[at-l] another take on cell phones

[icw39@ncfreedom.net (Clark Wright)]

I felt moved to comment on the capitalist label ["time is money"] bit,
and the larger cell phone issue . . . One can easily paraphrase the
"time is money" saying to fit one's varying views of what is valuable to
you.  "Time is of great value to me" is how I reckon I would put it -
even [nay, especially] when I am "taking my time!" :)  Your point re a
need for independence [both in terms of woodsmanship and personal
relationships] is well taken, but I would offer this thought:  My wife,
mother and sister all begged me to take my cell phone last summer "to be
safer," so I bit my toungue about the safety connection, wrapped the
thing in a ziplock, and stored it in the bottom reaches of my pack.  I
ended up first pulling it out in the Smokies to help another hiker out;
I then had the occasion to use it several other times to help myself
out, or others in securing rides at upcoming trail crossings.  Finally,
on one beautiful day when I was hiking alone, and came to an awesome
view on top of a mountain ridge, I sat down, took my time [ho-ho . . .
time is indeed of great value to me!] taking in the view and just
absorbing my totally incosequential place in the universe, and then had
the urge to share an intimate part of this moment with my wife, so I
found that danged cell phone, got a signal, called her and had a great
feeling of having linked back up in a very good way our [for the moment]
separate paths, so to speak.  I actually did that several more times -
on my own schedule, and even if I got the home answer machine, I felt
like I left a bit of "goodness" for her back home - and it made me feel
good as well.  Thus, to me, the thing was neither a leash, an
inconvenience, or a necessity - it was what I made of it, like so much
else that I either decide to carry or not carry, depending on my whim
and the weather, etc.

Hike on!

thru-thinker

Slyatpct@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 3/13/2002 11:12:38 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> shane@theplacewithnoname.com writes:
> 
> > I suppose you could say the same thing about microwave ovens, shock
> > absorbing hiking poles, VCR's, camp stoves, internal frame packs...
> >
> 
> I can and have gotten along fine without any of the above.
> 
> >
> > In real life time is money, and a cell phone helps me save time.
> >
> 
> Spoken like a true capitalist.  In my real life, *time* is not money or
> wasted talking on a cellphone or land based phone for that matter.
> 
> >
> > On the trail a cell phone is of dubious value as a safety tool, but allows
> > one to stay in touch with loved ones who worry.  When I was single and
> > childless, this was not an issue - but now it is...
> >
> >
> 
> I don't know how long you've been married or if you started hiking with the
> avent of a cellphone, but if it's of dubious value of a safety tool, how can
> it satisfy the worrying needs of a loved one?  You're going to gone a week,
> call them when you reach town.
> 
> Have a little independance and teach your family some.  You're not going to
> be around forever.
> 
> Sly
> 
> --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> multipart/alternative
>   text/plain (text body -- kept)
>   text/html
> ---
> _______________________________________________
> AT-L mailing list
> AT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l