I Don't Know Why You Say Hello, I Say Good-bye

For the sake of clarification, now hear this. I do not like my cell phone. I do not want to be reachable all of the time. People have lost the ability to judge when it is appropriate to call someone, courtesy has died!
The Mr. would like to remove our land line altogether and just have cell phones. I am not doing this either. This is based on my theory that people are much more apt to call your own cell number at any given moment than to call your home. Somehow it's easier to just call the number you know will connect you directly to someone than to possibly interrupt their entire household. And guess what, not everybody has my cell phone number! That's right! Maybe I do not want you calling me everywhere at any time!
While I'm at it, let me insert another thought. People have come to think that by calling an individual's cell number, they are not necessarily bothering anyone but that person. Sorry, that's wrong. When you call my husband while we are out to dinner or driving you are interrupting me as well as him. And I hold him more to blame for taking every single call. If the call had come to our home, our conversation in the restaurant or the car would not have been interrupted. I also think that we immediately call with every single thought because we have forgotten that the person might be in the presence of other people. We might not call their home phone for the same reason we are now calling their cell phone.
Answering machines are bad enough, but if you at least have the ability to leave a message I see no reason I have to be at the beck and call of everyone at all times.
The Mr. loves his cell phone. I am thoroughly convinced that he has developed a secondary addiction by thinking whenever he is in the car he has to be talking on the phone. If you pass him on the road, he'll be on that phone I promise you. This brings me to another issue. When you're driving, hang up the freaking phone! What conversation is so dire that it is worth you dividing your attention between that and the people sharing the road with you?
Cell phones have also created a breeding ground for people getting annoyed at one another. Where were you? I called your cell!
Why?
Because I ate scrambled eggs for breakfast and wanted to tell you.
Or something equally important.
Didn't you see my call on your caller i.d.? Why didn't you call me back?
Because in the old days of a civilized society, you didn't have a running tally of everyone who called you when you were away from the phone and so people would just TRY AGAIN LATER.
I am being held hostage by cell phones and their users.
Not to mention I now have four phone numbers; office, work cell, personal cell and home. I do not dispense all of these numbers willy nilly. If you have them all, you are my mother,my child or my husband. And I still may not pick up.
And let's talk about the idea of everyone having their own number. Their own personal line. That no one else uses. Your kid can now call you and check in any time. Fabulous. They can also have conversations with anyone they want to any time they want to about whatever they want to and you have no control. There are no limits imposed on time talking to other people. They don't need to wrap the kitchen phone cord into the hall way for "privacy." They can go sit in the back yard, or talk from school. That girl or boy you don't walk them getting involved with? They don't have to call your home and speak to you. Or acknowledge you or respect you.
My phone and my husband's phone have two different phone books programmed. Is this really good? If I flip through his phone book and his calls, I don't know a good portion of the people I find. People that would have needed to call our home and possibly speak to me, or he'd have to speak to them in my presence, have direct access to my husband. All of the time. Do I think he's up to something? No. Do I think it could happen. Yes. It does happen. Worse, it's so very easy to have a secret cell number.
Are we more likely to share our cell numbers than our home numbers? Why? I have a rule of thumb, men don't get my cell number unless they are mutual relationships of my husband and mine. In fact, I might give his number instead.
All silliness aside, it's one more guard that has dropped from around families.
So there you have it. If you call my cell number I may not answer as I usually have it turned off for days on end, or only on while I'm out and about. If I'm driving or in line or at a restaurant, I probably won't answer it any way. If you leave no message, I will not be calling you back.
I hate my cell phone.
On the bright side, I love my e mail and will answer it as soon as possible. It is not intrusive and does not endanger the other people on the road. You know why? Because MY CELL PHONE DOES NOT HAVE INTERNET...
But that's a rant for another day.
Don't call me.

Genesis 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?