( This pic from Google Images reminds us that there are definitely appropriate times to ignore calls...)

Fellow cell phone users:
Let’s resolve to always use good manners when dealing with cell phones in the year 2007…

Now that I’m in a very fast-paced and sometimes demanding job downtown, I often use my lunch hour to disconnect and run various errands I’d rather not save for the evening when I’m busy doing important stuff (like hanging out with friends, running, watching TV, etc.).

Today was one of those days when I used the lunch hour to do some important shopping I don’t have time to do later. It was a perfect plan to be very productive and enjoy a short shopping experience…until I landed in line behind a very rude female cell phone user. After spending time chatting loudly on the phone during her entire store experience, she received another call while she was standing in front of the cashier – just in line in front of me. The girl behind the counter had already rung up the items and bagged them nicely when another very important call came.

After listening to a couple of minutes of discussion about which movie the woman was to see this afternoon with her friend, the cashier kindly asked the woman if she should take the next guest in line. The cell phone lady ignored the cashier, putting her hand up as if to say, “I’m busy talking right now. You can wait and so can she (glancing my way)” Even after the woman hung up the call and was digging for her wallet – she had yet to pay – she was dialing again. She spent a total of 6 minutes in front of the cash register dealing with her phone calls and trying to pay for her items. It seemed like an eternity as I watched her failure to give either task proper attention and waste the time of virtually everyone involved…

Fellow cell phone users, let’s resolve to NEVER have a not-so-urgent personal discussion when standing in line in front of other customers at a store. Matter of fact, let’s resolve to choose to not to answer or make cell phone calls while interacting with someone else face-to-face. Nothing could be more inconsiderate, rude, and as we say in West Texas, downright tacky.

Promise to be a polite cell phone user in 2007? Good - me too!
Hooray for 2007 and resolutions.

For other cell phone rants, you should check my friend Malita’s blog. Her 2006 rants on the subject are hilarious…and will make you think twice about your cell phone etiquette.

http://curlsz.blogspot.com/2006/06/get-off-your-freakin-phone.html
http://curlsz.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html (check the Cell Phone Rant #2 in August 2006)