I like having mine on at work, at least if you are away from the office in the washroom or out eating or shopping at lunch hour, it makes sense.

I also like having it on when I go out anywhere when I am not home.

i think if you must have it with you, turn it off during work and check messages during break. if someone calls and not leave a message then maybe its not important so there's no need to worry about it. right now my cell phone is off but when i get it turned on it will be as if its still off i dont talk to to many people anyways.

I take my cell phone almost everywhere. On dates, to the doctors, to sporting events, to parties, etc,. I pretty much bring it everywhere.

Spats said:

you know, i'd be disappointed if you didn't.

No, you're being paid to work not talk on the phone.

Well, I'm sure if it's on a soundstage for film or television they have a very strict rule about NO cellphones. In any recording environment, cellphones are a big No-No.

I was at a conference a couple of months ago and they asked everyone at the conference to turn off their cellphones. Then one of the panelist's cellphones rang and the moderator said, "Will the panelists please turn off their cellphones?"

XxAxX said:

I've noticed a few wayward pedestrians as well who are glued to their phone and not looking at where they're going. One day at about 5:30pm, during rush hour, driving around downtown in the city, I swear every single person I saw was talking on a cellphone. It was pretty scary because traffic can get really dangerous at that time and no one seemed to be paying attention to what they were doing.

This is obviously a bait thread meant to anger those of us who thrive off of the attention we get on cellphones.

AsianBomb777 said:

i can't fool you, being the master baiter that you are.

Anxiety said:

but seriously, just so you know: EVERYONE is deeply interested in your thoughts on last night's gilmore girls rerun - from the person you're holding captive on the other end of the line to the people standing around you. so talk louder! people are just giving you dirty looks because they wish they were as interesting as you are, not because your desperate bid for attention is failing miserably once again. perish the thought!

Anxiety said:

You watch the Gilmore girls.

AsianBomb777 said:

Actually, I don't. It just seems to be one of the top ten subjects of conversation among annoying cell phone screechers on the train home from work. Actually, you can make that any WB teen drama. Very popular cell phone fodder here in Chicago.

A couple of years ago, I took a train from NYC to Providence, RI. It used to be a nice scenic ride along the coast, relaxing and enjoyable.

Well, little did I know that nowadays every other person spends a good portion of the trip talking on their cellphone. Talk about a captive audience. No more meandering among your own private thoughts as you watch historic graveyard roll by.

Nooooo...

You have to listen to one-sided personal conversations the whole time.

So I moved to the "no cellphone car". But even that didn't work. Even with the NO CELLPHONE signs staring them in the face, passengers would sneak a call here and there...

as long as you keep your phone on vibrate, the I don't see the problem in having cell phones on at work...you never know what emergencies could arise....and who really gives out their work number anymore????

This is great, Anxiety. I am at this moment writing up a proposal for a performance art project about cellphones -- and the whole idea of them is extremely interesting in terms of the invasion of public space vs. the overexposure of personal space, the context of "emergencies", the commerciality yet individuality of ringtones, etc.

I'm really interested in creating an art piece that foregrounds and centralizes these normally unwanted, excessive, invasive sounds. It's all great, really.

And that whole "winter music" thread kind of applies here too, with the cold electronica of the ringtone which reminds me of xmas lights and constellations.

onenitealone said:

I'm the same way! I hate having a conversation in front of others. I think it's very rude, "Uh excuse me, I know I'm in your presence and having a conversation with you, but someone more important is on my phone, so please excuse me. I'll talk to you again when I'm done."

jbchavez said:

You're not one of those guys who hassles me at the Canadian border, are you?

Anxiety said:

It's a standard that allows electronic devices to communicate wirelessly. The headsets are one example. I use Bluetooth mainly to connect my cell phone to my laptop.

Back to the original topic... I keep my phone on vibrate at work, out of consideration for my colleagues. Usually I don't even answer it, and let calls go through to voice mail.

One exception: since I don't have a landline, the intercom system at my building is connected to my cell phone. So if UPS or FedEx stops by my home when I'm at work, I ask them to leave the package with the manager and unlock the door for them via the phone.

Silenced or on vibrate probably is the most curteous approach. I usually place mine on vibrate, but I work in a newsroom where most people leave their phones on "ring."

madartista said:

Some callers are shocked when I actually answer my mobile - they automatically expect to go through to the answerphone.

It's not that I'm being rude; just - as you say - if I'm in the middle of doing something or I'm with someone, I find it rude to interrupt them and speak to the person calling. I've chosen to spend time with that person. If it's important, I may pick it up; otherwise, most people leave a message and wait for me to get back to them.

It's just some weird-ass etiquette that I've invented for myself.

matt said:

No, I'm one of the guys on the Southern Border. I doubt I would hassle you but it all depends....

matt said:

oh, don't get me wrong. i think cell phones are enormously helpful and can get a person out of all kinds of binds. like i said, i carry one myself (though 99% of the time, it's turned off). but it's about using it when you NEED it rather than (i swear i love this comment by mickg) using it as a pacifier for one's soul and having to be in some kind of constant state of cellphone blather.

to me, having a cell phone is like having a swiss army knife or like having a first aid kit in the car. i never know when i'm going to need it, but unless i need it, i have no reason to use it.

jbchavez said:

Ah. A few things I've figured out, at least at the Canadian border:

• Young adult males by themselves attract more scrutiny
  
• By contrast, if I'm with a female passenger who appears to be about the same age, the CBP officer seems to assume that we're harmless and often doesn't even want to see ID
  
• It doesn't help if I'm driving a car that appears sporty or expensive
  
• If I'm asked what I do for a living (lawyer), the interview tends to end pretty quickly
  
• Your Canadian counterparts let me in pretty quickly, just as long as I tell them: 1) I'm doing something that involves spending money in their country; and 2) I have no weapons
  

Anyway, although the "hassles" vary, they're never that serious, so I guess I don't fit one of the "profiles." The one time I did have meaningful trouble with them, I filed a Tort Claim against the (then) U.S. Customs Service and won.

matt said:

it appears i have at least two things in common with the canadian border!

Anxiety said:

I rarely "need" mine because anyone who really knows me also knows that email is the best way to reach me. Also, I generally don't give my clients my cell phone number, although I've made exceptions for those who are also friends and/or need to reach me after normal business hours due to their work schedule or whatever. (By contrast, some folks in my profession actually put their cell number in their email .sig file.)

Anxiety said:

Anxiety said:

You just reminded me that my phone was still on and draining power!

I rarely use mine as well. Some days I have to have it when my schedule and my wife's schedule get messed up and we have to coordinate them.

TMPletz said:

really, the only time i use mine is when i'm travelling or when i'm meeting up with a bunch of people. on a regular day to day basis, i can't think of anything else i use it for.