I recently spent 72 hours without my cellphone. Boy have I realized my dependence on my phone. It seriously has become like a third appendage. I did not volunteer to go without my cellphone, it broke. Normally, I would run out and grab another phone, but my intelligent and capable husband was certain it was a failed $15 part that he can fix per a YouTube tutorial for my iPhone 7 charger port replacement. The fix by a technician was $300 more.
Landlines Still Work
After visiting 3 stores after my phone died, my husband found a phone cord at the fourth store. Our recently connected internet service alerted us to a free landline phone number through our router. Since the line was free, we had grabbed a phone so that our kids would have access to a phone line in the event of an emergency, but we had not connected it to the box. Prior to our recent landline, we had not had a landline for 12 years. We had recycled any and all phone cords we ever owned. Once my phone died, it became a top priority to set our up landline.
Dumb Without a Cellphone
Without my cellphone, I no longer had a calculator at my fingertips or a mini computer. Every time I was curious about a subject, I had to locate a computer or other smart device to look it up, which was often too much work. Often, my curiosity would fade and life would move on. Favorite recipes saved in phone apps were locked away out of use.
Fitbit Unusable
One of the most disappointing things to find out following the death of my phone was that my Fitbit was out of sync. Normally this is not the case, but its battery had died right before my phone died. Once my Fitbit was fully charged, it was a solid 12 hours off schedule. It would not correct the time without syncing to my phone. Lacking a phone to check the time and a Fitbit watch that showed the incorrect time wreaked all kinds of havoc on my schedule.
Locked Out
I found without my cellphone, I was locked out of some websites. Some of my websites use my phone as a security check when signing in. Without the ability to check a text message, I had to remain out of those sites for those three days.
When completing some business with my bank, they as well wanted to verify me through the phone number listed on my account. It was my cell phone number and could not be done during this period. Thankfully, they still use other methods for verification.
I Survived
Best of all, I survived not knowing what friends had for dinner or what cute things their kids did in the last week. I was not bombarded with ideas and projects to do for my house that others are doing on theirs. I survived without photo documentation of my day and life shared with family and friends. Amazingly, both of my sisters called the line to speak to me when they would normally text. Living without text messaging made me realize how little we do talk on the phone. Between the Kindles, Ipads, computers and Google Homes in our home, I was still surrounded by plenty of smart devices without my phone.
Am I glad my cellphone is fixed and working? Absolutely. So much of my life is wrapped up in my phone.
Yes, my husband was able to fix my cellphone. It took about 4 hours due to his inexperience handling the world’s tiniest screws and wires. Because we had to remove the waterproof glue, my screen cracked in a matter of two days. A larger more durable phone case has been ordered to help further protect my phone from further damage.
