Chapter 1: The Intrusiveness of Phone Calls

In a previous article, I shared my intention to avoid watching television for an entire year, although I haven't quite succeeded in that goal. However, I find that nothing irritates me more than the incessant ringing of my phone. On particularly busy days, I can receive up to twenty calls at home and five on my mobile device.

I appreciate the necessity of sales representatives in their line of work, yet as I age, I prefer to communicate with them via email. The constant chatter over phone lines has grown tiresome—unless it's a call from family or friends, of course.

During my fifteen years in Los Angeles, I had a friend in the music industry who knew a musician that chose to live without any phone. Was he simply anti-social? Perhaps he realized that many conversations are unproductive and waste valuable time. It's possible he could only tolerate so much human interaction, or maybe he found that human voices often carry emotional burdens or trivialities.

CAN’T STAND A MOBILE BILL For the past decade, I have loathed the costs associated with smartphone plans. In contrast, I’m perfectly fine with the expense of my home phone line—though I can’t pinpoint exactly why. Nevertheless, the thought of a smartphone bill unsettles me deeply. Is it that the universe is trying to tell me something about mobile phones that isn’t beneficial? Should I embark on a soul-searching journey into nature, perhaps in search of a deeper understanding of my relationship with technology?

Pic by Adrien on Unsplash I primarily keep my mobile phone for my children and elderly relatives to reach me in emergencies. Beyond that, I don’t have a delivery job or any similar obligations. The social climate today, rife with scams and deceit, makes me wary of phone interactions.

Yet, I must confess, the pricing plans from Mint Mobile do pique my interest a bit—humorously, of course.

FINAL THOUGHTS In my view, television is far less bothersome than the ringing of a phone. A ringing phone feels like an unwelcome intrusion into my personal space, while television is a choice I make voluntarily. Perhaps there should be a way for me to charge those who disrupt my peace with their calls?

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Chapter 2: A Broader Perspective on Media and Communication

Reflecting on my experiences with media, I also found myself considering the effectiveness of various advertisements. I recall an instance when I felt let down by a deodorant that failed to meet my expectations, despite the hype created by marketing across different platforms.

I even found myself taking down my vision board, questioning its purpose and effectiveness in my life.

Lastly, I contemplated giving up television for a year, only to have my TV malfunction the very next week. Such ironic timing!