[Jarons]

I don't miss pagers, 10 ft long phone cords, a pocket full of quarters to make sales calls at a road side pay phone...

I do miss not being so accessible and the value of face-to-face communication. We take that for such granted now vs. then. There's a lot to be said for "reading" people and communicating face-to-face.

Language by itself was an art form. Not so much anymore. I couldn't agree more with Granny on the importance and the value in getting together with family, friends, neighbors, or even co-workers around some event that brought us together. Folks took turns sharing stories or reporting the news of their lives. And people benefited from it.

Now we have a large generation of texters and tweeters who talk in abbreviated english who yes struggle to communicate effectively with others because of the lack of face-to-face.

My value system hasn't changed much at all. I will say that I don't get together as much as I should with family and friends because I too have used cell phones as a crutch to pack more "busy stuff" into an already overloaded schedule.

Greater access has resulted in busier schedules and folks becoming more spread thin! I'm literally in the process of limiting access and keeping myself accountable to weekly hours to get re-connected with others face-to-face. I'm going to become the change I want to see...please excuse my "Bruce Almighty" movie quote!

nicker:

Thoughts?

My now almost 12 y/o son noticed a payphone for the first time a couple of years ago at a rest stop and then he started asking me questions why there was a phone outside. I could not get him to understand that cell phones did not always exist and we had to pay money to talk on phones. He thought it was the craziest thing he had ever heard of.