I love to watch certain TV shows when I’m decompressing from my day of writing. We often record our favorite shows via a special cable box similar to a TIVO. It’s called a DVR, or Digital Video Recorder. I love it because I can zoom through commercials and get straight to the next segment of the show. This is a time saving, annoyance busting device.
Interruptions can still occur during my television viewing time. Top on the list? The phone rings. Oh, the phone. The phone rings during my writing time, my socializing time, my time with my family, my cleaning time (okay I don’t mind that interruption), and my shower time (usually I get good news when the phone rings during my shower time—don’t know why—but I do).
Does the phone own me, or do I have power over the interruption? Well, I think we have declared a truce of sorts. How? Well, I have a very handy voice that tells me who is calling when the phone rings. It isn’t perfect, but if certain phone numbers or names crop up, I immediately answer the summons. If I don’t recognize the phone number, or name, I often don’t answer if I am busy.
But what if the call is important and I just don’t recognize the number due to my darling teen borrowing a friend’s phone? Or what if that call is from someone calling to offer me a writing contract? Or a contest win/final call is trying to come through? Well, I’ve given it some thought. I guess I split the difference if I am not in full-on writing mode. Then I might answer, or I’ll let the voice mail pick it up and I’ll check my messages on the voicemail during a writing break or a television viewing break.
If the person really wants to talk to me, he or she will leave a message and I have the number stored on my phone.
This is easy compared the rotary dial phone days. This is a snap during the days before cell phones, voice mail, texting, emailing, and Skyping. The modern world has improved our ability to connect with each other and to stay connected.
But in a way, by being so connected and plugged in we might lose sight of being “in the moment” with others. We might lose sight of being “in the moment with ourselves,” too. I remember when I used to just get in my car and go somewhere. No phone. No texting. No anything. I didn’t worry about not staying connected. I just enjoyed the journey.
Now? I get into my car and start driving. The first thing I check for is my cell phone. Goodness me, if I don’t have it then I head straight back home to get my little bit of cyber crack. I can’t risk missing that all important call or being interrupted by a person who absolutely has to get a hold of me.
What are your go-to devices for connectivity? Do you feel they keep you closer to people or that they are distracting?
