One of the sweetest sounds on Earth

[MossRoad]

I've been long retired. My cell phone - the ONLY phone here at the house - sits over in the writing desk. It is OFF. It is ALWAYS OFF - unless I want to make a call. I have limited reception out here in the boondocks.

I do check it - every so often - to see if somebody left a message worth returning.

I only take the cell phone with me, when leaving the house, if I'm expecting a call.

My cell phone is a tool - not a toy. I wonder if the earth would stop revolving if we went back to land lines only.

I don't want to go back to land lines. I like the world at my fingertips whenever I want. I like to take a picture of a caterpillar and send it to my kids. Or click a picture of a plant and find out what it is. Or look up what the weather is going to be tonight. Or call my siblings. Or book a hotel room. etc.

No outhouses and corn cobs, either.

 

[masscity]

Somewhere around 2010 for five years I had tinnitis, usually only heard it when I was going to sleep and it was quiet. Crickets in my left ear and a medium tone in my right ear. Now it's rare, but it will happen once in a while.

Recently I went to two funerals, my cousins husband and her sister. When the organ played I had to put my fingers in my ears to block the sound. I don't know anything about pitches or tones so I don't know what bothered me, I just couldn't listen to it.

 

[stuckmotor]

Somewhere around 2010 for five years I had tinnitis, usually only heard it when I was going to sleep and it was quiet. Crickets in my left ear and a medium tone in my right ear. Now it's rare, but it will happen once in a while.

Recently I went to two funerals, my cousins husband and her sister. When the organ played I had to put my fingers in my ears to block the sound. I don't know anything about pitches or tones so I don't know what bothered me, I just couldn't listen to it.

Certain string music borders on hurting my ears, other string music makes me depressed.

 

[workinonit]

We've moved into some alternate universe when the sweetest sound on earth is a cell phone.

 

[Eagle1]

I've been long retired. My cell phone - the ONLY phone here at the house - sits over in the writing desk. It is OFF. It is ALWAYS OFF - unless I want to make a call. I have limited reception out here in the boondocks.

I do check it - every so often - to see if somebody left a message worth returning.

I only take the cell phone with me, when leaving the house, if I'm expecting a call.

My cell phone is a tool - not a toy. I wonder if the earth would stop revolving if we went back to land lines only.

I went back to land line only after being call 7*24 for over 10 years. I know I appreciate enjoying my day outside without anyone ringing my phone or getting stupid texts.

 

[Oaktree]

I don't want to go back to land lines. I like the world at my fingertips whenever I want. I like to take a picture of a caterpillar and send it to my kids. Or click a picture of a plant and find out what it is. Or look up what the weather is going to be tonight. Or call my siblings. Or book a hotel room. etc.

No outhouses and corn cobs, either.

Agree with you on outhouses & corn cobs (though I've never used a cob for that purpose, hope I never need to!).
Smartphones? Nope. Don't see how it would add anything but clutter to my life. I have no desire to send or receive a text message or use somebody's aap. Don't even want to be reachable anytime, anyplace.

 

[MoKelly]

This thread tells us all why Apple is the most valuable company on Earth with a market value of $3 Trillion!!!

$3,000,000,000,000.

Back in 1980 when I began paying attention to stocks, IBM was the highest valued company at $32 billion.

Amazing (at least to me).

 

[workinonit]

I just watched that Blackberry movie on my flight to San Antonio yesterday. It was pretty interesting. Those guys were brilliant technicians and lousy businessmen. They let Job's and company get the leg up on them.

 

[MossRoad]

Agree with you on outhouses & corn cobs (though I've never used a cob for that purpose, hope I never need to!).
Smartphones? Nope. Don't see how it would add anything but clutter to my life. I have no desire to send or receive a text message or use somebody's aap. Don't even want to be reachable anytime, anyplace.

Then just turn it off when you don't want it.

I like nothing better than to talk to my kids or my siblings if they call out of the blue. I like the convenience of calling up a video of how to replace a window regulator on a 2000 Mercury Marquis right there in the front seat. I like ordering parts for the car and having them ready for pickup as soon as I walk in the parts store.

I like the GPS maps when driving, or the compass when hiking. I like the ability to see an aerial view of the park I'm in to help get my bearings.

The ability to look up any tidbit of information at any given time.

I used to think GPS units were stupid, and a paper map was the best. I finally realized that GPS (phone or stand alone unit) is just a really good map, with so much more detail than a paper version. Go for a drive, find a good place to eat, find a different route home. Great fun. Updated automatically with new roads, detours, shows alternate routes when it detects delays on you planned route. Good stuff!

I used to think the encyclopedia was the best way to find information about a lot of different things. The phone and search engine are much better than a printed encyclopedia. More information that's up to date Vs an encyclopedia set that's a decade old.

As far as clutter, I don't have a map in my gloveboxes anymore. I don't have encyclopedia sets on the shelves. I don't have a giant desk phone or wall phone or a cord, or a phone in each room.

Heck, I can call up bathymetric maps when I'm fishing of most lakes.

And most importantly, when a loved one (or myself) is having an emergency, not only can we call for help, we can pinpoint locations for emergency responders.

Nope. I'd never want to go back to landlines.

 

[gstrom99]

I keep a land line, in case of emergency/loss of smart-alik phone. Sweetest sound? grandkids giggling. Second to that, the silence of the outdoors from rural living.