My favorite things 7

With very few exceptions I'm technologically behind the times, and generally like it that way.  Although both my husband and I own cell phones, we use them as phone-booth substitutes (in case we need to call somebody while away from home) and still conduct our life business by land line.

I love landlines.  Yes, it can be inconvenient to have to get up and go to another room to answer, but if it's too inconvenient I'll just ignore it.  I love the fact that landlines work during power outages, which we have too many of in our neighborhood.  Many years ago my husband was in the hospital with a hip replacement and our power went out for a week.  I went into zen state for that week, during which I went to the hospital every morning and enjoyed the generator-provided electricity and air-conditioning for 12 hours, then would stop at the grocery to buy something to eat and three cold beers.  I'd come home as darkness was falling, drink my beer and and talk with my mother on the phone in the dark for an hour or two.  Sleep and repeat.

The phone company would have you believe that fiberoptic or wireless service is vastly superior to copper wires, but just talk to one of the guys who might come around and repair your old-fashioned phone, and he'll tell you that's crap.  Copper wire is a much better system, except it does need maintenance, much like every other useful bit of infrastructure.  And like so many other aspects of our society, the phone company would rather sub in inferior technology just so they don't have to spend money on maintenance.

But I digress.  We acquired this phone in 1974 when I was running an outpost of a national news organization from my dining room, and we needed three separate phone lines.  I managed to keep the phone after my gig was over, and have loved it ever since.  That model of phone allows you to cradle the receiver securely between ear and shoulder while you type or get dressed or whatever.  Unlike newer models where the phone will squirt out and escape.  Sad.

It's getting a little staticky these days, or so my husband tells me, refusing to use that phone.  I don't notice that much of a problem, but perhaps I'm just making maternal allowances for my ne'er-do-well child.  One of these days it can go directly to the museum of obsolete technology, along with so many other of my possessions.