Oh yes, like a drug addict, I couldn't wait another day. The craving wouldn't stop. I had to ease the pain.
Have you ever sat in front of a dinner partner and after the ordering and small talk are over, they pick up their cell phone and look through messages, a dozen feeds, and start playing a game, email a few people, and text around. And you don't have your cell phone.
I dropped my Blackberry three days ago and I had to order one online as no one carries them in stores anymore. The doggie I was walking decided to go sled-dog on me and in slow-mo I watched my phone fly in the air and twirl. Horrified, I watched as it bounced on the pavement, the screen popped out and it was connected with some kind of copper conductor. I tried to put it back together and it wouldn't work. I took it to an IFixYouBreak place and they said the screen was broken. It would take three days for the part to come in... OH NOoooooo~~~~!
But I was strong, I could handle it. I thought: it's a holiday, people won't call or text much. 
True. It was Friday and the new phone would come in Monday. They promised. I tried to get it FedEx'd overnight but they wouldn't respond.
Well, this morning I couldn't handle it.
I knew I had some old ones in a drawer somewhere. I went through two or three and yes, there were FOUR older ones. I started taking them apart. One did not have a battery. The other three had. I don't remember why I had to go through so many. All I had to do was recharge just one and put in my SIM card, and VOILA!! I would be reconnected!!
BUT, I could not find any chargers. I looked everywhere. It was hopeless.
Now I have about 20 hours to go max without my drug.
Well, these things are a business utility knife more or less. We all need one. Constantly. To stay in touch.
The summer of 73 was an exciting time. I had just finished one year of college and was going to meet a high school friend in Florence, Alabama. Muscle Shoals, the music scene!
Doug and I would drive around music stores, listen to music, go to burger stands, plan and jam, etc. Then at 4:30 no matter what, we had to be in front of a TV to watch Star Trek. Now THAT is addiction or devotion!
The thing that amazed me most about Doug was that he had an amazing memory.
Coming from overseas where the average family (in the mid-60s) did not have a phone line, and after one year of college, I had only a few phone numbers written down in a small pocket note pad. I never needed to call anyone. We just went out and met with our friends, walked to their homes and knocked on their doors, planned things just before school went out. That was, apparently, stone age.
Doug had been in the states for about three years. Every few hours he would call on his grandfather to see how he was doing. He would call other friends, stores, etc. and never pull out any kind of written number.
I asked him one day how on earth he could remember all those numbers. I hated memorization. He would rattle off TEN numbers in a row of about 10 to 15 people and I just couldn't get how he was able to to that. Years later I realized that area codes were fixed and that you only needed 7 numbers to recall. If you call the same numbers over and over, of course, you've memorized them.
Not being around phones for almost 20 years, I was not into that habit of memorization.
Of course ALL the people I know now -- friends, family, business contacts, etc. -- are on a 
microchip in my dead phone. So I have no idea who has been calling me, etc.
Oh yes, I can get to another cell phone or call my number and put in a special retrieval code... but I forgot that.
And I DID have a backup but the phone was 'locked' and could not activate it!
I was really close to springing for a brand new Samsung Note Plus 3400XGS. And if that Blackberry doesn't come in by Tuesday at the latest, I am going to do that~~!!
In the meantime, I found the following about withdrawal, benefits, and setbacks when you are completely disconnected... (yes, I contacted 'important' people via email to mention that I will be unable to return messages until Monday -- at least through cell)
- I eat more because I am nervous without my phone
- I worry a bit more because I am disconnected
- I read more because I don't have anything else to do
- If I break down on the interstate no one will know
- I don't have anything to do when nothing is happening
- If you are a day-trader you cannot possibly stay unconnected if you leave your computer
- When in line or waiting for someone in the car, there is nothing to do except to turn on the radio
- When there is a lull in the conversation and others whip out their cell phones, I have nothing to do
- I miss Brickbreaker
- I wonder who has been texting me and what I am missing
- I don't know what the weather is hour by hour when away from a computer or TV
- I can't bug people, especially my relatives, with hilarious memes
- When I pick up a friend, I actually have to get out of the car and knock on their doors to let them know I am outside. This is a real hassle
- I can't take any photos spur of the moment
- I miss Shazam; I can't name that song and date it was released
- I can't communicate with anyone when driving (I know, illegal) or while walking the dogs
- I miss the flashlight when trying to get the key into the door or getting up when dark
- I do not miss being frantic about charging down the battery
- I do a lot more pondering...
I am a bit stubborn. I cling to my old cell phone system: a keyboard on the phone.
I have never smoked, but I understand the addiction now. You even look cool when you 
pull out your cell phone. You can stand alone or wait somewhere, like in line at a grocery store, and whip out that phone and look like you have important things to do. You reach for the cell, like for a pack of cigarettes. Some people even fold them into their t-shirts like movies in the 50s.
You won't find me playing video games, streaming movies, etc. That's the last straw.
And Blackberrys aren't great for that anyway...
In life, you have a major decision to make at some time.
Windows or Apple.
I want to stay with my OS. I don't want to learn anything else. I don't want to slide my fingers all over a screen. I want to be sure about things...
I am getting more storage and a better built-in camera on my upgraded model. Larger screen, and going to Android!
oh well, the price one pays for technological advancement...
(click here to see how the NEW phone compares to the older Blackberry...)
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