11 texts - 16 voicemails

As soon as I got to high school, I got a pager. It was the new coolest thing that everyone had. Probably a lost concept now, but who knows. When I turned 16 I got a cell phone. When I graduated from college and got my first "real" job I had two cell phones. I was completely accessible to all of my clients on nights and weekends. It use to drive my boyfriend crazy, and truth be told I had to agree with him. I hated having my phone with me at all times.

When I moved west, I made a promise to myself that it was all about me. It was based on my happiness and my success...the move and the new life style would be selfish and enjoyable. It was all about ME! I know that seems shocking, since I was the baby of the family and the majority of the time it was all about me anyways! However, this is different. I am going to be picky about my career, my living arrangements, my exercise habits, my consumption and my social lifestyle. During the mix, I decided I didn't want to be attached to a cell phone. One way to do so, was to leave it on silent PERMANENTLY! This allows me to still see what I might have missed, but not have it interupt what I am doing. I have since realized that I am getting back to being addicted to my phone, I can be down stairs and hear my phone vibrate upstairs in my room. That alone is shocking to me, but it really does happen.

So I have decided to that I will take a more hands on approach with my "me time." I will now start to turn my phone off all together! I had my phone off yesterday for about 7 hours and I was in heaven...literally heaven. I didn't care if people were leaving a voicemail or a text, I didn't care if people were desperately trying to find me. There was a life before cell phones and personally I think it was a pretty enjoyable one. My cell phone is for me and my convienence! What did people do before cell phones? Oh thats right, they called and left messages at your home or office and waited for your response, there was no instant gratification that cell phones have since provided. As a society we have become extremely impatient, we are so use to cell phones, pda's, or crackberry's that provide us with instant answers. People are so addicted to their cell phones its down right scary!

Last week, I had a little tiff with someone who was upset with me, because that she sent me a text message, and I didn't respond within a 6 hour period of time. When did we get so impatient that we can't wait six hours? It wasn't as if she sent me a text and asked me to take her to the hospital. When I explained to her that I couldn't/wouldn't jump every time someone sent me a text she couldn't believe I was the type to be disrespectful. I don't see it as disrespectful, I see it as individuality. My father use to say that he didn't want a cell phone or a pager because someone could always get ahold of him. It use to drive my mother nuts, but she eventually trained him to carry his phone...soon enough she will teach him to text (its only a matter of time pops).

Yesterday, was the first day of my no cell phone policy. When I turned my phone back on I had 11 text messages and 16 voicemails. Now don't go getting your panties in a wad, some of the voicemails were actually from a couple of days prior, but I did still have 8 new ones. It turns out when people can't find you for a certain period of time, they try harder to find you. The best part about all of them was that none of them were urgent by any means. None of them were life shattering or altering. In my opinion, none of them even needed a response, YET when I got to work today, I got bombarded with the "I sent you a text yesterday and you didn't respond" or the "I called you and left a message but you didn't call me." I am sorry, but when your message says "hey, its me...just calling to see whats up," I don't see it necessary to respond. As soon as Swallow walked in the door, she said "where have you been, I have been calling you all day?" I told her that I had my phone off for some me time, she said "well, I don't like that, what if I need you?" Sorry dear, sometimes "me time" is neccessary.

I am going to continue to turn my phone off. I'll start with once a week for a few hours of "me time." You are all probably thinking "why doesn't she just leave it in her car or at home." My response to that is, when you call and it goes right to voicemail, I want you to know that it is "me time."