Unplugged Madness!

I boarded the plane connected to the world.  The flight attendant orders that we power off all electronic devices and put it away, which I obey immediately because I’m like that.  I’m good with that and enjoy my flight.

It was a four-hour flight.  Upon arriving we are given permission to use our electronic devices and everyone around me powers up their phones and immediately I hear buzzing and beeping sounds abound.  I try to turn the power on but my phone didn’t respond.  Okay, I though must be the batteries.  I’m still good with it knowing that I’ll be able to plug it in when I get to my hotel.

 Once in my suite I immediately plug in my phone only to read “battery full disconnect phone.”  As soon as it registers that I am no longer connect to the world I get a feeling in the pit of my belly. 

Holy jumping jacks batman, when did I become so connected to my electronic gadget that I would physically feel out of sync if not connected.  Almost ill like.  Crazy, huh. I called hubby on the hotel phone, (the one plugged into the wall) to tell him that I have no phone.  We speak for only five minutes because I am aware from what I remember there is a surcharge for using the hotel phone.  I was right, it cost $13.00 for five minutes!

I was unplugged for almost 24 hours but it felt like days.  It was fine when I was in control and the one deciding to be connected or not.  But when it was no longer my choice I felt like something was missing, not quite whole. 

In the meeting I kept hearing beeps, clicks, and music sounds bits, as people were receiving messages. Although, I had my Mac Air and could check my emails it didn’t feel quite right still.

Similar to when the internet connection is lost and you can’t connect to the world. I know we all keep pressing the connect key and still nothing happens but we hope that if we keep doing it magically it will connect. 

There was a time in my life when the internet and cell phones were not even on my radar.  Come to think of it, that was less than 20 years ago! There were these huge government issued cell phones but they were use strictly for business and not everyone had one.  I didn’t have the same relationship with those that I have with the ones we all have today.

My cell phone is how I stay connect with people in my life.  It is also my watch, my calendar, and my address book.  For less than 24 hours I was empty and feeling discombobulated.  OMG, I even had to consult the phonebook for the first time in years and I think they shrunk the print size because I don’t remember it being so tiny.

The following evening, hubby was arriving late and I went to pick him up.  As it is the case, his flight was late.  I waited, waited, waited, and waited.  Finally, I found a pay phone and called his cell and he answered as he was just getting off his plane.  He said, how are you calling me?  I responded, there is this thing called a pay phone, works like a cell phone but you really have to search to find one that works. Sorry, he said if you had a cell phone I could have called to let you know my flight was delayed.  I know, I say.

As we walk to the car, he said “Do you want your Christmas present now or do you want to wait? I say, does it start with an “I” and end with a “phone”?  Then absolutely.  

I love my iphone 4s!  In this thing that fit nicely in the palm of my hand holds more stuff in addition to my old phone all my music, books and connects me to all my social net works making it possible to be even more CONNECTED. All is well in my world again!