I'm starting to see a consumer trend out there when I'm running errands and standing in line at stores. More and more people are popping those little Bluetooth headset doodads into their ears. I recently spotted a run of the mill 40-something mom at Walgreen's, and she somehow managed to look even more absurd than this dork in this photo I found on Google to show you what I'm taking about:
Can we please stop this, people? Do you know how fucking lame you look walking around with these things in your ears? It's like you just came from a Star Trek convention where you were all dressed up in character and then forgot to take that one little piece out of your ear when changing back into your Earthling clothes.
I think we're starting to forget the simple things in life. Call me old fashioned, but here's what I do when my cell phone rings: I take it out of my pocket, unfold it, and guess what I do then? I hold it up to my ear and talk into it! Novel concept, wouldn't you agree? There's no need to stick a plastic beetle on the side of my noggin. Those things at the ends of my arms.. um.. oh yeah, my hands - they're great for doing things like answering phones. Bluetooth users would likely disagree with me: But Micycle. What if I'm doing something with my hands like carrying groceries up the stairs or doing the dishes and my phone rings? Here's what you do: you let it go to voicemail and then call the person back when you're done. It's that easy, mate! Unless it's a matter of life and death, who really needs to have a phone on their head at all times?
It's just like back in the day when pagers were all the rage: I'm sure about 95% of the users really don't need the technology, but buy into it because they saw someone on MTV with it or someone else walking around with it. I saw a young dude walking down Lyndale last night. He had the ear thing in and was yammering away at someone on the other end. People wearing these things have two strikes going against them: 1) They look like dorks because there's a piece of plastic on their head, and 2) They look like even bigger dorks because unless you can see the high tech gadget affixed to their head, it looks like they're talking to an imaginary friend.
It's all further proof that technology owns us instead of us owning technology. I'm really thankful that I grew up in an era without most of this poot, because it learned me real good that my life doesn't have to depend on it. If I forget my phone at home, then so be it.. I'll get to whomever calls me later. Sometimes I'll purposely leave my phone behind and just BE. It feels good - try it sometime! I don't know about other cell phones, but if anyone calls when I'm not near mine, when I come back to it, it says MISSED CALLS and the caller ID tells me who it was and if I have voicemail. Wow, it's almost as if that's why those features are on there!
If you're on the market for the Bluetooth headset, I have a special money saving offer for you. For $10, I'll duct tape your phone to your head, and for an additional $5 if your phone has it, will help you set up the voice recognition so you won't ever have to touch the thing again. Keep those hands free for more important things, such as managing the information on your Blackberry.
