Dis/connection
I got my first smartphone something like 7 years ago, right around the time when I met my the second man I ever said 'I love you' to. There's something there that I haven't quite tapped into, but that's when I became dis/connected. Since then I haven't had more than half a day without my little friend constantly at my side- the first thing I check in the morning, the last thing I check at night. <-- and to be real, throughout the night at times too.
I have booked it to Target with a quickness when my charge cord gives out (and they ALWAYS give out) with my phone is at a measly 3%. The moment when I'm back in my car, tearing through the package, and finally plugging in brings a relief I can't explain. 32gb is no longer enough for me. It's my bank, my camera, my calendar, my address book, my notebook, my lifeline.
Yes-- I'm the girl that tunes into Apple Keynote live streams and then quickly checks when her upgrade is available. Now I use it for business too, updating my blogs and checking in on el feisbook and Instagram. The little magic #chingching that Etsy sends when I get an order still gives me the chills! What? My mom liked my pic?! #quecute
Quite shamefully, I am the friend that can't sit through dinner without checking in on my magic little partner every few minutes, often at the annoyance of whomever I'm with at the time. When I meet those like me, those that aren't offended at my texting mid conversation- I feel at home and am free to check my phone freely at the table, instead of trying to hide it on top of my lap or in my purse.
Since fully launching VeryThat & nurturing the baby that is Mujeres Mercado, this codependency has been taken to a whole new level. Emails and orders and Facebook Page notes flood my everyday and, honestly, sometimes it's all too much. I spent some needed time away from home a few times in the last couple months, and those stretches without service were a surprising gift. Yes, my ayPhone was still clutched in my hand or close by, but I enjoyed the music, the scenery, my company. Those emails and messages and notifications were forced to wait and inadvertently, I was forced to breathe.
Now, don't get me wrong. I will still be the girl that asks for your WIFI password, I'll still teach you to optimize that battery life, I will most definitely ask if I can plug my phone in at your house, and I will always want the latest and greatest iGadget. Slowly but surely, though, I'm getting to the point where I can maybe leave it in my purse while I hang out with my best friend or mom. I'll take those selfies and then put it in my purse for as long as I can (but never with the ringer off, don't be crazy). I'll be Apple #rideordie4ever, pero these days, with so much less time, I appreciate those snippets of time where it's just my thoughts and me, my homies and me, my mami and me.