Communications Overload...

Sure the cell phone, email, text messaging and blogs are important, but 24/7? 

It was 1985 or 1986 I got my first car-phone, that was the only place for the celluar telephone back then.  Many an hour was spent on the phone in the car, even in the garage.  Then came the brick phone which includes the handle and a six month contract with Golds's Gym!  Heavy, not the word, cumbersome is more like it.

Yes, communications has changed and for the worst.  Never a minute goes by without someone's cell phone ringing in a meeting or event.  Church, theater, cinema and of course the supermarket.  "Yes dear, two loaves of bread and some cat treats", just one of the annoying conversations heard in the world today.  I love when a husband and wife call each other in one of those warehouse shopping places.  "I am over here next to the frozen pizzas and where did you say you where?"

It is expected of everyone to carry and answer immediately the ringing cell phone.  Did I say ringing?  The call alerts that individuals use is amazing.  Talk about egos, the kids use the latest rap and dad uses obnoxious barking, mooing or farting sounds.

I personally have a cool alert for general calls from a singing buddy, Michael Andrew, "Pick Up the Phone, I Know Your Home".  Certain individuals have special alerts too, like the sound of Big Ben or electronic zipping and zapping sounds.  So we now decorate our audio interuptions and make sure the volume is turned way up for all to hear!

There is nothing more annoying in a meeting for the one of the party to start checking their email on their cell phone.  Making sounds when reading the information that can only be described as caveman grunts.  No, it is not annoying it is, well bloody well annoying!  It is an intrusion to daily business and wastes time.  Oh, but you say it is business related!  Yea, so is text messaging!

Texting is killing people, I mean it!  Those idiots, imbicles who text while driving need to have their thumbs cut off!  Yes, there should be a law on what we can do in the car.  Since the action has moved from the back seat to the front, we are doing more stupid things while driving.  

Ladies, putting on make-up is the most idiotic actions that happen in a car.  Sorry but last week in traffic this woman was putting on eye shadow and cheek blush, like there was a hot date awaiting some where.  The only hot date should be with law enforcement!

In Europe, drinking, eating and even changing the radio are banned!  Heaven help you if you are lighting a cigarette!  Distracted driving is an offence.  It should be here!

Using the cell phone in the car has to be regulated in the new driving distraction laws.  Use a cell phone only with a hands free device.  It is safer but not perfect.

We are overloaded with communications and there ramifications.  I remember the day I bought my first pager.  Pager, a device you wore on a trouser belt or in your hand bag, that people could leave a message and a send a signal to and you.  Then you had to stop, call in and find out what the beep was all about and retrieve the message.  Phew!  What a mouthful, what an out of date technology!  At least we didn't answer in the car.  We had to find a pay phone and I am not about to explain what a pay phone is!

I am not going to mention the ever annoying "call waiting".  Placing a person on hold while you take that other call is insulting to the holding party.  let the other person leave a message and then call them back. 

So it is time to prioritize our communications needs like everything else we do in life.

Oh, there goes the cell phone, talk at you later...

Nicholas E. Ashton