Digital Amputation – How Addicted are You to Your iPhone?
So I do a little freelancing on the side. And I just moved into a new office with a friend who also does the same thing. Just finished getting settled yesterday. I have to say, I’m really happy with the office. It’s 10 minutes closer to home, it’s quieter, it’s more professional, AND it’s cheaper.
So yesterday as we’re winding down and getting ready to head home I loaded up my arms with all the stuff that needed to not stay in the office. And somehow I managed to remove the headphones from my iPhone and put them in my bag but without realizing it, I put my iPhone back down on my desk rather than in my pocket. Probably because my other hand was full of boxes or wires or something.
Then we locked up the office and headed out. I had driven about 100 yards when I realized that I didn’t have my phone. I also realized that I didn’t have my set of keys to the office yet as we haven’t gone to make copies. So instinctively I reach for my iPhone to call Adam and tell him to go back and open the office for me. “Doh! I can’t call him!” So I pulled over and tried to spot him in traffic. No luck.
Next I proceeded to hyperventilate and break out into hives. That would mean a whole 24 hours (almost) without being able to make or take calls. So I headed home. I felt like I was in one of those movies where everything happens in slow motion after the main character experiences something really traumatic. Usually like death or war. But I kept telling myself, “It’ll be ok. It’ll just be like I chose to not pick up the phone.” So I am most of the way home and I realize that it’s looking like it might rain or snow. So I reach for the iPhone to check the weather. “Aurgh!”
So I get home and I wanted to check how much money I had in my checking account before I got ready for bed. “Daaaugh!”
So I drifted off to sleep, half weeping because I hadn’t been able to catch a Top Gear episode on my iPhone…
Then I woke up. Late. “Where was my iPhone to wake me up?!?! Oh yeah, forgot.”
Managed to get ready for work without any major trauma and get half way out the door. I needed the weather forecast again.. “Grrrr”, I was getting angry at this point.
Then I pull into work and am thinking as I walk past the cafe, I should stop and get a breakfast wrap and check in to foursquare to make sure I’m still the mayor. “AAAAAGH!!! I can’t take it any longer”
Now it’s almost 4:00 PM. I am counting the minutes. Not until I can go home for the weekend. I’m counting the minutes until I can pick up my iPhone and just feel the sleek aluminum case (yes, I still have a 1st gen). I’m going to lock myself in a room and just sit there and go through the apps I have missed for the last day. It’ll be like running on a newly and magically re-attached foot or something.