Putting the emphasis on mobile, here. I joined the multitudes of pros who use only their cell phone for business a little over a year ago. I carry the dang thing around with me everywhere I go. And with the upgrade to the now-essential “smart” phone, I have become accustomed to charging the dang thing nightly.

Which is how I happened to run out of the house this morning without it. I left it sitting on the arm of the sofa, still plugged into the charger, where the BF was surely playing Words With Friends this morning before he left for work.

How I miss the days when the phone was wired directly into the wall. I couldn’t take the salon phone home with me at the end of the day or whenever I left the salon for any reason whatsoever. No one expected me to answer my business number when I wasn’t at work.

I was able to leave work at work at the end of each day and each week. The business phone stayed securely attached to the business while I enjoyed dinner with my significant other, went on camping trips, visited friends out of town, wandered the aisles of the grocery store, and visited the restroom. If the answering machine picked up, the caller was immediately aware that I was simply not available.

None of today’s paranoia that an unanswered call equates to being ignored. None of today’s insistence that I be accessible 24/7, trying to reschedule appointments while waiting in line for rides at Disneyland, buying groceries, or hiking seven miles uphill with a 30-pound pack on my back trying to keep up with the BF.

And most certainly, not once did I ever leave the business phone at any of these places! Even if it had seemed like a good idea, the business phone simply had to stay at the business, where I would be able to find it without a problem when I got back to work.

*sigh*

I have to go get the phone.