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Slamming down the cell phone to make a point and other technological oddities

I’ve had a cell phone for years now, but every so often I still listen for a dial tone before punching in the number I’m calling.

I know, it’s crazy, but I still do it.

Everyone knows that you punch in the number and then hit the Call button to initiate cell phone call. There is no dial tone, as there is with landline phones.

But old habits die hard. It’s what we all do with landline phones, after all.

Take slamming down a phone in anger to make a clear point that the telephone conversation has been terminated. You can’t do that with a cell phone or you’d end up with a bunch of bits and pieces.

Cell phone manufacturers should make a slam-the-phone-down function. You hit a button on your cell phone and the person on the other end hears a loud click and the call is then terminated.

However, I must say, the idea of ending a cell phone call and imagining the person on the other end continuing the conversation even though you’re not listening anymore is a bit fun, too.

Here’s another thing that I blame on technology for making me look silly. When I was working and after a particularly long day, I would – wait for it – hit the unlock button on my car alarm fob in an attempt to gain entry into my apartment. Yep, I tried to unlock my apartment door by unlocking my vehicle door.

I’m not proud, but it is the level to which technology has reduced me.

Coffeehouse observation No. 125

I am at the coffeehouse sitting next to a gray-haired woman with “U.S. Census Bureau” on her briefcase. She’s fumbling around attempting to text on her cell phone and not doing a particularly good job at it. I sure hope she’s better counting than she is texting.

Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.