I just bet it is.My cell phone that is.
It may be old, but it still works perfectly fine. I can dial a phone number, it rings, and it even has a cutting-edge retractable antenna (cutting edge 10 years ago).
About a year ago, and I was travelling to a conference by air. I got to security and went through the routine of emptying my pockets, undoing my belt, taking off my shoes (hmmm, airports are really getting X-Rated these days), and basically baring my soul and my body to strangers. The security guy then asked, "Have you taken all of your electronics out of your bag?".
Uh oh.
I had placed my Palm Pilot on the counter, turned it on to show it worked, but I had forgotten something.
It may be old, but it still works perfectly fine. I can dial a phone number, it rings, and it even has a cutting-edge retractable antenna (cutting edge 10 years ago).
About a year ago, and I was travelling to a conference by air. I got to security and went through the routine of emptying my pockets, undoing my belt, taking off my shoes (hmmm, airports are really getting X-Rated these days), and basically baring my soul and my body to strangers. The security guy then asked, "Have you taken all of your electronics out of your bag?".
Uh oh.
I had placed my Palm Pilot on the counter, turned it on to show it worked, but I had forgotten something.
My cell phone.
I reached for my bag, hesitating ever-so-slightly. Then, with my eyes lowered in shame, I pulled out - The Cell Phone.
Well, that's what I told the young security guy it was when he looked quizzically at me. "Yes," I said," it is a cell phone. Yes, it is the size of a shoe, and yes, it does work."
I raised my eyes up to meet his - he could barely look at me. I think he was, unsuccessfully, trying to stifle his laughter. (And here I thought a prerequisite for their job was to have no sense of humour!)
"Can you turn it on for me, ma'am?"
Crap, he called me ma'am - I'm barely over 30! I guess he must think I'm ancient to be carrying this thing around.
"Well, actually, it isn't charged because I don't own a car charger for it, seeing as how they don't make them for this phone anymore, and I have to plug it in to the wall to charge it and I forgot to before I left and......look, do you think I would actually carry something around this embarrassing if it wasn't a working cell phone?"
With that he actually burst into laughter, shook his head, and waved me through.
Good thing I didn't try and bring my bag car phone with me...
Our society today seems to revolve around consumerism and buying stuff. We throw away perfectly serviceable items just to replace them with the same items, but with the newest colours, gizmos, and all just to keep up.
I fall into this trap, I can admit it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been embarrassed about my antique phone. Isn't it sad that all that slick marketing can actually make us feel bad just because our gadgets aren't the latest design? Because of this, I own several hockey sticks, the latest ipod, a "better" pair of skates...even though there was nothing wrong with the old ones (although that's not what I told my hubby,...each item had major flaws when I explained it to him).
So, here's my challenge myself, as well as to you:
Try and find 1 item that you were going to "upgrade", and either keep it or repair it, rather than replacing it. Leave me a comment to let me know what item you decided to keep...I'll be busy trying to decide on an item or two for myself.
If we all did it, just think of how much that would add up to in savings, resources, and benefit to our planet.
I reached for my bag, hesitating ever-so-slightly. Then, with my eyes lowered in shame, I pulled out - The Cell Phone.
Well, that's what I told the young security guy it was when he looked quizzically at me. "Yes," I said," it is a cell phone. Yes, it is the size of a shoe, and yes, it does work."
I raised my eyes up to meet his - he could barely look at me. I think he was, unsuccessfully, trying to stifle his laughter. (And here I thought a prerequisite for their job was to have no sense of humour!)
"Can you turn it on for me, ma'am?"
Crap, he called me ma'am - I'm barely over 30! I guess he must think I'm ancient to be carrying this thing around.
"Well, actually, it isn't charged because I don't own a car charger for it, seeing as how they don't make them for this phone anymore, and I have to plug it in to the wall to charge it and I forgot to before I left and......look, do you think I would actually carry something around this embarrassing if it wasn't a working cell phone?"
With that he actually burst into laughter, shook his head, and waved me through.
Good thing I didn't try and bring my bag car phone with me...
Our society today seems to revolve around consumerism and buying stuff. We throw away perfectly serviceable items just to replace them with the same items, but with the newest colours, gizmos, and all just to keep up.
I fall into this trap, I can admit it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been embarrassed about my antique phone. Isn't it sad that all that slick marketing can actually make us feel bad just because our gadgets aren't the latest design? Because of this, I own several hockey sticks, the latest ipod, a "better" pair of skates...even though there was nothing wrong with the old ones (although that's not what I told my hubby,...each item had major flaws when I explained it to him).
So, here's my challenge myself, as well as to you:
Try and find 1 item that you were going to "upgrade", and either keep it or repair it, rather than replacing it. Leave me a comment to let me know what item you decided to keep...I'll be busy trying to decide on an item or two for myself.
If we all did it, just think of how much that would add up to in savings, resources, and benefit to our planet.
photo from www.1800mobiles.com
Posts
I was on a girls' weekend a few years ago, and we were all getting into our pj's etc. So I took my contacs out and came back with my glasses on. Well, the laughter that pursued, wanted me to hop in the car and drive back home myself. You see, my glasses are a bit older, the frames are more oval , not the fancy rectangular ones that all the people wear now. We don't have benefits, so to get a new frame seemed silly when I have a perfectly good pair that works. I really only put them on at night. And I couldn't see the point of getting rid of a pair that still worked. Now I can truthfully say, everytime I put them on I hear that laughter ringing, but realize I am a person being good for the environment and not giving into trends.
ReplyDelete