46 Comments

I retired 6 years ago. With my bosses permission, I kept my "work phone". The next week while fishing I opened a beer, turned my phone on and threw it into the lake. It was a good day.

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Good for you, Dean!

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Sweet.

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No phones allowed at BBQs. If you bring your phone you are banned from getting any napkins. Or dessert.

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Good one, or check your phone at the door, put it in your glove compartment!

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Or a BBQ. That's my house rules.

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A few years ago, my wife and I were watching a movie titled "UP". In the movie there were dogs that had translators on their collar so you could understand what they were saying. All the dogs would be chasing each other and one of the dogs would yell out "squirrel". They would quit chasing or doing whatever they were doing and go chase the squirrel. My wife says that is what happens to me, she calls it getting squirreled. She told once that I had the attention span of a puppy and when I see a "squirrel" I will take off and forget what I was doing to start with. At 72 I can blame it on my age, Wow Ice-cream.

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I read for hours at a time and listen to 2 or 3 albums without checking my phone. Why people will walk across a busy street with their face buried in their phone, get mad at you for honking because they walked right in front of your car? We are all getting dumber thanks to our phones. I refuse.

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So very, very true Shelton

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Right? I see friends struggling when they get to my house (no cell phones is the rule), and then they go, "wow this is so great why don't we do this always," and then it's back to face-phone-life.

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Several years ago, my niece hosted a Christmas Cookie Bakefest for her pre-teen daughter and friends. She told the mothers ahead of time that all cell phones would be collected at the door. Only a few mothers balked at this…but all the girls who did come were prepared to drop off their phones.

I was so proud of my niece for thinking of this, and to this day, our family still remembers how much (more) fun the girls had!

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She rocks!

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Anytime you think you have humans figured out, you find you don’t. I had a professor in college that said history is like a pendulum and it swings from one extreme to another. God has a plan. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Faith is all we need. 🙌🏻✝️🙏🏻🇺🇸

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In my humble opinion, phones should be banned in waiting rooms. I only use my phone to talk or text, so it stays in my purse while waiting for an appointment, and I am usually the only one not messing with a phone. I have had so many delightful conversations with people that I don't know who are equally delighted to put down their phones and enjoy life with another person. Don't get me wrong - I do love technology, without which I would not be able to see my grandchildren who are in Kansas and Saudi Arabia.That I can see and TALK to those little ones in Saudi blows me away. OR connect with the wonderful people who also read Sean Dietrich's daily messages! However, nothing can take the place of connecting and conversing with a real human. In my humble opinion. :-)

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I play solitaire on mine as I don't find many people really want to chat with strangers in a waiting room. Sometimes yes. Always a joy.

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My likes are not showing up, so I will reply to your reply. You just keep on playing that solitaire, Te Burt, and chat when the strangers are willing! :-)

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My brother gave me some advice when I was caught up in checking my Blackberry one time. "You know, that thing as an off switch."

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This made me sad. But the bike riding thing - on a Schwinn or not - has potential.

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Happy Birthday, Jamie!!! Celebrate and make it special! God bless.

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It's not an easy withdrawal. I'd rate it right up there with quitting smoking 40 years ago. It's an addiction...

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Practicing moderation is a continuous effort for me.

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Sean, I suggest you try the bike riding! I would much rather talk to another human when at an event like a barbecue. I don't think I would be on my phone, unless it rings or pings me. And then I would likely just glance at it and maybe go back later if it thought it was important. But then, I'm ancient and I remember the era before "smart" phones. I remember the big heavy ones, too. I remember the night the phone rang after we were all in bed, when I was about 9 years old. My dad got up to answer it and found out his father had died. The next day he left to drive the several hours to where he grew up. Mom and I didn't go. I still don't know why, except that I was probably in school. Now the phones don't shut up, and everybody is always looking at them, even in important meetings, when I'm madly scribbling taking notes for a later article. I really don't use my phone that much. However, I do spend hours in front of my desktop computer!

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I hadn’t read a book in YEARS! My attention span usually has the life of a lit match. I am not a fast reader. No “Evelyn Wood” class for me. So, my New Year’s resolution was to read a book! So I chose a book titled “ the Incredible Winston Browne,” by Sean Dietrich. It took me nearly a month, reading sporadically. I enjoyed it, I must say. I could relate to many facets of the story, especially the small town feel, and the baseball references. I have a few weeks left. Maybe I’ll squeeze another book in before the year is out. Always open for suggestions.

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Ray…Sean’s book Kinfolk is another good one!

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I never check my phone simply because I don’t have a phone to check. One day I predict technology will be the downfall of civilized societ.

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I don't have one either. I think it's crazy how people seem to be addicted to theirs.

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❤️💕

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