valley views New phone, old phone I
like my phone. I rely shut down and quit comon my phone. I truly municating with me. appreciate my phone (and Her energy and battery you, too, Siri!) but bedepleted without warning yond that, well, my phone – much faster than when is just a phone. She does she was a young tadpole. for me what Her screen I ask her to couldn’t do, when I compare to Jill Pertler Syndicated columnist ask her to the size of do it and as the younglong as that er models. consistency in our relaHer processor couldn’t tionship exists, I’m good. keep up with the newest We’re good. technology and she was But when the consisbecoming a weight at my tency wavers, so do I. side. I didn’t like it at all. Lately, my phone was But there was no denywavering. As was my ing the truth. She was loyalty. no longer sprinting, but Her temper seemed to merely limping through flare and she got heated her weak and waning up when I used her for battery life. long periods of time. And, like with a beHer memory had sudloved, albeit elderly and den and unpredictable sickly pet, there came a lapses. Sometimes she day when I knew it was didn’t want to wake after time. a long sleep. Other times, Time for a new phone. when things got to be too She arrived a couple of much for her, she simply days ago. I’ve transferred
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Editor, I was “invited” to write about issues we face. Gladly. But which ones? Extremism, white supremacy, racism? Culture wars, conspiracy theories, disinformation? Gun control, slaughter of children, power of NRA? Inflation, Ukraine, 10 - June 29, 2022
supply chain? Mental health, addiction, suicides? Women’s rights, equal pay, abortion? Education, book bans, CRT? Climate change, extreme weather, the environment? White nationalism, flag-waving jingoism, the Capitol assault? Homelessness, food insecurity, housing? Corruption, voter
all my old data, contacts and apps onto the new and shiny upgraded model. I even ordered a high tech phone case via oneday delivery in my favorite shade of turquoise. I am good to go, except for one thing. My old phone. And it is an old phone. A very old phone. When I bought my new used car a few months ago, the salesman even commented on it. When a used car salesman tells you your phone is old, you believe him. Who can you trust if not a use car salesman? (Mine was a very nice guy.) I have a bright and shiny new phone, but I also still have my old phone, and even though she is quite ancient, by phone standards and no longer able to run the most current and fastest
apps and operating systems, she has been loyal and true to me for more than a handful of years (or maybe a decade, but who’s counting?) I am having a hard time giving up on her completely. I keep her charged just in case. Can anyone relate? I’m just not ready to let her fade to zero percent just yet. It’s such a dilemma. I know I need to move on, but it feels like cheating. Replacing her with a newer and shinier model - someone with a better memory and faster processor. They say screen size doesn’t matter, but maybe it does. Maybe we can measure worth in megapixels. Still, it isn’t her fault, getting old. Setting her aside feels wrong, somehow. She’s currently sitting in the lovely box my new phone arrived in because it’s a really, really
nice box. Much too nice to simply toss away. Can anyone relate? To compound matters, I still keep my husband’s phone charged as well, even though he is no longer connected to service. The phone can still keep a charge and turning it off feels like turning him off. So I rotate charging cables between three phones at this point even though I understand logically I only need one (or at most two.) It’s a conundrum. I understand I can donate them, so please don’t contact me about that. This column isn’t about what to do with an old phone, it’s about what to do when you have an attachment to an old phone. That is my problem. And if you have a solution for that, please do contact me. I’m searching for
suppression, immorality? Dark money, corporations as people, the intrusion of religion into government? China, Russia, North Korea? Domestic terrorism, police reform, hate crimes? Congressional obstruction and paralysis, the politicization of the Supreme Court, “fake” and biased news? The ongoing pandemic,
cost of drugs, medical debt crisis? The cost of gas, recession worries, the national mood? The pilot, nurse and teacher shortage? Authoritarianism, radicalism, the threats to democracy? The coarsening of culture? The rise of hate? Overwhelming? Yes and ugh. But more important than all of these
issues is the extreme polarization and partisanship in this country. Fighting each other is tearing the very fabric of our democracy apart. As Pogo said, “I have met the enemy and he is us.” We have to come together to solve these issues. We have to. How do we heal the
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answers. Hello? You there? Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.
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