Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Depleting Batteries

A long time ago, back when I was applying for jobs, I remember interviewers asking, “What would you say your weaknesses are?”


I don’t remember exactly what I told them. Recently I read a friend’s blog where he proclaimed to have no weaknesses.


I’m not sure I would call this a weakness, but I would say one of the most annoying things about me is that I am always misplacing my cell phone. If it is not in my hand or sitting directly in front of my keyboard, I have no idea where it is. This is why when I answer your calls, I either answer it within one ring, eight rings or I miss it altogether.


About twice a week I have to yell out “Will someone call my phone?” And twice in the past month, someone I've never seen before has walked up to me in a public place and handed me my little red Samsung saying, “Is this yours?” I mean, STRANGERS are keeping a better eye on my phone than I am!


I would like to blame this on my mother. I got some great genes from her (one of her friends just wrote on my Facebook wall telling me I have her wit), but along with those qualities comes a tendency to hide things from ourselves.


Example A: When I was in high school, the portable phone went missing. We “called” it from all over the place but it wasn’t long until we figured the battery had depleted, so we gave up and just started using other phones around the house. Two weeks later I went to retrieve something from my mom’s car trunk and found the phone buried in there.


Example B: A few months ago I was at my parents’ house and found the portable phone sitting in a cactus in the dining room.


Mom’s (absent) mind has a better sense of humor than mine. While her phone is found in crazy, comical places, I usually find my mine in boring places like underneath a pillow, in my car, or in my pocket.


Example A: Last Friday I left my sister in law’s house and got on the 10600 South freeway entrance. After about five seconds (typical) I go into “where’s my phone?” mode and start looking in the normal places: Pockets? No. Little slot in car door? No. Passenger seat? No. Purse? Maybe. Searching a purse and driving aren’t two things you should do at once. I look around in there a little bit and can’t find it. “Crap.” I think, “I must have left it at Kelly’s.” So I get off the 90000 South exit, drive BACK to Kelly’s, get out, go up to the door and ask if my phone is there. We look for it, can’t find it. I ask Kelly to call it. She does. It's in my purse.


Example B: I’m trying to leave the house, and I have to do my routine phone check. I check my back pockets, my front pockets, it’s not there. “Annie! Will you call my phone?” She does…and it’s in my coat pocket – that I’m wearing.


One time, I couldn’t find my phone and no one was home to call it for me so I logged on to my computer, instant messaged my brother and had him call me. What if no one was online? I can’t be this dependent on people all the time (it was under my driver’s seat by the way) and that’s when I decided T-Mobile should have a feature on their website where I could log in and click on a button that says “Call my phone!”


I would LOVE it.


This baffles me, because while I have a near impeccable memory, I can't seem to recall where I set my phone down. Clearly, my problem is I just don’t look hard enough for things. I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to get better. Still, my absent mind is what prevents me from handing over $200 for an iPhone. I just want my phone to be a phone – make calls, send text messages. While combining your camera, calendar, phonebook, iPod and computer into one portable (and misplaceable) device may seem economical to many, it’s just setting me up for devastation.

8 comments:

j said...

For those times when no one is around to call your phone, and you have an internet connection, you could try sending yourself a text message from your cell provider's website (or from Gmail).

Cameron's Corner said...

I have a friend who told me that at least once a week, he'll be on the phone with someone while looking all over his house for his phone.

He'll actually say the words "I can't find my phone ANYWHERE." Then the person on the other end of the phone will say, "Aren't you talking on it?"

I'd tell you who it was, but I don't want to embarrass him (John Maxim).

Ilene said...

Well, you are a little petite. It's not your fault that your arms aren't long enough for you to reach the bottom of your coat pockets.

Kristi said...

I rarely lose my phone. But I misplace my keys all the time. All the time. I often have to use my spare key to drive and the garage door opener to get in the house. Then find them in my purse.

Kell's Belles said...

LOVE your "call my phone" idea for the T-Mobile website!!! The text beep isn't long enough for a full-scale search. Believe me, I've been there! Because my phone is shiny and pink, it often attracts the attention of small, sticky hands. I hate it when I can't find my phone because I never know if I misplaced it or if one of the girls put it in the toy basket or something. Carter has to call it AT LEAST once a week (and usually I have to wait for him to get home from work). So yeah, I'll sign your petition to T-Mobile.

j said...

Both Google Maps, and Windows Live Search used to have features where you could search for a business, then have Google or Microsoft call both your phone and the business and connect you. A few sites recommended this as a way to "call your phone" from the internet. Unfortunately both of those services are no longer running. It's possible that other sites might exist with that functionality.

j said...

Looks like there's a site called phonemyphone.com that can do this.

Annie said...

Maybe having all that technology in one location will help you to remember where it is with more ease. And maybe you need one place that you ALWAYS put your phone when you come home, and when you finish using it.