Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Reasons Why Cell Phones are Annoying

I understand that cell phones have their advantages, and yes, I have one.  Mine is rather cheap, but I do use it (along with my blue tooth) to talk to friends and family.  I also love the security of having it for emergencies.  With that said, however, I also find cell phones incredibly annoying.  Take today for an example.  My husband, Lil' Lewie, and I were outside raking leaves in our yard.  While it is not the easiest chore, I did enjoy having this time together as a family.  My husband and I had fun tossing Lil' Lewie into a few leaf piles and watching his reactions.  Within the first fifteen minutes that we start raking, my husband receives a text--it's his sister making plans for later that day.  Of course, he feels the need to respond.  Ten minutes later, it's a friend wanting to go fishing.  A few minutes later, it's someone else.  While my husband is having all these interruptions, I'm just trying to enjoy the present moment of spending time with him and my son.

This is not the only time that the cell phone interrupts our family time.  Sometimes we'll be in the middle of watching TV together, and my husband will receive a call or a text.  He responds, which gives me the impression that it's more important that he tells his family what he's doing tomorrow rather than watch the show with me.  Other times, he's receiving texts from his boss--and it's no longer working hours!  Ugh!

I'll have to admit...I was almost swayed to buy a top of the line cell phone.  I enjoy blogging so much that it would be convenient to be able to tweet and check my comments and emails on a minute by minute basis.  It would also be fun to check my Facebook account, check my work schedule, record and send videos, etc.  Still, I had to remind myself of one thing--I have a family and a little guy that needs me first.  Do I worry about staying connected on my cell phone, or do I worry about my son and his needs throughout the day?  Being on my cell phone all the time would give him the impression that he doesn't matter, and I couldn't ever, ever let that happen for a moment.  So, I opted to stay away from the temptation.

I may sound a little old fashioned here, but regardless, here are my top ten reasons on why cell phones are just plain annoying.

10.  The reception.  Here in Connecticut, we have a lot of mountainous terrain, which means that usually 50% of my conversation sounds like this: "Can you hear me now?  How about now?  Now?  Can you hear me now? What about now?"

 9.   The rudeness.  Today I hear people having conversations with their friends and family practically everywhere.  They could be talking while standing in line at the grocery store, while ordering at Burger King, or before mass starts at church.  I mean really.  Is the conversation that important?  Obviously it is because it keeps people from acknowledging each other in person.

8.  The interruptions.  As I mentioned before, cell phones often interrupt the moment.  They can interrupt a special date, a special time with your little one, and even a special time of self-reflection.  At times, they can be down right intrusive.  Most messages CAN WAIT!

7.  The spelling.  As a college English instructor, it's frustrating to receive papers that now use the letter "u" for "you", "i" for "I", or other texting language and symbols for words.  It is changing the way students spell and think about writing at the most fundamental level. 

6.  The plans.  If your cell phone dies or has an accident before your plan is up, you're usually required to buy another phone at full price, which easily becomes another $100 to $400 investment.

5.  The urgency.  When we receive texts or voice mail messages, most of us feel like it's necessary to respond right away--even when it's not about something important.  It makes us stop what we're doing and keeps us from focusing on our present moment.

4.  The price.  Cell phones and cell phone plans are not cheap.  Let's face it.  It's an added expense just like paying to have internet connection is and an added expense. Before the 1980's/90's, we didn't have this extra bill.

3.  The secrecy.  We knew a lot more about who our spouses were talking to and making plans with when friends and family had to call on the home phone.  Now that my huband has a cell phone, I have no idea who's on the other line. 

2.  The addiction.  We get addicted to cell phones just like anything else.  They become such an extension of us that we can't imagine going anywhere or doing anything without one.  (This is especially true of my college students who can't seem to stop calling or texting even during an important class session.) 

1.  Distracted driving. Texting and driving don't mix.  Need I say more?

Bonus:  The influence.  Now children as early as seven years old are asking for their own cell phones.   I'm not going to enjoy the day that my son asks for one because his friends have one.  At age seven, I'm not going to feel the need that he has to call me from school and tell me how his day is going.  I have to trust that everything is okay at some point.  (Isn't this how helicopter parenting begins?)