The third post of my Holy Technology! series this week only.
So I once went on a date with a guy a few years ago and he stuck his cell phone on the table… with it still being on. It was like I was on a date with both of them. Yikes.
It was in part this need of constantly being connected (at least some people) that made me hold out on getting a cell phone for so long. Then I sat next to a guy on the plane to Vegas last year and half of our 5 hours of conversation was on the subject of cell phones and what they meant to our society. He convinced me I was being an old fashioned ninny (not his words) and I finally broke down and got one.
I now love to send little text messages to my friends and calling them in spare moments when I know they're free too. But may I put a few rules out there that I think everyone should follow?
1) Turn off your cell phone whenever you want to give your undivided attention to someone or something, whether it is your date or the meeting you are attending.
2) Give anyone who acts annoyed about not being able to reach you instantly a reality check.
3) If you have to have a more then two minute conversation, please duck somewhere private. Oh, and not the bathroom.
4) Chuck out all these rules if you are, say, an emergency room doctor or waiting for an organ donation.
Please share any additional personal rules you have or even funny situations you've experienced related to cell phone manners (or lack thereof).
Way more rules about cell phones to forward to clueless friends…
I went on a first date with a guy not too long ago who did the same thing with his phone. He actually took a call! I was not impressed….
I have a friend who thinks nothing of answering her phone while we’re hanging out. It wouldn’t be such a big deal except that she has 10 + minute conversations. My feeling is if you’d rather be on the phone with them, you’re not into hanging out with me. Plus, it’s just rude.
A guy that even shows me his phone on a first date is so not getting a second date. If he answers the phone on a first date, he’s not really interested in the date and it’s a clear sign to move on.
Turn off your cellphone ringer when going into a public place if you have no intention of answering the damn thing! Grrrr. I hate this. People come into the credit union and let their phones go off just because they like to hear the song they’ve downloaded. I’m a little tired of T.I.’s ‘Let me buy you a drink,’ and ‘Applebottom jeans’ – whoever sings that one. And if you have something annoying like the chicken dance, please, do us all a favor and change your ringer.
If you’re in the bathroom peeing, please don’t carry on a conversation for all and sundry to hear. It’s bad enough I have to hear you doing your business, I don’t want to hear about your gross problems (I had the great misfortune to hear a lady describing a boil on her derriere to someone.) I was almost rude enough to tell her to keep that crap to herself, but realized she probably didn’t know I was there and I would have embarrassed her. I left as quickly as possible.