small gizmo, big control

its amazing how some of the physically smallest things can have the greatest impact on your life. like my handphone. (what were you thinking of?)

why this burst of wisdom? i left my handphone at home today - again - in what seems to be a string of recurring forgetfulness. and i feel weird without it.

this morning, i plugged in my handphone to charge, reminded myself to take it before i left, did the whole dressing-up-routine, reminded myself again, shoved things into my bag, reminded myself about the handphone, slipped on my sandals and left the house. halfway down the road, i realised i had forgotten my handphone. 

my reaction was amazing! i actually felt a momentary urge to run back and get it - risking having to climb the overhead bridge again (once is bad enough), and of course, being late to work. 

that is how much control my handphone has over me. not that it is surprising - my handphone is my phone, calendar, contact list, organiser, desk clock, alarm clock, gaming station - all in one. 

yes, i know that there are ways to get around these things, but it still feels like i left a big chunk of myself behind. there won't be any major calls or messages for me in the next 10 hours, but i feel like i am out in a desert when the whole world might be trying to get in touch. i cant remember most people's numbers anymore, not even my own (i have keyed in my home number into my handphone). so if i had to call anyone for anything by today, i can't do so. oh, and my handphone also has my to-do-list.

talk about over reliance on technology. and that's not all

one time, i left my handphone behind in a cab, and after making the necessary tedious calls to ensure no one can mess around with international dialling and stuff, i suddenly realised that i had no alarm for the next morning! i have no other alarm clock at home, my watches are all analog - and i sleep like a log! i tried the next best option - googling for an alarm clock. after time and effort, i downloaded an alarm clock program. come morning, it didn't work. loss of sleep due to sheer paranoia kept me awake and saved my job.  

i once used to laugh at techno-geek-fiction that pitted gadgets as the rulers of the future. i take it back now. handphones now mean power - they control us in ways we never imagined possible. 

all hail.