It's not the first time I've dropped my phone, of course. There have been plenty of other times it has hit the ground, and I have picked it back up with one eye open, praying the screen isn't cracked. Up until today, the phone has weathered the storm, and I have gone on with life as usual in this smart-phone-driven world.
But today my friends....today my phone said, "No more, young lady. No more dropping me and thinking everything is going to be ok. It's time to teach you a lesson'.
It didn't actually say that. I mean, Siri is pretty good but she has her limits.
The screen wasn't cracked, but it was completely black. And no amount of pushing buttons or saying cuss words would make it turn back on. I could tell it still functioned, because it made noises every once in awhile for when I would get an email. But the black screen of death remained.
I tried to stay calm, thinking I would just use Google or You Tube when I got home to figure out how to get it going again. But even as I started towards my car my anxiety started to climb.
What if couldn't get it turned on? What if I had to get a new phone? What if my information didn't transfer to a new phone? I have my calendar and so many contacts in there, and I sure as heck don't actually remember anyone's phone number. Plus, I had sweet apps like Pandora and Coupon Savers, and Candy Crush., and....
Oh. My. God.
I have my lists on my phone.
That's when I started to cry.
Now there was a rational part of my brain that told me I was being ridiculous and overreacting. It's just a phone, for goodness sakes. But the reality is that most of us have become quite reliant on such a small device. It keeps me connected with people, gets me to places without getting lost, and keeps me organized and entertained. It was a big part of my life.
Ok now I was really being ridiculous. It's a phone, lady. Get over it.
So I stopped my internal whining and made a plan. First step...Google. No luck there. Next was You Tube, and for the first time since I have used that website, I actually couldn't find what I was looking for. I mean, you can usually type in any 4 random words on You Tube and you would have more success than I did. I did see how to get the back of the phone off, but of course the tools that are required do not reside in the usual household. I called Radio Shack to see if they sold the miniature screwdrivers- nope. Well, crap.
That's when I remembered seeing a Kiosk in the middle of the mall last week with a big sign proclaiming they could fix your smart phone while you waited. From what I could remember, it looked like a place that replaced broken screens, so it was worth a shot.
Luckily, the gentleman at the Kisok was very nice and not very busy. And he had those damn screwdrivers. He took off the lid and first checked all the connections. Nothing was found to be out of sorts. Then he took a new lid out of his drawer and attached it. I could see some light turn on underneath the lid, but still nothing on the touch screen side.
He made a face then, one that I recognized as being similar to the one I get when faced with a situation at work that I'm not familiar with. Great.
He looked up at me and said, "Maybe the LCD on my screen isn't working right. Let's try another one". And lo and behold- it worked, I don't know honestly who was more surprised and pleased- me or him. Thank goodness he had the patience and perseverance to try just one more time. I thanked him with words and my credit card, then went on my way, hurriedly unlocking my phone to make sure my lists were intact.
Today's pic represents how it's better to think rationally and take action instead of lying around blubbering, and how taking that extra step can make all the difference. If you don't get an immediate text back from me, that's because today taught me I am too reliant upon my phone and I am trying not to have it with me all the time. But I did transfer my lists to my Ipad. I mean, a girl has her limits.
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