Cutting off electronic tethers, etc.

[shootingstar]

I don't even like wearing audio headsets or ear buds for a long time. So I have sat on plane flights for several hrs., without a headset and simply watching the movie images..or my mind thinking of other things if there isn't anything interesting to read.

I don't mind doing it for an hr. long skype session but anything else, I just don't. I seem to get headache and don't like sound coming directly into my ears even if turning down volume.

Other than family members and some very close friends who are 4,400+ kms. away, I rarely spend a long time blabbing on the phone with acquaintances locally. Things have just worked out that it's more enjoyable to see each other face to face to chat up at length.

But even with close friends living in same city, the friendships are deep but not the sort of style where there's alot of weekly chatter by phone.

To me, the deepest friendships (for myself) are experienced in person, not just frequently phoning up someone on small matters. Even if the friend walks with me and we don't say alot..there's still alot of valued time shared together.

Good points made, that we still need tools to reach out beyond our families.
I only asked the question 'cause I see people so engrossed in their cell phone or texting on their PDA as they cross the traffic intersection on foot. 1 woman in Toronto was recently killed by a car because she was so engrossed in her cell phone conversation as she walked across a road. Or going to a restaurant and seeing a bunch of people with children, where over 1/2 of the people are on their PDAs or cell phone.

[Crankin]

Geez, Shootingstar, I thought I was the only one who refuses to "listen" to a movie on a plane. I would rather sit and stare into space, if I have nothing to read. But, I usually bring a big thick book, or last time, I brought my lap top and wrote a 12 page paper.
And I was just thinking the same thing as I was out doing errands today. Almost everyone in the grocery store had a phone glued to their ear. I splurged and went and got a manicure; two women were in there, who seemed to know each other slightly. They were blabbing very loudly across the nail salon about their kids... in a very vapid way that annoyed the heck out of me. If I go do something like that (get a manicure), I want to relax and have peace and quiet. Yes, ladies, you are not the only ones whose children have gone off to kindergarten...
I know. I am getting old and crotchety.