In my rush to get to the airport this morning I left my mobile phone behind. No problems, who needs one anyway, it's just for making phone calls after all.
I got to the airport and went through screening, too easy. I went to the lounge and realised that I couldn't get in without a ticket, I use my phone for this usually as it has the Air NZ App on it. The friendly service assistant printed my tickets and allowed me to enter. Easy as, who needs phones.
I had to walk to the barista and place my order manually, my phone sends an automatic order to the barista when I walk into the lounge. I needed the exercise anyway.
Sitting having breakfast I was pondering the busy day ahead, two important meetings with prospective clients and a workshop in the afternoon. Where are the meeting and at what time? These are in my phone....
I know, I will call my wife and ask her to look in my phone for me. We don't have a landline at home, all mobile phones. Where is her phone number, in my phone. Panic. I know, I have my laptop, I'll message my daughter on FaceBook and get her to call my wife. Smart thinking Lance. Daughter calms wife, wife's phone is turned off. Argh!
Don't panic Lance, you teach this stuff. Take a deep breath, slow yourself down. Remember the mantra, 'slow is smooth, smooth is fast'. Luckily I have my e-Diary saved on Google, a quick print off the calendar and I am away.
So how do I find the venues for these meetings? Usually on my phone using the GPS thingy. Time to print out the maps at the airport and maybe pick up one of those ancient paper maps at the Wellington airport when I arrive. Sorted.
I could go on but you get the picture. Technology is fantastic until something goes wrong. And it is usually just a little thing. You leave your phone somewhere, the battery goes flat, someone trips over a cable and takes out the national grid.
My mobile phone is my lifeline these days as they are for most people. But sometimes you just have to go back to the old fashioned ways. I wonder if the younger generation coming through will know how to do that?