Lab, I'm totally with you on the convenience of having the cell phone while at the grocery so you can pick up those little slips - a forgotten item or a substitution question. Ken often calls me to tell me he's stopping and do I need him to pick up anything. It's those people walking up and down the aisle pushing their carts and chatting about all sorts of non-grocery issues that make me want to scream. It looks to me like they couldn't find a buddy to go shopping with and can't stand not having someone to talk to, so they just call someone.
I think that the cell phone morphed from a device of convenience to a symptom of a greater evil that has taken over the American working situation.
Totally agree with Tank here. Something that initially was intended to help people gain back some free time has been put to use in such a way that it's done exactly the opposite. I mean, originally, what a great concept. Instead of going into the office on a slow work day, someone could go to the park, take along his cell phone in case of an emergency and enjoy some time away without worry that problems couldn't be handled. But instead employers seem to think that if they issue employees cell phones, the employees are then accessible for all manner of work items 24/7. Heck, even if the cell phone isn't employer-provided, the employer feels free to call. Maybe the key is to never give your employer your cell phone number.
Ken never takes his full vacation time earned. It's next to impossible because he rarely has a string of days that he doesn't have some critical deadline. Causes me no end of grief since I'm of the opinion that unless workers start to stand up and complain (dare I say - we need a return of the Unions?), things will only get worse. So when he gets calls on his very rare vacation days I get quite upset. Needless to say he doesn't let me answer his cell phone.
It's like Federal Express. Funny how twenty years ago we all managed just fine using normal post. Now everything - regardless of urgency - absolutely must be had the next day simply because it can now be done. Thus a whole new pressure on companies and their employees to meet insane deadlines, to do more work in less time. What started off as a time-saver to help relieve stress has actually added to the stress.
Which then supports what Yvonne is saying about people being less organized. Because you *can* ship something out for receipt next day, you *can* push projects to their very last possible minute. You don't have to plan ahead or manage time carefully, or, god forbid, actually say no to new projects simply because you already have a full docket. Except, instead of filling that time you gain by not being organized (those five extra minutes you didn't spend looking at the train schedule) with leisure activities, we simply shove more work into the slot. People no longer procrastinate on projects because they are lazy, it's because they have too many other things that must be done first. I know that's exactly the way I used to work. Everything shipped out via FedEx because we had no choice but to work on it only after it became the most critical project on the table.
I think you could say it's the case for almost every modern invention today. Faxes. Laptops. All of this stuff that is supposed to lighten work loads and make life easier. But life hasn't gotten easier. It's just gotten faster and thus more full with more expectations.
As for the rudeness factor, I do agree that it's rude to take a cell phone call while in company of another person. I suppose if you answered your phone and it was important, a simple "Do you mind if I take this call?" is good manners, and I'd have no problem with it. But like Yvonne, I'd be feeling a bit used if I was nothing more than a warm body steering the car.
It doesn't bother me as much the technically bad manners on IRC though. I guess because chatting on channel and multi-tasking is something that can be done without others knowing it is happening if the doer pays a bit of attention. However, I admit to being one of those people who finds it very hard to multitask on IRC because I do feel like I'm ignoring the crowd while I surf or write or whatever. That's why I don't go on very often anymore - as much as I loved talking to everyone, I simply couldn't afford the time it took.
Lynn
