Talking? on the Phone

I spend way too much time on my phone, and sad to say, I don’t call many people.

My husband and I fuss about how much time each others spends on the phone. I’m guilty, I know. I don’t’ handle boredom well…which includes time spent waiting especially in doctor’s offices (something we’ve done a lot lately with him having total knee replacement last month.

So, what do I do on my phone?

Well, just like my younger counterparts, I text. I also play games. I have confessed here previously that I love to play Words with Friends, a game on my phone that is similar to Scrabble. I play it with my sister-in-law, and a lot of people I don’t know. I justify that “wasted time” as being

educational…improving my vocabulary, testing my skills. I strive to win.

But, I also play other games. I play Texas hold ‘em poker, for example. It is a combination of luck and skill. No money is involved…no I’m way too cheap for that. All my games are free.

I spend a good bit of time playing plain ole solitaire. And when I’m at work sometimes it’s Spider Solitaire cause that’s what is on my computer.

Yes, I play Solitaire when I’m waiting on hold for someone to come to the phone. I play it when I’m thinking about what to write, and the words aren’t flowing as well as I’d like. It happens.

But, I started out by saying I don’t talk on the phone enough. And I don’t. Many weekends, I vow I will call my elderly great aunt in Virginia and see how she’s doing. I know she is happy to hear from me, and she occasionally calls me, but I think she perceives I’m busier than she is and doesn’t want to bother me.

Then I have another aunt and uncle (on my father’s side) in Virginia who I also don’t’ call enough. Juanita is like me…she’s a talker That’s probably one reason I don’t call so often…I know it’s going to be a long call when I make it.

And, with COVID, I certainly have not seen them, which my sister, Debby, and I try to do at least once a year. The last few years we have gone up, stopping in Charlotte on Friday, then going on up to Virginia on Saturday. Our next-door-neighbor from when we lived in Charlotte nearly 60 years ago is in her 90s and still enjoys company. Her husband died a few years ago, and her three children visit often, but she loves to see us, and we love to see her.

Audrey is a great wealth of knowledge on all the beautiful shrubs, trees and plants in and around her yard. We usually come home with a cutting or two.

But. back to my phone. I am on it too much. But, it’s my main source of news. I have several news channels on it to get different views of what’s happening in the world.

It’s also my go-to for weather. I check it almost every morning, and at other times as well. First off, it changes. Second, I’m forgetful. I am notorious for looking at the 10-day forecast, then not looking again, and expecting the weather to be what it said five days before…not good…it always changes.

And, of course, I google all sorts of questions. Young people today have no idea how good they have it. We had to go to dictionaries and encyclopedias…often at the library because we didn’t necessarily have those resources available at home.

One of my favorite places to go on my phone is the Jasper County Tax Assessors website. Talk about a wealth of knowledge! I don’t know where a lot of people live, but if I want to, I just look them up on qpublic…which operates the website. It’s great!

So, if you see me studying my phone, don’t be surprised!