I bought my first cell phone for $5 at the Shell station over a decade ago. It came with $15 worth of time. In those days, I was the first in my circle to embrace the technology. I liked being able to connect with someone to get help whenever I got into trouble and to get directions when I was lost. When I had a collision in Illinois, I was able to call Gary who connected me with an old high school friend who now has a body repair shop.
When I was in New Zealand I watched my Kiwi friends texting and thought that was cool, so I learned how on my little phone. The problem was that once again I was ahead of my American friends. I had no one to text to.
I still have that Cellcom phone. I recharge it every month with an additional $15. Because I don't really like to make phone calls all that much, the balance keeps growing since I don't lose the minutes at the end of each month. Whenever I go on a trip somewhere I get more use out of the phone and run down the balance, but right now there's $188 on the phone.
It isn't a fancy phone, just little gray thing for making and receiving calls. When I checked with the Cellcom representative down on Main Street, he looked at it with surprise and said these old phones had great reception. He was right. When I stood at the Fourth of July pass in Colorado, I was able to call my friends at 11,000 feet.
Today, Gary bought me a new cell phone that has all the bells and whistles. I can take photos, text, keep track of appointments. It connects with my car radio so I can have hands free conversations. The problem with that is that I never have my cell phone on when I am driving. It's not safe. The only person I know that texts is Gary and he is right upstairs.
All I really need in a phone is the ability to call someone and to get messages.
But I guess given time I'll learn all the bells and whistles on this one so I can catch up with all the friends I left behind so many years ago. If only all the instructions weren't in Spanish!
When I was in New Zealand I watched my Kiwi friends texting and thought that was cool, so I learned how on my little phone. The problem was that once again I was ahead of my American friends. I had no one to text to.
I still have that Cellcom phone. I recharge it every month with an additional $15. Because I don't really like to make phone calls all that much, the balance keeps growing since I don't lose the minutes at the end of each month. Whenever I go on a trip somewhere I get more use out of the phone and run down the balance, but right now there's $188 on the phone.
It isn't a fancy phone, just little gray thing for making and receiving calls. When I checked with the Cellcom representative down on Main Street, he looked at it with surprise and said these old phones had great reception. He was right. When I stood at the Fourth of July pass in Colorado, I was able to call my friends at 11,000 feet.
Today, Gary bought me a new cell phone that has all the bells and whistles. I can take photos, text, keep track of appointments. It connects with my car radio so I can have hands free conversations. The problem with that is that I never have my cell phone on when I am driving. It's not safe. The only person I know that texts is Gary and he is right upstairs.
All I really need in a phone is the ability to call someone and to get messages.
But I guess given time I'll learn all the bells and whistles on this one so I can catch up with all the friends I left behind so many years ago. If only all the instructions weren't in Spanish!
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