Tuesday, April 27, 2010

No mobile, no social networking = less friends.

Well, it's probably not quite that simple.
Last week I went without my phone, facebook or any other social networking site.
I began the week believing life would break in two, but I'd probably procrastinate a whole lot less and study like a mad woman. But alas, I got very distracted by Mad Men, planning my radio show either vs EITHER (8PM MONDAY NIGHTS ON SYN 90.7) and finding other things to do.

To summarise my week as defined by not having a phone:

- I woke up late twice, due to an alarm clock that is unable to tell the time.
- Left my keys at home and was aided by a friendly builder called Bruce in taking all the bolts out of my back door so I could get inside and thanked him with a packet of pocky (which he had NEVER had before.
- Annoyed my boyfriend twice by not being specific enough about times when I'd be somewhere
- Also annoyed him with mix ups between email communication and calling from a pay phone, I blame the RMIT email server.
- Couldn't broadcast myself to the world, because clearly everyone wants to know what I am thinking at any given time
- Memorised about 15 phone numbers just incase I was beat up in an alley way.
- Was paranoid.
- Missed a meeting at work about getting a pay rise. But I get the pay rise anyway. wicked.

Basically I just wasn't part of another level of communication, almost a self broadcasting. I missed a few birthdays, events and relied on others being where they were meant to be. I also had 10 voicemails and quite a few texts upon turning my phone on yesterday.
If you don't involve yourself in Facebook or with your phone, it becomes less of a deal. Being part of some sort of non-face-to-face community is dependent on your own involvement. I think I like the level of involvement I have in these social networking sites because it creates a sense of knowing, of belonging and finding.

And yes, I have caught up on all the FB stalking from last week.

1 comment:

  1. Wow, that's.. yeah. I can't even imagine attempting that. I'd assumed all payphones had been removed and dumped in a landfill somewhere. I just automatically ignore them, like I do with buskers and the mentally ill. Mad props.

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