm going to pick it up and use it in some manner. So off it will stay for at least a full 24 hours.
I still have not yet determined when I will attempt this rather stupid stunt, but I'm thinking one day next week or the week after. And I welcome and encourage anybody to join me in this so called challenge. After all, as addicted as I am to my cell phone, I know there are people who are far worse off than me, which is reeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaallllly pathetic. So I will keep you all posted on what day I do it should I mange to get anybody joining me.
Comments (2)
I used to be totally addicted to texting. Now the unlimited plans are INSANELY priced. I remember when you could get unlimited for $5 or less. Supply and demand i suppose. I had an ex and our main source of communication was through text. Then i met Ryan and he doesn't text at all. So the habit died. I still pay for 200 a month because my sister sends me stuff. What i'm worried about is when Ella is a teenager wanting a cell phone with texting. I see teenage girls and they are glued to their phones. How in the hell do they get homework done? I think we're going to be the strict, uncool parents with that especially if her grades aren't all A's. I think my friend's daughter sends 2000+ texts a month. CRAZY! Good luck giving it up for a day. You can do it! But expect some backlash...people are going to either be upset or worried about you if you haven't replied in a timely manner to texts
$200 a month, are you fucking serious? that is nuts. I pay like $70 a month with Sprint and I've got unlimited text, web, picture mail and other shit. Wait, upon further review, you pay for 200 texts a month. I could go back and erase that but, meh, i'm lazy. yeah, I heard that the average teenager sends something like 5000 texts a month. my personal record is 1777 texts a month, but I sent a lot of mass texts and that also includes incoming texts as well. So far, since my month started on Saturday Feb 5, I have used only 71 which is only about 17 a day. As for future teenage Ella, I'm betting that texts will be out of style by then and kids would have moved onto something else, what, I don't know. I do plan to tell everybody though that I'm giving it up for a day to give them a heads up.