Step Away From The Cell Phone

A cold night, a coffee shop, and a great friend from the desert I haven’t seen since early 2009.

I couldn’t help but wonder--whatever happened to nights like this?  Why do people make plans to meet at bars and pubs, only to drink their nights away, forget conversations, and wake up the next morning with a headache and a tab receipt the size of a cell phone bill? I also wonder why we prefer to pick up our phones and call a friend down the road, instead of walking or driving over and having a conversation in person. Of course, texting and calling have their places in this world, but so does human interaction.

In an evening’s time, we were able to catch up on two years of life, create a two person book club, solve the problems in relationships past, discuss the fall of the Roman Empire, contrast ancient and modern architecture, address why manhole covers are circles as opposed to squares, and obsess over how amazing our blended coffee drinks were. It was one of those nights I won’t forget even though it was so simple and completely sporadic.

It fascinates me how some nights involve plans, heels, and cocktails—and although those nights may be fun at the time—they usually are not too memorable and only result in sore feet and having to untag yourself in unbecoming Facebook photos.

What are some of your favorite nights? What do you consider fun? I think about how I moved to St. Charles because I appreciated the opportunities for different types of entertainment; however, as time goes on and schedules fill up, I end up with less and less time to pursue interests. I don’t think to check out what plays or art galleries are in the area when I had a busy day at work and I’m coming up on finals week.

The pub makes for easy plans, but I’m convinced that the things that aren’t planned turn out to be the best times anyway. It’s just a matter of being able to put the cell phone away, leaving work at work, and enjoying now.  Easier said than done though—have you ever lost your cell phone? I lost mine not too long ago and I practically forgot my name, where I worked, what I had to do that day, and how to eat. On a good day I might be able to recall two of my five immediate family members’ phone numbers (at best).

Even though I’d rarely turn down a happy hour or bar bounce, a relaxing night with awesome company and entertaining conversation is not only fun, but talking in person takes conversation to a much more personal and interesting level. It’s crazy how a peaceful night like that seems to be a rarity anymore, and when the opportunity presents itself we choose to sit at a dark, smoky bar and yell over the music in order to catch up (and all we can think about is getting the stilettos off of our feet). We are all so connected with smart phones, e-mail, texting, Facebook, Twitter, et al, but can be so disconnected at the same time.  It has become convenient to take the human aspect out of interaction with cell phones, drive-throughs, online ordering, and other digital communication. Since I work in IT, I must admit that technology is an awesome thing; but nothing in technology future could ever replace a good old conversation over coffee (especially when it's iced and blended with whipped cream).