Keeping Up With Mom

In an effort not to fall too far behind my mom in the technilogical race, I got a cell phone this week. Not just a cell phone, a flip phone. Let me tell you, I'm making sure the 'end call' button is my friend. I've never seen my mom's phone, but mine is pretty cute I think. It's not one of those really tiny ones that you aren't sure if it's a real phone or some kind of children's toy, but it's not so big it looks like, well, some kind of children's toy.

Getting the phone was my husband's idea. I don't use the telephone very much in general. Not because I am basically on the phone 8 hours a day at work, but because I was scarred for life by a childhood telephone incident. The first time I tried to make a telephone call when I was little I dialed a wrong number. The person who answered didn't yell or cuss or threaten to hide in my closet until everybody was asleep and then give all my Barbies crew cuts or anything, but still, I was crushed.

There are two things I don't like about my new phone. The first is that it's part of one of those family plans. My mother-in-law and husband both had phones for a couple of years, and this month their contract was due. My husband decided since they were changing things around and both of them were getting new phones, I should get one, too. I didn't argue with him. I'm just thoughtful that way. Anyway, somehow when he finished everything the salesman ended up setting all three phones to show up on caller ID with my mother-in-law's name. I'm sure they can eventually fix it, but probably not this weekend.

The other thing I don't like is the new phone number. I really like it when phone numbers spell out something, like ROSEBUD or HOTBEAR or something. My number doesn't spell anything. For a couple of seconds I thought about posting my number and seeing if any of my adoring fans can find a word or phrase I missed, but then I came to my sences. I haven't even posted my last name, I'm sure not going to post my phone number.

One thing I do like about my new phone is I got one with a camera built in. Now I'm set if I ever see a UFO or Bigfoot or Elvis. At least if I ever figure out how to use the camera. I'm still figuring out how to just make calls. I have a bunch of phone numbers entered into the address book, and I have speed dial figured out, but I want to be able to use voice commands, so I could just say 'phone home' or 'pizza' and the phone would start dialing. That would be cool.