Crayons or iPads?

Lately, everywhere I look I see phones out and usually that phone is a smart phone. But I'd like to say that I was a proud owner of the Motorola Razor up until June 2011 and now I have a Sony Ericsson (it's a basic flip phone). I wish I could say I get annoyed when I can't just pull up Twitter when I'm bored in class, but I actually love my phone.

For one, there are two circles on the phone that light up in different colors when someone calls or texts you. For different contacts, you can set different colors and more. Two, text messages are in "conversation" format. So like the iPhone and Droids, I can see my conversation with people in chronological order as opposed to sifting through many other texts. Three, if fits perfectly in my back pocket without ever worrying that it'll fall out or i'll butt dial people. After that, it's just a regular phone that calls and takes crappy pictures.

But I guess the more intellectual reason why I love my phone, is because of something I stated before...I can't pull up Twitter when I'm bored in class. My basic, generic phone helps me stay focused on tasks and people with ease. People around me constantly have an electronic device out in front of them. Whenever I am with friends or family, I can easily put my phone down and not worry that I'll want to look at it the rest of the night.

I've done retreats and had vacations where I wasn't allowed to have my phone or there was no telephone service and the feeling is great. I have to find my own way of entertainment and go back to what I did when I was a kid. When we 90's kiddies were growing up, we played outside all the time and had crayons and coloring books when we went to restaurants. Now, children have iPads to color with and phones to communicate. My 3rd grade cousin has a phone to text and call her friends, and she knows about more iPhone games than I do. Maybe it's because I was still growing up when cell phones were becoming more public, but 3rd grade just seems so early. I don't know how often she goes outside and plays ghost in the graveyard with her neighbors. I don't know how polite she'll be around her friends when they hang out.

So although I don't have the fanciest of phones on the block, mine is better in the long-run. I still have to create my own entertainment. I can be polite and appreciative of the people around me. And lastly, people can't expect me to see some stupid urgent email they sent me on the way over. Call or text me, but really I prefer getting snail mail.