Ohmystinkinheck

It used to be when extended families or friends gathered there was only a couple of ways you could be interrupted. The first way you might be interrupted was by phone. Do you remember the kitchen wall phones? The place where you RAN to catch a call screaming, “I’VE GOT IT!”, because it was one of two phones in the house (and the other was in your parent’s room)? Remember how that long cord twisted “just so” and unwinding it with your toes with your feet up on the wall was all part of the “talking on the phone” experience?

Oh yeah, those were the days.

Then, the other way you could be interrupted was for someone to physically knock on the door or ring the doorbell. Of course this happened more than it does now because neighbors actually knew each other and people still “popped in”; by the way I really and truly despise “pop-ins”.

Now? We have cell phones.
Families gather and are interrupted multiple times by these seething, perpetual creatures from the Land of Ever-On.

Know how to remedy this?
Force everyone who enters to place their cell phone on the counter…and help them turn it OFF. It is harder than you think; trust me.

*GASP*

Yes, I said “OFF!” No, not silent or vibrate. OFF!

It works. And the best part?
You remember that you can talk without texting.

Go figure.

18 Responses to “The Land of Ever-On”

1. Leah S

   How come there’s 6 phones for the five of ya? :)

2. chocolatechic

   hehehe

   How did you get them to shut them off? Threaten not to feed them?

   giggle

3. bethany actually

   Was this at your house? Just curious.

4. OMSH

   Leah S - Think extented family. This was Izzy and Poppa Ken, Aunt Paige and Uncle Lorne, and of course, I was USING my phone to take the photo. :)

   chocolatechic - Well, you see…we really LIKE our food around these parts.

   bethany actually - Izzy’s house. The tile (bar) divide between the sink and the breakfast table in the kitchen (remember?).

5. Meg

   We have a friend who can be counted on for a drop-in maybe every other weekend. And you know what, he does interrupt chores and whatnot, but on the other hand, we would never see him if he didn’t, and for that reason, I don’t mind. In fact, I kinda wish more people would drop in. Just like the “good old days.”

6. Claire in CA

   I don’t like drop-ins, either. My husband’s family however…

   My dd texts her friends a lot. Yesterday, she sprained her right thumb. One of her two texting thumbs. She was lamenting the fact that she’d have to use only one, and it would slow her down! She is, bar none, the fastest texter anyone has ever seen. :-)

7. that girl

   great idea — I have four kids and I don’t carry a cell phone. There’s one in the car glovebox in case of emergency, but it’s never ever used. So, it CAN be done!

8. Darla

   GOOD FOR YOU! My husband is the chief of police and is required to carry a cell phone. He’d be the one you’d have to “allow” the vibrate to stay on. He would only have to answer it if it were a “certain” number.

   It’s taken me a LONG TIME to get him to the point of not answering every call.

   I hate my cell phone. I hate drops-ins too. Don’t be droppin in on me unless you wanna be put to work on whatever project I am workin on. ;)

9. Peggy

   I think that’s an excellent idea!

10. Jenn

    LOVE THIS! I am going to do exactly this at the next family-type gathering at my house. So simple and yet I can’t believe we’ve never tried it. :)

    Score one for OMSH!

11. Sue

    The teens around here are the scariest thing ever with phones. It’s a whole new world out there. I watched a group of teens having a conversation with each other, texting other people the whole time. The whole gossip-grape vine is on steroids, if ya know what I mean.

12. Lanna

    And people think we’re nuts because we won’t buy a cell phone. All we have is hubby’s work one that we don’t pay for, so hey, it’s used 90% for work or to call us when he’s out of town.
    Btw, those phones pictured there? Wouldn’t last more than a month between hubby and kids - hubby’s “dropped” his off a 30-foot catwalk at a power plant before, and it’s survived the two kidlets trying to play with it.

    I wouldn’t mind drop-ins if they were people we knew or people that’d help me with whatever’s going on… tantrums, asparagus planting, whatever.

13. Kate @ Life As I Live It

    My momma always taught me that dropping in unannounced was bad manners.

    And even though I have a cell phone, it’s only on when I’m away from the house. Hubby seriously worries if he can’t get hold of me.

14. bethany actually

    Yes, I do remember. I didn’t *think* it was your house…I was going to guess Izzy’s but wimped out. :-)

15. Liz C.

    I’ll admit to being a complete Luddite when it comes to cell phones… I barely tolerate being available to a land line most of the time, and though I love the convenience of my husband carrying a phone, don’t have any desire to carry one myself. I’m also capable of the Astounding Act of Not Answering The Phone when Real-Live-People are sitting in my front room, Visiting-In-Person. It is apparently a rare skill, and totally freaks out the church ladies. Because, you know, what if it’s an emergency, and somebody needs a casserole brought in??

    Brilliant idea to have everyone Park ‘Em.

    Quick Rant: last year at my eldest’s 11yo birthday party (Camping Theme, Complete With Weenie Roast & S’Mores), one of the girls made a HUGE show of texting back and forth with her mom. I found it SO RUDE–and the other girls were distinctly annoyed at her lack of participation in the party. I did overhear one say to another “If she wants to talk with her mom so much, why’d she come to the party??” Wish I’d thought to have “everyone” park their phones… I really didn’t think it would be a problem at a child’s birthday party!

16. Rebecca

    Good for you! I am still trying to convince my husband that we don’t have to be available 24/7 — even to each other.

17. Mrs. Wilson

    Oh my WORD that’s a lot of phones!

    And I totally remember the long cords - and we DID only have two phones - one in the kitchen and one in my parents’ bedroom. And? They were both rotary phones. Yes, yes they were.

18. Scyfox

    I really really like that idea…

    i’m definatly going to implement it with my family…

    it really sucks when you are eating and Ring.ring… phone…

    Silla!