A Clarification Of My Cellphone Hostility

Nan Patience asked via comment why some people, and I include myself in that number, have a seemingly pathological hostility towards cellphones? I can only speak for myself, but my hostility is not directed at cellphones, in fact I own a cellphone. Cellphone are an invaluable tool and have improved our lives in many ways. My hostility is reserved for people who don't understand that it is inappropriate to bring private conversations into the public arena. I have enough drama in my life without being subjected to other people's grief. Should I sit at a table in a cafe and loudly describe my personal business, people would think me insane. Virtually no one, aside from the truly insane, would do such a thing. But, put a cellphone to an ear and all bets are off. Insane behavior becomes the norm for many people. The ubiquitous iPod has earphones for a reason. We would not accept people attaching speakers to their iPod and playing loud music everywhere, would we? To further clarify, my ire is not directed at all people having a cellphone conversation in public, but rather those who have never learned the inside voice/outside voice lesson. I don't need to know the details of your medical conditions, financial dealing or relationship issues. Then there is the matter of common courtesy. Why should my dinner, movie experience or other leisure activities be subject to disruption because someone else has a pathological need to remind themselves that they are not alone in the universe? Additionally, why should people tying to provide a service, such as a cashier, be made subordinate to a phone call. Many cellphone users lack the common courtesy to even acknowledge the humanity of the person at the register. As a matter of practice, I ignore customers in our store who cannot get off the phone long enough to explain what they want. My current favorite sign related to this issue is at my local branch post office, where the USPS has posted a notice advising patrons that they will not be served if they approach the window while talking on the phone. So perhaps my hostility is really about the lack of common courtesy in our society. The cellphone just drives home that fact. Dennis wonders what type of snack I enjoy with my coffee. I enjoy all things pumpkin and Starbucks has a nice pumpkin scone. I enjoy that. Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky