Techno Manners


Last night Quilter Girl and I enjoyed a nice meal with some new found friends from Calvary Chapel, Cedar City. We shared delicious soup in bread bowls and delighted in good fellowship. However, myriad technical events occurred:

First, I'll throw myself under the bus. Before other guests arrived (Kenny and Clara hosted the dinner at their house), I got a phone call, business, and I knew it needed immediate attention. I excused myself and retreated to the living room to take care of it. Appropriate or not?
Before dinner, three guests got texts that the church's generator building for their radio station suffered a fire. They read their texts and we discussed it.


During the meal, the three got more updates, checking them at the table.Our host got a phone call and took it at the table (not fire related), and spoke with someone for a good five minutes. Okay, that was way out there, rude I would say.


What about the others? The texts at the table? Nuh uh. No one was part of the solution to the fire, it was just gossip really. The texts in the kitchen before dinner? Maybe okay.
And mine? Before dinner and guests? What did we do before cell phones?
Seems to me we should turn the things off before entering the hosts' house.
Everyone there was at least sixty years old. Amazing.
What are your electronic standards?




2 comments:

Mel said...

Turn off the sound before entering your host's house, just as you would (should) before entering God's house. If you're phone vibrates: 1) discreetly check it without interrupting the conversation or 2) check it later. If you check it now, respond ONLY if it's an emergency! (or "important business call for Kevin") Otherwise, let it go until later.

Sherry Carter said...

I agree with Mel. I've been in restaurants and seen a group sitting at a table and no one was talking. They all had their faces stuck to their cell phones. It makes me sad. I turn mine to vibrate but I haven't got my husband trained yet. :(