Beeps, Buzzing, Ring Tones

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The other day I silenced the sound on my cell phone. Especially the notifications beep that has a tendency to annoy me whenever an e-mail from Macy's comes in to break my train of thought.

The main reason I dropped the audible signs was because the Yanks lost and fell behind 3 to 1 and there were bound to be people texting me with their witty messages.

It brings about thoughts of how ridiculous it is that we are all in constant contact. From Face Book to texting to e-mail thru the Rolling Stones ring tone on my phone I am now at a loss if I even head into the other room without my phone in my pocket.

Now, don't get me wrong...I enjoy the contact a lot. I have buddies who keep an ongoing conversation going all day long...and especially during the games. When Lance Berkman hit that long drive the other night my phone buzzed five times in a row. "It was foul," was the prevailing thought.

Yet there are moments. Like when I am carrying my bags in to check into a hotel room...or when I'm taking 12 bags of groceries into the house...or in the bathroom...or driving the car.

It is best to keep the phone well away from arm's length at those times.

Of course, I'm old enough to remember when I wasn't on this communications leash. Even in the early days of cell phones I could claim that I couldn't get a signal.

Now you get a signal everywhere. I rode up in an elevator today, talking on the phone and didn't miss even a single word.

The phone just beeped.

I paused long enough to look at the e-mail message. It's from Barnes&Noble...15% off any one item.

Thank God I didn't miss that message.

Time to silence the damn thing.

I love that 'Beast of Burden' ring tone though.

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