Monday, December 11, 2017

Phone Break

Yesterday, for the first time, I drove away from the house and realized that I did not have my phone. Instead of turning around and going back to get it I decided to just continue my day.

You know, not a bad day.

I have had some sort of portable phone for over 25 years. Prior to the portable phone it was a pager. The first phone (a bag phone) I was able to acquire was so that my family could get a hold of me at any time, and this has always remained the prime purpose.  In the early days we kept the number to ourselves, today I give the number out to friends as well as business associates.

I will admit there was the 'Technology' angle that may have pushed the initial acquisition of a portable phone. I did lease (to someone else) the early car phones during the 1980's and was fascinated when the first person showed up with a portable phone in a briefcase. I think the cost was in the $3,000 + area and this was 1984 (the real 1984).

Today the Cell Phone, as it was first called and now the Smartphone, is our only phone. Land Lines are going away at a very high rate of speed. According to Forbes in February of this year (2017) "Some observers have predicted that the majority of homes on the U.S. could be without a landline as early as this year!" Well it is the end of the year and as of this year ours is gone - we are FREE, no more wires. Well, we do have electricity.

Between Verizon and Google Voice we have a better setup than ever before. I really like using Google Voice as I get a text message and an email when I miss a call, I really do not have to call an answering machine.

All in all, yesterday being phoneless was very pleasant.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that my wife had her phone with her - of course just in case the kids called, we wouldn't think of checking Facebook.