I am a mobile addict

Can I give up my mobile for a day? I wonder. I can't even imagine my life without a mobile today, even though there are many who may not agree. I know that there are strong and disciplined people out there who detox occasionally from mobile but I am not ready to admit I need that. Staying connected to people is life itself for me. I can't imagine a day without my fingers not tapping, swiping or watching flickering pictures and staying connected. I know the world is not going to end if I put that mobile away nor are my friends going to go away either.

I am great at multitasking and creative thinking so what if I cut paste a wrong message to someone it was not meant for sometimes. So what if I hit auto text turning "dear" into "dead"...or "yoga" into "yoda"..and the one worst that I fear "peace" and not "pieces" (you know, the rest in peace one..I check this a 100% times over). In the morning, along with that cup of tea it's the newspaper and the mobile for me. Reading through whatsapp, facebook and the newspaper to check what happened before I woke up (well, it is another fact that I get up very late these days..retired you see!!!).  So what if the very next thing I do is to clear the chat of all those annoying good mornings, picture notifications and that one same message that pops up in each and every group like a tsunami on a particular day.... Okay, I do know it is a nice way to start a morning by wishing each other and I do appreciate your love, but no one needs a beep beep 365 days a year especially me, at unearthly hours. You are awake my friend, but my morning has not yet begun so then don't blame me for putting you on silent mode. Silent mode, indeed!!! ........ there I go checking whether you have wished me that morning. I don't want it to beep, I want it to beep, totally confused me.

You know what's funny. Let me tell you what makes me feel more sane than most mobile addicts. I don't text my family sitting in the same room or in the next room even if we are on the same group. Now that's what I call real crazy. So what if I use a missed call to my daughter, as a signal to come to my room. Now, that I think is an intelligent use of the mobile instead of shouting, is it not?

You may wonder what is it that I am missing out on by using my mobile consistently. You must also be thinking that I definitely need to be doing something else instead? That is never an issue with me. I work from home but get around a lot too doing crazy and fun stuff, in fact quite a lot than most people.....and when I am out the internet package is off because funny as it may sound, I just never seem to need it when I am with friends or out. I simply inform those I need to stay connected to during that day via sms that I am off whatsapp, etc. Simple but effective way to break away from face book and whatsapp because I become a photographer and need my mobile to stay alive through the day as I go click click. It's another story that once I am home, there I go posting all  those photos on social media. As corny as it sounds, I want to be able to watch a show without feeling the need to share a photo but then I am a pro at doing just that without looking at the screen. I know I will have that one picture of the many I went click click click looking over the mobile. Yes, I am a notorious shutterbug strong desire to capture every moment and  memory.

I love my sleep too, so switching off the internet connection the moment it is bedtime and that means the internet package of my mobile too is a done deal. Of course not the mobile calls, after all who knows who might need to call you. 

Besides I am also not one of those who think the theatre hall is the personal hall of my home. Yes, I do get up and tick off those using the mobiles in the theatre.  Silent mode indeed, but what about that annoying light that flickers in the darkness. Not to mention my counterparts who discuss menus with their cooks mid-movie or those who love to text or talk especially during a song sequence...Hello, I want to watch that song you know and I don't need additional disco lights from your mobile to enjoy it more!!!

I'm a good girl and don't text or talk when I drive even though you know, I am quite a pro and can do just that. I won't profess not to have done that before...but with a near disaster once, texting and driving is a definite no, no and even answering the phone today. My mobile definitely lies now in my purse hanging behind the driver seat completely inaccessible and away from temptation. Besides, I am just too much in love with life for that.

I just love mindlessly opening up applications, scrolling through and connecting with friends. Internet advises setting realistic limits for oneself of using the applications of not more than an hour or so in a day (not going to happen!!!) or for not longer than 15 minutes at a time (hmmmm!!).... Leave my mobile at home, switch off while on holiday. How stupid would that be in this crazy world where anything happens at anytime. 

Maybe I need to break up with my mobile..... even though I think I am doing fine.... 

My mobile is now my best friend, my love connection to my family and even more so with friends who I don't meet for months. Just maybe, just maybe, I am a mobile addict.......Maybe I do need to detoxify... May be I need to unplug from the unreal world to the world around me.. 

...........but then on second thoughts, I am already enjoying the best of both worlds... content to be on-line or off-line as I please.

Who says people have stopped reading & writing!!

Most of us like to read and some maybe some don’t... Even though reading helps understanding instructions on a jar, filling out applications and most importantly getting onto the right bus or train. Reading a book is a magical experience and happy reading to those who like to…… but who says people have stopped reading and writing? Let us leave the children out of this one.

Take me. I love to read and write. Maybe not a book but I read every morning, every afternoon, every evening and every night before going to bed? My day begins with reading the newspaper and then voila the mobile…starting with whatsapp…sms…..then face book ….then twitter and then instagram. Then everything I read and feel about, I write…I write on whatsapp, face book and sms and yes I tweet too and the cycle never stops.  I am the most well read person in the world!!! Everything I need to know is there for me to read daily and updating faster than I can keep up. Besides don’t forget the biggest bonus, I make friends and more and more each day and the reading and writing never stops.

What’s more I have realised that I have turned into the most creative person too.  I create cards for birthdays, I write messages for anniversaries, I send videos for information. I sometimes even create my own video message and send. There is absolutely no difference for me between stories in a book and the stories I share. They are more true and more from the heart each time. In fact my writings are just right for every occasion and you, my friend, get it when it needs to be shared. 

They say a book is a gift you can open again and again, but personally, why would I want to when there is so much new and interesting stuff to read with the flick of a finger. Think about it.  Reading can be quite a meditative lonely habit while reading is also an interaction that keeps the mind alive and responsive. You write, I respond. I write, you respond. The more I read, the more I will know about you and the more we will write and share.

I do profess though that till the digital world hit me, I read and read and read all the books I could lay my hands on during train journeys from office to work and back each day. Today I see the same thing but it’s not a book it’s the mobile that’s taken its place.  I do agree that books are truly a man’s best friend. So all readers of books go ahead and get lost in the wonderful world of words.  Book lovers enjoy your books, while today I enjoy being a SWIFT lover (Sms, Whatsapp, Instagram, Face book and Tweet lover, you see).  

See you sometimes on the SWIFT train. I am waiting.