I am Addicted to my iPhone

I am not entirely sure when the last time it was that I have been completely disengaged from my phone. It is with me 24/7. I am also not sure how I became so entirely dependent on it. Yesterday I was experiencing a problem and was required to surrender my phone to the very kind and helpful folks at iFix Galaxy in Stuart. I had the same emotional parting as if I was dropping my child off at daycare for the first time. Unfortunately it was Me who became the child in my car in the parking lot. Let me start with a little background.

I was not an early adopter of the smart phone. I started with the iPhone 3GS when the 4 was released. I managed to run my entire life with a simple cell phone, no texting, and real life friends.

No - I don't want a date

 I now use my iPhone 5S for everything. Texting, calls (if need be), news, camera, social media, videos, movies, games, tide charts, weather, maps, rocket launches, star charts, traffic, TV listings, blogging, even flashlight and magnifier. It's like a Swiss Army Knife that's actually useful. I think I may be having an emotional affair with Siri as well. 

One thing I should not use it for is a GPS and radio for long trips. Five hours on the car charger and the battery swelled enough to pop the screen. Total tragedy in the making.

I brought my phone in. I was standing at the door when they opened hoping to get it right back. Because of the situation, my phone needed to stay for a bit and have some diagnostics. I suppose I could have waited but then do what? Stare at the wall? Talk to someone else?  I was actually in need of something at the hardware store so I decided I would do that to pass the time. 

"How can we reach you"? asked the clerk..... Brain freeze - that is my only phone and all the numbers in my world are in it - not in my head. 

"I'll call you". I said - With what? I thought as I left - on what number? I looked it up on my phone along with the opening times and location. 

Turning on the car I had a moment of utter panic -  How will I leave here? - I used GPS and voice navigation to get here. I just started living in this town. Where is Home Depot from here. Sure I have a regular GPS but it needs a street address to work and I've never even figured out what road it's on let alone the actual number. What road am I on for that matter. Just Drive!!!

This being Florida there is not really too many ways to get lost. Ocean over there, Big bridge too far, turn around. Oh look - street signs. I hardly ever look at those any more. Even though I just handed my little box with all the knowledge in the known universe to a stranger, I am still a man and I will certainly not ask for directions. Oh damn - my shopping list is in my phone.

After one or two bad turns that were quickly corrected and only missing one item at the store I was feeling pretty good about my ability to function as a disconnected human being again. From the iPad at home I drew myself a map on paper so I could find my way back to the store.  Read all the street signs along the way. Probably time - I live here now.

I am not at all comfortable with the amount of anxiety I had at the few hours loss of my phone. I used to take enormous pride at the fact I was not a slave to almighty "Crack-berry" back in the day. In fact I was one of the last hold outs to turn in my beeper. Many of my co-workers kidded me over the years at my reluctance to embrace the tech. I still remember vividly having breakfast in an Orlando Hotel during the great Blackberry Outage of 1997. Just the loss of emails send the room into a tizzy. I just smiled, got more pancakes, and checked my beeper. Does not seem quite so funny now.