Dumbing Down

A few weeks ago I did something most would think of as blasphemous.

How heinous could it be?

Welp, I gave up my smartphone- my Android.

I've had that thing for over 2 years.

We had some great memories, me and that phone.

It was there for me when I started running.  So I could take wonderful pictures and share with you all.  All while listening to my music at the same time.

It was there to help me take photos on the spot to share via Twitter and to post here on my blog for all my lovely readers.

It was there when we found out we were having our first baby.  It documented our journey of the growing belly.

And it was there for my son's first year of life.  Capturing all the joy and cuteness one smartphone can handle.

But the time had come for us to go our separate ways.

I don't remember when, sometime early in 2012 I believe, the sensor in the middle of my screen stopped working.  So I could scroll through screens using the right or left side.  But the middle? Nope, not a chance.

The worst part?  I couldn't hang up my phone! The END "button" is in the middle of the screen! I would have to turn off my phone in order to hang it up.  CRAZY.

But I loved that phone.

Maybe a little too much.

I found myself aimlessly scrolling through FB, Pinterest, Twitter, email, and whatever else I could find at any spare moment- in the car (dangerous, I know!), on the couch, at work, in restaurants.

There came a time when I knew it was getting out of hand.  I made a conscious effort to put down my phone while in the company of loved ones.  I began to find it annoying when others didn't do the same.  Not to me, but I would seen entire families at restaurants all staring at their screens.

So I decided enough was enough.  I was getting rid of it.  We have a computer at home where I can access all my social media platforms.  While I do love you all, I don't need to be connected all day every day to family and friends so far away.

What I need to do is be connected to those who are with me, at that moment.

And another perk?  We're saving money (hello financial resolution)!

Not as much as we'd like, since we got our unlimited data plan over 2 years ago, and prices/packages have changed since then.  But still, a dollar saved is a dollar saved.  Or something like that.

Either way, it's a good thing.  A win-win.

I'm less distracted and more focused on living in the now.  And I saved some cash.

Now please excuse me while I figure out how to use the buttons on my dumb basic phone (apparently phone reps don't like it when you call their phones dumb).