Monday, August 21, 2006

Your Toofs is Blue


Really and truly, I do have something of 'a life' (as in 'get a'), so trite irritations such as this shouldn't bug me. But they do, I suppose, because I'm really not such a nice person after all is reviewed/ confessed at day's end.

I feel the need to comment on the less-than-fashionable BlueTooth. On the lady in the top picture, it ain't too bad. In the pic below, Seven of Nine isn't a BlueTooth wearer, of course - her head ornamentation is part of what remains of her Borg Identity (again, another story for another time, but you caught me, didn't ya - I'm a StarTrek fan as well as a Star Wars Neuuuuuurd). Many before me have made note that the BT apparatus undeniably hints of 'Borg'. As in 'You will be assimilated' and 'Resistance is futile'.



What gets me in a mini huff is seeing BusinessManTypes wearing their BlueTooth Apparatus whilst casually shopping at Home Depot. I spotted a couple of guys at the hardware store last weekend, donning their BT and clearly striking some sort of 'I'm-too-cool-to-carry-a-regular-cell-phone' pose. I can't help but notice, and that alone bugs the Bajeezus outta me. The attitude reeks of 'My other car is a Porsche' Syndrome (translation: "I'm really just an everyday D.S.'). Wouldn't it feel good to slap these guys upside the head and knock their earpieces right off, along with their false sense of self-importance? (OK, so maybe I don't have a life after all.)

It can be argued that those who sport facial piercings/ a multitude of tattoos are also attempting to make their own 'I'm so cool' statement. But then they are. Cool, that is. More so than the aforementioned BT guys, at any rate.

I'll get over the BlueTooth earpiece thing before long. After all, haven't we all adapted to (if not accepted) what was once considered the inappropriate overuse of cell phones in any and all public places? At one time, to hear someone carrying on a cell phone conversation in a restaurant setting would, at the very least, elicit a disapproving sigh or look of disdain from many of us. Now it's almost part of the restaurant-dining ambiance. 'Fess up, if you will, that we who have 'tsk tsk'd' are fast becoming offenders ourselves. Sad to say, but getting truer every day.

Does anyone else remember when only crazy people talked to themselves? Now it's called 'wireless technology'. Or 'menopause'.
Hurummmph.

P.S. I'll get back to fun fancy crafty foody adventurous joyful postings before long. Just on a rant n' rave roll* right now...
* think I've just named a new kind of sushi roll!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was on MUNI the other day and a man toward the back of the bus was speaking rather loudly in what I noticed was a somewhat rhythmic pattern. After blocks and blocks of him going on, someone shushed him and said "enough already."

As the man got off the bus, I noticed he was not on a cell phone - he was probably autistic or something of that nature. But everyone assumed he was on a cell and it was getting annoying, so it seems folks may begrudgingly "accept" it - but only to a point.

And may I also add, as far as I am concerned, airplanes are not an acceptable place to yammer on the phone - I rue the coming day when it will be allowed...

baffle said...

I've experienced the 'talk too much and too loudly on cell phone' problem on board Amtrak, and have, in the past, played musical chairs with my seating on the train to avoid sitting too close to those riders. Lately, I merely crank up the volume on my iPod to drown them out.
Talking distractingly loud on cell phones (hand held or hands-free) or BT-type devices is only half the problem.
The other half of the problem for us innocent bystanders (bysitters?) is only hearing the one-sided conversation. If 'we' are put in a position to 'participate' (consider it forced eavesdropping), at least we should be privvy to the both sides of the chat, don't you think?

HaHa, I'm so full of myself sometimes, yeah? (Don't agree!) ;-)

If that Muni rider was on a cell, BT or ear-piece phone hookup, it's kinda cool that the other passengers shushed the man. It's unfortunate if he was just a troubled guy mumbling to himself.

Derek said...

Now I know what to get you for Xmas!
"Resistance is FUTILE!!!"
heehee

Conn said...

Well what I find so ammussing about these "important men" is that I can remember when they wanted nothing to do with a phone. My grandfather NEVER answered the phone. Now that they have the opportunity to be out in public and "show off" a fancy gadget... it's ok. And then there are the ones who carry their cells on their belts!!! I mean come on!
Well guess what.... YOU'RE NOT THAT SPECIAL!!!! EVERYONE HAS ONE!
Anywho, what I'm trying to say is I agree with you. And now here in New York they are working on some subway lines!!!! Yep now we have people shouting into their phones louder than they do on the street. Like you need to talk LOUDER BECAUSE YOU ARE UNDERGROUND!!! Why do some people shout into their phones? I mean your are talking into a phone... not yelling across a valley and hoping the echo will carry over to your friend in a neighboring village. Well, I gotta go... I have to call my mom. It's ok. I'm in the privacy of my own home.

baffle said...

Invasion of privacy - whether physical or audio /audible (?).
It truly IS an issue, innit?

I don't get the 'shout into cell phone' thing either.
Remember tin-can-to-tin-can-via-string communication?
It's almost like that. If you don't shout, the person at the other end (4 ft. away) won't hear you.

Have a good (and relatively audio peaceful) tomorrow, everyone!

Jessamyn Harris said...

dude, it's not just the business guys (maybe it's living in sonoma county but most of the guys on the street I see with those are not "my other car is a porsche" guys... they're more like "I work in this liquor store on the corner" guys).

I was at a children's playcenter place where I do bookkeeping work sometimes, and they were having circle time. aww. 2 year olds and their moms. singing songs.

then I noticed - one of the moms still had her ear pod in! the blue tooth stuff!

I mean, really... are you going to drop the baby to take a call on that thing?

the amount they are showing up in restaurants movies and, um, playtime circles makes me wonder - are they hard to get off or on?

I will always resist!

baffle said...

liquor store employees and pre-school moms too, eh?
everyone's fashion statement. matches any outfit. goes with all hair-dos and hair-don'ts.
resistance really is fu-ti-le!

convenience is a good thing, but affectation not so much so. think hummers on suburban city streets/ at the supermarket.
as much as i believe in hands-free (my fave purse is still my backpack-style one), the BT accessory is one that will take me awhile to get used to.

it does appear e-z to remove. on a tv show last night, a bizwoman was wearing one, then whipped it off right quick.
uh-oh, am i talking myself into getting one?
this is why i avoid watching informercials. 10 minutes into it, and i want whatever is being sold!
ai ya!

Anonymous said...

I thought of you tonight while I was having dinner at Applebees. There was an older gentleman there (maybe 70's) dining with his wife. In one ear he had a hearing aid, but in the other...a Blue Tooth. I had quite the giggle fit. I had to suppress the urge to take a picture of him for you.

baffle said...

Haha.
You one funny girl!

You should'a taken a photo of the gent!

Anonymous said...

Anyone remember those big 'ole "bag phones" in the 80's? There was a bag and inside there was a phone, several big batteries, and a charger cable. My 1st mobile phone was a $1,500 Motorola that sat on the passenger seat of the truck. It worked great: analog, 5 watts of output...it used so much power it got hot! And it had a rotary dial! >>> JUST KIDDING! The handset was big heavy steel...you could knock yourself out if you answered too fast! That's true!

baffle said...

You're a bigger fan of high-tech than I, Pear.
Perhaps because you have a innate understanding of all things wattage, voltage, input, output, tubes, batteries and wires!
;-)
I'm rather enjoying the mental image of someone knocking themselves out with a big heavy handset...BIG OUCH!!
:-0