One of my girlfriends gchatted me the other day while I was at work asking me if I wanted to meet up for happy hour. At first I was wishy washy because I had an all day meeting and really wanted to hit the gym. Well my work day ended up being a long one and I didn’t end up getting out til late. So I called her up and said hey are you still out, I’m on my way!
So I go meet up with her and her other girlfriend at a very hoity toity buckhead spot. I’m talking early 20 year old gold diggers on dates with 50 year old dudes. Upon arrival I just wanted some wine because it was a looooong day at work. Almost immediately I notice both girls I’m with are on their phones from the get go feverishly texting/facebooking/whatever.
At first I didn’t care, the wine came and I was happy. And my friend was telling me about her current boy situation and was having a dilemma so I wanted to support her. This turned into a “what should I text him with?” “omg he said hi whats up…what does that mean????” I tried to give the best advice I could as I had been there before and knew how it was. But after the constant checking of her phone and asking us what should be texted back and not following our advice I started to get really stressed out. And when I say stressed out I mean I was starting to obsess about whether he had texted her back and what was said as if I was the one freakin dating him!! Keep in mind both of the other girls were punching away on their smart phones while I feverishly tried to keep up! We ended up finishing our drinks at the gold digger spot waiting around to see if the other girls dude had texted her back telling her where he was going so we could go meet up with him! I’m talking we walked outside then decided to go use the bathroom so we could prolong the time for douchey mcdoucherson to text back!! Well after about 30 minutes of b.s.ing around waiting for this dude to text her back to dictate where we go next (which by the way he never responded) we finally decided to go home. Man, it was a depressing mood, and it wasnt even my deal!!!
I walk back through to the garage and get a call from my friend I was just with saying they didn’t want to go home and that we were going to go across the street to another spot. I say sure and head on over. Now this place was ghetto fab….not my scene at all but whatever I was going to hang out with the girls more. Ummm wrong!! The cell phones were immediately whipped out by both and I literally felt like I was at this place alone. I tried having conversation but the smart phones were dictating the conversations. When I was done talking and telling a story expecting a response I only got a look up from the phone talking about the most current text from dude. I was floored. And I was done. I said I’m out of here youre both more into your phones and I came to hang out. This finally gets a response with no no no stay have one more drink! They were so adament of me staying that they even bought me a drink. So I said okay….i sit back down and immediately they were back on their phones.
I left that night frustrated and depressed. Has it come to this?? I go to hang out with single ladies and smart phones dictate the whole time? Constant checking whether a guy has texted back, then obsessing non stop about the amount of time it takes for a guy to text back, THEN picking apart what every little thing means???? What has technology done to us!!?? Ive definitely been guilty of over obsessing about texts, facebook posts, etc but seeing it first hand made me really sad. I went home depressed and then even went far enough to deactivate my facebook. I started thinking how I longed for simplicity, how I didn’t want people catching up and seeing how ive been through facebook…without me even me even knowing they checked up on me???? What happened to calling someone? Seeing them in person????? Do people have enough time out of their day to think about me and directly contact me??? So I have deactivated my facebook in hopes of having a somewhat technological cleanse and the possibility of actually connecting with people more directly. Its been two days and I must say it has been simpler. Will I reactivate my facebook? Sure, in fact I know I will but the real question is when. I need to detox from the craziness and hope to regain my confidence that technology will not drive single gals to obssessiveness. So far so good…..hell I even went to the movie theater today and watched a movie…..you know that thing we all used to do every week??
GA from GA 
Wendi Said:
on August 19, 2011 at 8:20 am
Amen my friend!! I couldn’t agree more with what you just said.
PofTU Said:
on August 19, 2011 at 9:58 am
It’s just poor etiquette, regardless of how much people rely on technology today. I went out last week with some single girlfriends who, yes did receive texts during our night out, but did not alienate themselves from the group to do so. And when they checked their phones during a conversation, they apologized. Your friends were just being really rude.
Yvonne Said:
on August 22, 2011 at 1:11 am
Yup, definitely rude friends. I HATE HATE HATE the obsessive cell phone checking these days and get very angry with poor cell etiquette.
Emma Said:
on August 22, 2011 at 7:11 am
I read an article a while ago that said that by using a smartphone when you’re out with a group of people (or even just one person), it says ‘I’m more interested in being somewhere else than with you’. It’s just rude. I understand a check every now and again (hey, I’ve got an old school Nokia and even I do that), but when you may as well not be out because you’re so focused on your phone, it’s just ridiculous.
Christian Said:
on August 22, 2011 at 11:31 am
Never a fun situation. Before the days of cell phones (I’m old) I had a friend that when we’d go out he’d always be looking over my shoulder to see who came into the bar. Annoying? Yes. Rude? Yes. Good luck. I think the detox will be interesting. Keep me posted 🙂