Presently, I don’t have a cell phone. That’s right, no cell phone. When I look around at my little world when I’m out and about, I feel like the only person without one. When people find out I don’t have a cell phone, they stare at me with that quizzical look as if to say “How do you get along without one?” Or the less likely “No cell phone? What…are you homeless?”
I get along just fine without a mobile phone. I work in an office, and there’s a phone right next to me on my desk. There’s a landline in my house when I get home from work. My wife has a cell phone, and my daughter does as well. I will, at times, use my wife’s phone to communicate. You can text on it very easily, and you can also make a call and actually talk to someone.
I’m currently convinced there is a wealth of phone power always within my general vicinity. Why be redundant and add one more?
I was sitting with a friend recently who was showing me the wide range of things his phone could do for him. He has a new breed of SmartPhone that could instantly grab some NCAA basketball scores, look at the weather report, update his Facebook status, and play some on-line games. I was thoroughly confused.
As I’ve stated before, I love some forms of technology and how much easier they can make our lives. My wife and I just joined the flat screen TV revolution, and we’re very happy we’ve been finally able to join this exclusive club. Of course, we had to join because our current television had finally kicked the bucket. It was a wedding gift from my sister and my brother in law, meaning it was just about 18 years old. I think that’s much older in “TV years”, however.
As I enjoy baseball and basketball games in all their high definition brilliance with our new television, and my appreciation of all things new increases, I have to ask myself: Well, what do you think? How about getting a cell phone?
I just can’t pull that trigger. I do love talking to people, and I love new toys as well. But for me, a cell phone is akin to a colossal waste of my dollars. I know I could probably use such a phone in an emergency situation…but everybody else has a cell phone. And I’m a sociable and brazen individual at times.
If my car ever breaks down, the conversation could go like this:
“Hey buddy…can I borrow your phone?”
That’s not all there is to it. Phones aren’t just phones now, they are status symbols. If you’re caught outside of your residence without the right phone…well, what’s a neighbor to say? What, no IPhone? No Android? You just make calls from your phone? Really? That question would come up again. How do you get along without one?
You know the answer. Just fine, thank you.
Kids, just remember: The “Old School” principles aren’t just about paying homage to the previous generations. No, it’s also about realizing what’s necessary in your life, focusing on that, and doing away with (or not even bothering with) the rest of the crap that everybody else is doing.
Joe DeGiorgio 
Your articles are for when it asolbtuely, positively, needs to be understood overnight.
My cell phone is not a smart phone, so it must be a dumb phone. I don’t use it much, but it definitely helps when I do.
I wish I could get out of my cell contract. Only a few months left and I’m done! I don’t want a phone. I got rid of texting, and now no one even bothers to communicate with me. It just sits there telling time…kind of pointless to even have one. My generation doesn’t talk, they text or use Facebook. When I tell someone to call, they say they’ll text. When I say I don’t have text messaging on my phone, I get a look of utter confusion…and then they don’t call.
Steve, I have to admit, a tiny part of me misses having my own phone, but for the most part…I have no problem being free of that anchor. Especially now with these reports coming out tying the radiation emitted by cell phones as a possible cause for cancer…Scary stuff!
I’d probably miss it too if I didn’t have one at all. Then again, I would still have access to Erin’s phone if I needed, so that’s kind of like cheating! LOL!
And yeah, I’m not sure I use the phone often enough to worry about the risk of cancer, but I know some people who I think have used it so much they’ve gone brain dead…haha!
Hey Joe,
Once again you prove that you’re not average!
So, I think the reaction you get by not having a cell phone, is the same reaction I get when I tell people I don’t have a Facebook account. That’s right, I don’t have a FB account! And, if it wasn’t from our friend Marcus, who knows if I’d even have Twitter.
But you better believe that I have a cell phone, and a smart phone at that. And let me explain why I love it… for me it’s a productivity machine. From it, I can keep up with my all things for my blog: (wordpress; comments, even toy with the code if I need/have to). I have Twitter, Skype at my finger tips. I have a Google Reader app where I can read these awesome updates from this site called JoeDegiorgio.com…I can do it all from my phone.
With all that said, I respect your approach. I see it as you’re drawing your line in the sand…as i have done, to this point with Facebook. I respect it and don’t think it will hurt you a bit. BUT – I bet if you had a nice new shiny phone for 1 week, you’d be sold! (but I’m not trying to sell you)!
Thanks Joe!
No FB for JK? Almost as unusual as me with no phone!! Don’t worry though, you really don’t miss much, especially with the Twitter account. And yeah, I’m sure if I had a new phone for A DAY I would have trouble getting it back. That’s why I think I’ll have one sooner rather than later. But for now, I’ll enjoy my time without the phone…good to be disconnected every once in a while! And thank you!
Got to tell you, I was in India for 2 weeks last month and borrowed my dad’s cell phone during my stay. It was such a pleasure to use just a simple cell phone to make phone calls only. No other distractions or disturbances. A lot of times, the smartphones tend to rule you outright. What I have here is an office given Blackberry which is not that great to use anyway for these ‘smart’ features 🙂
Thanks Sri, for stopping by to comment. I think once I do break down and get a new phone, it will still be a little “old school”: something to mostly do some talking on (OK, I admit it…I’ll probably text as well)
I love it, you have a twitter handle, a blog, yet no phone…..quite ironic, and quite funny too Joe. Don’t get me wrong though man, I respect your amish tendencies here 😉 . There is a beauty in distraction free living. There is also a beauty in being synced-up all the time. They both have their pros and cons. Either way, I like your style Joe and the fact that you march to your own beat.
Have a great week my friend.
marcus
Ironic, isn’t it? Add my Facebook page, and there you go, three more reasons I don’t need a phone. This post was actually a little tongue in cheek, I fully expect to have a cell phone again eventually. I’m just not in any hurry! Thanks Marcus!
I didn’t have a cell phone for the longest time. I, too, felt like the only person without one. I finally got one. I talk on it maybe once a week. I don’t text on it at all. Basically, the only thing that I use it for is to read books.
Bob, when I did have a cell phone in a previous job, I was on it constantly…probably explains my current distaste. When I do get another one down the road, I’m sure I will use it sparingly. The office phone is my lifeline at work, but I want to disconnect if I can out of the office!