log / Usman Malik

More to my #NoMobileChallenge. Things from today:

1. My work stays there after 5pm!
2. Had to rely on Bakr’s phone to reach a destination today.
3. I have no track of my daily expenses any more since I keep it all in an app on my phone.
4. I know I am missing on a lot of good conversations on Whatsapp and viber.
5. I am using other people’s phone to make emergency/important calls.
6. Had to get a real torch since can’t use my phone’s light anymore.
7. Called Samsung repair earlier today and apparently they haven’t even started the job on my phone yet! 

I really think I am ditching Samsung note II after this ordeal is over.

Previously on #NoMobileChallenge:

• Day 2 - Absence
• Day 1: Pain

Staying true to my #NoMobileChallenge after my phone broke down and went for the repairs, I am still trying to chronicle how it is to live without a mobile phone!

Have already said it before, I am old by Tumblr standards but I’ve had a phone since ‘99. Now after nearly 14 years for the first time I am spending this much time without a mobile phone. Even my father’s disciplinary groundings wouldn’t take me away from phone for this long! 

Anyway for today this is what I happened:

1. I seem to have got bad with my time Management skills. I have also started to wear my wrist watch but that has made me want to buy more of these things (currently looking at this and this) and probably that is not a very good idea.
2. I’ve also noticed it more that people while socializing spend a serious amount of time just staring at their phone. That is annoying for a person with no phone in his pocket!
3. I can see a lot more of this time which I can actually spend reading something.
4. Couldn’t visit some place today because apparently my Satnav is on my phone.
5. Not being able to instagram my new gifts and some purchases wasn’t very cool.
6. Having a doomed Samsung Note II, my brother Bakr tried to convince me to get the HTC 1.

Previously on #NoMobileChallenge:

• Day 1: Pain

Yesterday my Samsung Galaxy Note II died on me. I was in office, I saw it blinking Blue message notification light, I tried to switch it on but it wouldn’t. I restarted it and couldn’t switch it on again. Apparently the infamous Samsung’s Sudden Motherboard Death Syndrome had a new victim. 

Took it to the Samsung service centre in Lahore and from what I understand it is going to take anywhere from 7-13 days to have it back. I have a choice now to get another phone meanwhile and use it, or stay Mobile-Phone-less for that period of time. This will be important to share probably that I am a mobile power user, using it for anything from my Task Management to Financial Management, Banking to Contacts, Emails to Instagram/blogging, and of course Satnav. And have been using a mobile phone since my high school days (and I am old by tumblr standards). 

What I have decided is to not put my SIM in a replacement phone and document how my life is without a phone. Starting now, in last 24 hours following has happened:

1. I have kept a list of 3-4 important numbers on a piece of paper with me, because apparently I do not remember many numbers any more (including my landline number in Lahore).
2. Every time I have to leave I feel like I have forgotten something very important. Like literally a piece of me.
3. Have used computer more since not having a smartphone for pretty much random Youtube surfing or reading news.
4. I feel uncomfortable using credit card because I am not getting my alerts any more.
5. I am not getting official calls any more on the weekend. Which I believe isn’t that bad ;)

Let’s see how long this #NoMobileChallenge goes! 

Driving with the sat-nav on:

My wife: Isn’t this annoying? Someone giving you constant directions.
Me: Well at least now you know what it feels like to be a man.