Christopher J. McGarvey wrote:Dude, you're white like me so what are you doing hanging around 8th and Pine?
Trying to get yourself killed?

Dude - there's 'white' and then there's 'white like you'...

..and besides, Pockets got my back - he's indestructible!

For chrissakes, it's 2006. What is with the Luddite resistance to cell phones? You're already using the internet daily and probably for the bulk of your interpersonal contact that's not face-to-face. That's like shooting heroin and then drawing a hard line at caffeine.

It rings. You have the option of not answering it. Shit, you have the option of NOT EVEN LETTING IT RING.

Cell phones are an enormous convenience and the control of their intrusiveness in your life is 100%, utterly and completely in your hands. How many things can you say that about? You have far more control over it than you do over normal phones. Those follow you from home to work and you can't decide when they ring and when they don't. Quit whining and join the 21st century already.

Angus Jung wrote:I have a (probably misguided) sense of nostalgia for the time when one could be, and was, out of touch, unavailable.

You know- you're broke down in the middle of nowhere. There's no AAA and there's no cell phones. Figure something out.

I have a (probably mistaken) belief that such situations 'build character.'

I am in complete agreement with this statement. The first two years I had a cell phone it never left the house. I got it because it was cheaper than a house phone. The only reason I started leaving the house with it was because I started dating someone that felt the need for me to be reachable. I too miss the old days of being out of touch.

Jon

It was quiet at work... I told my ex that I wasn't going to Italy to have Christmas with her and her family... I ate mousse with my neighbours that my girlfriend made on Saturday.

Yum.

Angus Jung wrote:I have a (probably misguided) sense of nostalgia for the time when one could be, and was, out of touch, unavailable.

Actually, even though I do have a mobile, there are times when I am unreachable.

Those times include:

When I am eating dinner. I may glance at the phone to see who is calling, but I never, ever answer.

When I am in the darkroom printing or making tintype plates. The phone generates light, and anyhow, this is my "me" time, and I hate talking on the phone.

I often work with another photographer who uses her phone all the fucking time. She will even talk on it while ordering food, or buying stuff. I find this incredibly rude.

burun wrote:

Angus Jung wrote:I have a (probably misguided) sense of nostalgia for the time when one could be, and was, out of touch, unavailable.

Actually, even though I do have a mobile, there are times when I am unreachable.

Those times include:

When I am eating dinner. I may glance at the phone to see who is calling, but I never, ever answer.

When I am in the darkroom printing or making tintype plates. The phone generates light, and anyhow, this is my "me" time, and I hate talking on the phone.

I often work with another photographer who uses her phone all the fucking time. She will even talk on it while ordering food, or buying stuff. I find this incredibly rude.

My parents are atrociously rude when it comes to cell phone etiquette. Hell, I hardly ever see them yet whenever I'm in their company they're incessantly talking on their cell phones. And these are social calls I'm talking about! Non-business related! Goddamn chatterboxes! They'll answer a call during a meal, a conversation, whatever. It makes no difference! Just to fucking chat!

And these are fucking baby boomers we are talking about! People born in Truman's presidency! You'd think they'd be a little too crusty for such flakey, techno-savvy behavior!

Between Fox News and their cell phone shit, me and my brother have fucking had it with these two.

Little detail from my day yesterday: I nearly got shot. I was standing in a bus shelter at the corner of Fulton and Damen, 9:30 or so last night. I hear a little pop no louder than a firecracker from a passing car, and the middle of the three plexiglass columns at the back of the shelter shatters in a fraction of a second. But hey! I live to see more little details today!

P.S. After not getting shot, I try calling my two closest friends, and they are on the phone with each other and not picking up until I call again the third time. I hardly ever interrupt calls to take another call, but now I will do so if the person calls back three times in a row.

Holy shit! Glad it was the middle panel, man.

Flaneur wrote:Little detail from my day yesterday: I nearly got shot. I was standing in a bus shelter at the corner of Fulton and Damen, 9:30 or so last night. I hear a little pop no louder than a firecracker from a passing car, and the middle of the three plexiglass columns at the back of the shelter shatters in a fraction of a second. But hey! I live to see more little details today!

Holy shit! I am glad you did not get hurt. Did you see anything that could help the cops find these guys?

Wow!! I'd have crapped myself. I'm familiar with that neighborhood (there's a studio not far from there, if memory serves me correctly) & it is fucking shady as hell over there, especially at night. I've sprinted my ass off to get to that bus on time.

And paced anxiously hoping for a taxi.