Saturday, March 05, 2011

iPhone, uPhone, we all phone for iPhone...

Lame, yes. But no lamer than my resistance to actually carrying around my new iPhone. I've been taking it slow, learning to do one thing or another, but never actually tucking the phone in my pocket or purse so that I could pull it out and use it for something.

The Favorite Son called the other day to talk----on the iPhone----and, of course, there was nobody home. On the iPhone, that is. He had to call the landline to find me. I was, of course, home by the landline. He was disappointed, to say the least, and so was I. Because I bought the thing so that I could do all the kool things he can do with his iPhone. And I'm not doing them. Yet.

There's a piece of me that just doesn't want to be available all the time. I'm a little nervous that, if I carry my phone around TURNED ON, I will be inundated with calls. I will be one of those folks walking through the grocery store talking on the phone, doing pastoral care over the broccoli, checking out the nutrient count of an unlabeled product via Google, or GPSing my way home from downtown Freeland. This is not a pretty picture.

I need the right kind of pockets to carry an iPhone; that's one of my excuses. Jeans pockets are too tight and shirt pockets too loose. I don't want it clipped to my belt or waistband like guys do. I'd be forever (this is assuming, of course, that people actually did call me a lot) pulling up my shirt to get at my belt or waistband, and, again, this is not a pretty picture. I have a friend who wears hers in a little pouch around her neck, festooned with keys and nestled among the credit cards and driver's license. This would be handy for many occasions, but I'm not too sure about the dangling aspects of phonewear.

I am enchanted, however, with the iPhone's capability. How very easy it is to phone the FS or text him or send him a picture of my new hair color (though he did not comment when we talked, which I attribute to the seriousness of the conversation we had). It's a snap to take a picture of myself or the cats or the snowfall.

There's a philosophical aspect to all this too. As I think about it, my sense of my life right now is as a rock in the middle of a stream, just observing the life around me, letting it flow, not needing to document it constantly. I am less concerned about UUA politics or even the urgent issues of injustice the world is experiencing right now; I don't mind about the UUA politics part, but I am trying to understand my present less-than-avid passion for collective bargaining or MidEast revolution or reproductive rights or the like. I still care and support the same liberal issues, but I have been letting others do the passion part. (One important exception: bglt civil rights will always be something I'm passionate about---I have too many bglt friends right here on my doorstep to let that slide.)

Uh oh, another blog post. As I said before, don't get used to it! I'm not preaching again till March 13, and at that time you will be faced with "Evolution Rocks".

1 comment:

Leland said...

I smile about your description of iPhone encumbrances. Indeed, there are many, but that's true of all our current digital devices. At Payless in Freeland, there's an interesting notice at the deli requesting that you turn off your cell phone while ordering your delectable. I think deli workers get tired of trying to take orders while people are answering their cell phones while trying to decide what to put on their pannini.

Another thing about cell phones is that they can be subtly intrusive. Having to listen to a too loud one-sided conversation can be slightly irritating. Doesn't matter where...on a bus, a ferry, a grocery store.

Good luck on learning all the options. Speak softly.