Anniedeb

I agree that usage has gotten way out of hand. How did we survive the 50's, 60's, 70's etc, before pagers and phones became commonplace? I do have a smart-phone. But I usually never hear it ring, and miss most texts! When our grandkids and kids are over they know the "my house, my rules" adage!! We've never allowed use at the dinner table, or when we are sitting around talking....The grandkids phones are monitored for usage, messages, photos and apps, and are not allowed in their bedroom at night.

quiltingcandy

My DD teaches 5th grade, every year there is at least one parent that tries to push the rules and their child need to keep their phone on and at their desk all day. The school district does not allow it - so every year someone tests the water and gets upset when the reaction is "No" and the parent can call the office and then they will decide if the parent can talk to the student. Usually the child is just caught in the middle - the phone rings in the classroom and then it gets confiscated and parent has to come to school to retrieve it. By 5th grade you would think the parents would learn, but no.

My husband has to check out his Facebook all the time so I have a game on my phone and when we turns his on then I do the same. It drives him crazy that I will play my game - but it is okay for him to do his Facebook. I told him that it is the same and I will stop when he does. It works.

DOTTYMO

They perpetually talk or text on their phones but lately more seem to be getting on buses uses some kind of ticket . How life is going will conversation go the same way.

Chasing Hawk

We were at the Olive Garden yesterday for lunch. At a table behind us was a mother and daughter on their phones. Only words we heard from them other than talking to the server was.......I sent you an email, did you get my text? My gosh they were sitting across the table from one another and couldn't put down the phone to have an actual conversation!

Chasing Hawk

I don't know about the rest of the world but.........

I love having a conversation face to face, looking them in the eyes. And not looking at the part in their hair......

donnajean

I have a Smart phone only so I can take pictures in an emergency or while shopping & want to remember something. I don't even know my cell phone number. My phone is for emergencies only or for long distance calls, so I don't give me number to doctors, etc. as a week might go by before I saw the missed call. I also refuse to text. If I'm not available to answer my house phone, than there is an option to leave a message on my answering machine. I think this being available to answer and return a call "immediately" is ridiculous. I stopped going to lunch with a friend as I got disgusted with just watching him on his phone or computer.

leaha

I love going to live theater, had to stop going with _____ as she would check her phone for face book messages and to tell the world where she was so distract ing!! And so rude to cast and seating around herl
! By the by I have a smart phone and am smart enough to to turn it off at dinner and theater and when with others to visiting, talking on a phone or texting when out with some one is like blowing smoke in their face of non smoker, just saying!

blondeslave

The zombies are roaming our halls at work all the time phone in hand completely oblivious to anyone around them. Don't even get me started on the grocery store zombies blocking the aisles while scrolling their e-mails or chatting loudly about Aunt Harriet's hysterectomy. I fantasize ramming them with my cart-don't worry-never acted on it. I don't understand having to be available 24/7. I have a smart phone but only got it because in 2 big storms we were without power for days and had to sit in the car and listen to the radio to find what was going on. I rarely think to check for texts or e-mails and people know to call on the land line if they want to track me down. Maybe because we had a party line growing up and were only allowed short conversations so others could use the phone.

cashs_mom

I agree about people spending way too much time playing with their phones and on social media and way to little time interacting with actual people. And it's not just the younger people. I was recently at a dinner and 2 of the women had their phones laying on the table and kept glancing at them all evening. I asked one if she was expecting her daughter to call (I thought maybe there was an emergency or something) and she just said "No". I did notice she left the phone alone more after that.