Porch #33 * Phone-ish Edition

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Hi All!

I hope this week has been good to you ... and that if you're on the east coast you've got your boots, show shovel, and a big ol' scarf handy!

Last week's back-and-forth about our phones was too good not to revisit!  Here's a sampling ... 

I just had this conversation about phones yesterday with my sweet counselor friend.  We decided our phones are a tool to help us, not for you to able to get in touch with us 24/7.  Enough already.  My solution has been, I do not answer if I am busy or occupied.  Please leave a message.

I also thought of sending you my comments by post from now on.  But the postage from UK to USA is expensive.

I understand your phone being turned off but it makes it difficult for those of us who work during the day and our best times to talk are evenings.  Personally I don't want to call Tim's phone to find you if I just want to chat and it's not important - only if it's an emergency.
- Marilyn

I have all notifications turned off on my phone except texts and phone calls. I check email regularly enough that I don't need to be notified whenever a new one comes in.  I can't stand constant dinging.

Because we are writers and do use social media to connect with our community, our phones can become part of our work day.  We also come from generations where a phone was just a conversation over a telephone line-nothing else.  I remember when I was a teenager, my mother would say, "you are tied to your phone."  Oh, how we have evolved but the tether has become stronger rather than lighter.  Our phones sure have changed, but sometimes my heart longs for that feeling of just a telephone line without data, email, texting, etc.

As a pastor, I can't turn my phone off but I have made other steps to move away.  Silencing my phone at night.  Leaving my computer in the office on Thursday instead of bringing it home so I can check it on Friday (my day off).  Things can wait until Saturday.

I love the idea of a sabbatical and being less available.  I never put my email on my phone because I didn't want constant notifications.  Any important contacts in my phone have their own notification so when it goes off I know if I can ignore it or not ;)

I try to keep my phone on silent and face down as much as I can.  I check for text messages throughout the day but that is about it.  I don't want that it keep me from the people right in front of me each day as these days will pass so quickly.





From My Mid-Winter Heart to Yours ~
Linda 💙

sharing Porch with 
Jeanne/Lisa J 
Richella  &  Lisa

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