Smart Phone Dumb

Don't forget! Today is "Thankful Thursday"...express thanks for all that you have for which to give thanks!

Be sure to listen to today's podcast if you haven't done so already. Although the blog article is on the same topic, I don't use a script so that both are the same word for word. You can follow the podcast here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 .

Well, I finally "gave in" after much refusal and bought a "smart phone" the other day.Why? For one, the phone I have been using is one that I've had since 2006 and, as you know, in technological years, that is a bit out of date and almost obsolete. But, hey, it did what I needed it to do...simply MAKE PHONE CALLS! But, I also have never gotten a new battery for this phone and the battery that is in it has really been weak for some time now. I've "limped along" for the past several months saying that "soon" I would replace it but I still was fighting the idea that I needed to get a phone that would also text, among other things.

It seems that the world around me has gotten so "hooked" on texting that everyone ASSUMES that I am able to text from my phone. I'm not sure how many times I've had people say to me, "I'll just text that to you" to which I would have to tell them - much to their surprise - that I did not test.

NOT ANYMORE! This old dog is learning new tricks and, due to some phone companies now offering flat "unlimited" rates that is as cheap as my "calling minutes only" plan with a major carrier - I caved and bought the smart phone.

I don't feel any smarter, though. As a matter of fact, as I have been working on getting this "smart phone" set up I actually feel DUMBER! But that's o.k. I didn't buy the phone to put on the appearance of being "smart". But, my guess is that there are many people in this world that have done just that...bought some phone or other gadget in hopes that it would make them appear to be "smart".

Guess what. It didn't.

I've come across so many people that complain about being "broke" and "barely getting by" and on and on while sporting one of these expensive-plan "smart phones" at a cost of $100 or more each month to have the privilege of doing a lot of nothing. (By the way - another pet peeve of mine is this: if you have one of these things PLEASE learn to PUT THAT THING DOWN around other people!).

How is it "smart" to have to try to scrape money together for something that you could get for a lot less with a lot less of the "bells and whistles" on it? Friends, I don't care who you are - that is NOT smart!

So, a "smart phone" won't make you smart or even LOOK smart. Neither will "fake glasses", a certain kind of computer, tablet, car or name brand of clothes. Nope. Not one bit.

As I get older I realize that what really makes a person smart is how they live based on what they have learned. What they have learned from others and what they have learned by living life. A person is smart that has learned that this world does NOT revolve around them and that we can ALL learn something from each other along the way.

A person is smart who, after such observation as was just discussed, has learned to treat people with kindness and respect and, for those who have not learned these lessons yet and "push our buttons" by their own selfish behavior - to sometimes learn to bite our tongues and try to help guide them along the way.

A smart person will not always feel the need to TELL you but will often rather SHOW you by example.

A smart person will be slow to judge because they realize that they, themselves, are an unfinished project.

How "smart" are you? How is THIS "education" coming along?

In case you didn't know, school for THIS education is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and it is being held wherever you are at any given time.

Enjoy. Learn. Grow. Strive to become "smarter" each and every day and, as you do so, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike