The world has changed a lot since I was a kid. Last evening three of my children and I stopped at a restaurant for a quick dinner. The place was an order-at-the-counter type, where you stand around waiting for your food for a few minutes before taking a seat at a table. During those brief moments I noticed a bizarre ritual performed by each and every successive patron who entered. It went like this:
1. enter restaurant and take a quick look at the queue
2. take place at back of line and dig smart phone out of pocket
3. assume the "smart phone slouch" (a position wherein the smart phone user curls spine forward and downward so he or she can peer at the little screen)
4. occasionally glance up at line and move into the empty space that was opened up because no one was paying attention
5. repeat
Man! How things have changed! When I was a kid, all those people would have been smoking!
I'm not sure which is better....lets hope they are looking at something life changing on their phones and not the latest celeb gossip.
Posted by: Greg Streuly | March 01, 2012 at 01:15 PM
Haha so true!! At least its a somewhat "better" vice.... at least better on the health. maybe... :/
Posted by: Mike Tiberi Jr | March 01, 2012 at 04:32 PM
Based on your observations, I am assuming I was at this resteraunt with you. I am also wondering how long you were watching me before I actually moved up in line! lol. I am guilty as charged. As I am reading this, I am laughing at myself and countless others who really need to find something better to do when we are bored. Or at least something less funny.
Brian Suddeth
Posted by: Brian Suddeth | March 01, 2012 at 08:53 PM
Things have changed and yet they really haven't. People are still caught up in the urgent and unimportant (smoking vs cell phone).
Posted by: Moira Fitzgerald | March 02, 2012 at 08:55 AM
Amen
from one bad habbit to another
Posted by: Drew Harvey | March 02, 2012 at 10:42 AM
haha, well the smoke replaced by the phone :D
Posted by: Mads Singers | March 03, 2012 at 04:40 PM
So true, Chris....I attended a college basketball game today and during every time out the fans around me would sit down and pull out their phones to check them.
Posted by: Heather Rogers | March 04, 2012 at 09:50 PM
I must be missing out on something. We have boring, ordinary phones.
The only time I check my phone is if I receive a call, text (or picture message) or Tweet!
Now my co-workers and kids, on the other hand, and their smart phones . . . They look just like you said!
Posted by: Cathy - Team Rascal | March 12, 2012 at 02:01 PM