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Thursday, June 4, 2015

Smartphone update (from the Luddite)

One of the reasons I didn't want a smartphone is because I didn't want to become one of those moms who ignores her children because she is dorking around on her phone.

I am glad to say I do not ignore my children as a result of my phone.  It occurred to me, even before I got my smartphone in April, that I ignore my children all the time by reading a printed book, a newspaper, a magazine, a cereal box.  I always have my nose in something so I was doing plenty of child-ignoring.  I didn't need to worry that a smartphone would make me do it because I'm already quite successful in this task already!  Sweet relief!

Like my brain, I'm not using my phone to its greatest capacity, but I have found it a time-saver.

When I need to send someone a quick photo, like to get an estimate on having a cat urine-smelling couch reupholstered, I can take it with my phone and send it via email.  Prior to my phone, I'd take a picture with the camera, upload it to iPhoto, export it to an email and send.

Not having to type the number 4 seventeen times and then the number 8 six times in order to send a text is miraculous.  I don't send any more texts than I did before because I don't really text all that many people.  But when I do, I can get it done in a hurry.

I added a Key Ring app so my key chain doesn't weigh 47 lbs, but I can't scan my Kroger card at the gas station.  This app isn't really a time-saver, though, because I have to scroll for an hour to find the "key" on the keyring app.

I am regularly using store coupons at Michael's and Target because I can pull them up on RetailMeNot.  Prior to the smartphone, I would leave them at home or in my car or in my purse (I carried only my wallet on those occasions).

When my car battery died, the guy at the repair shop told me about the mycarfax app.  He asked how I keep track of repairs, and I said, "Uhhhhh, on paper."  I will still continue to keep a list on paper, but now I can access my repairs on my phone when I forget to bring my list with me (which I will).

I've even allowed one of those chatty women to get me to a restaurant when I wasn't sure where to go.  Fortunately, I was free and clear of my neighborhood, so she didn't need to mention how to get out of my driveway.

N and I now play Trivia Crack, which is a real ego booster.  I know a lot of useless information.  Even though I generally hate time sucks like that, I will play with my kid if for no other reason than to enable a continuation of a shared activity since it may become one of the few things she will do with me as a teen.  In a pinch, she'll play Trivia Crack with her old momma.

Being amongst the rest of the world in terms of a mobile phone hasn't been nearly as devastating as I thought it might be.

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