I’ve been waiting for weeks while it was on back-order at the Apple Store, compulsively checking my email, but yesterday I finally received this:

I still have to sync it to my MacBook, add some apps and do all kinds of things to make it mine, but isn’t it lovely?

I love my iPhone.  I use it to check the weather first thing in the morning and it’s the last thing I turn off at night.   Like millions of others, I can tweet, text and update my status with the best of them.  But I have noticed that all this wonderful technology has caused people to become less courteous in their interactions with each other.  Old social norms like paying attention to someone when they are speaking seem to be no longer be required in our post smart-phone society; the text or email on the Blackberry takes priority over the person sitting in front of us.   It’s enough to make me rant!

If we are sharing a meal together, then I deserve your attention.

During our lunch date I understand that sometimes you may be waiting for an important message or call from someone (because we are expected to be always available), but proper etiquette would suggest informing your companion of your expected interruption and if it does occur, excusing yourself, taking care of the business quickly and apologizing to me, your lunch date.  Once the business is handled, put the phone away.   If you would rather tweet or text or talk to your mother on the phone, then don’t invite me to to lunch.   We can be BFFs on Twitter while multitasking, but personal interaction requires undivided attention.

I can hear your computer keys clicking (or your mouth chewing).

Multitasking…this is such a normal part of lives now that we really don’t know how not to do it.  I multitask like everybody else, but I find that I can’t do it very effectively if a live person is involved and you can’t either.  Don’t kid yourself; I know when you are on the computer while also talking to me on the phone.  Your voice takes on that “uh-huh, right, really?” tone that tells me that you are only half-listening to what I’m saying.  Sometimes I use the computer while talking on the phone too, but I do let my callers know that I am otherwise engaged; I don’t try to pretend that I am giving them my undivided attention when I’m not.  If a friend calls and I am a engaged in light computer research then I will say so (I don’t even answer the phone if I am writing, so there’s no conflict there).  At that point we can have a half-hearted conversation under full-disclosure or decide to talk later.

The same rules apply to eating lunch while on the phone.  If we are close like that then just tell me that you are eating lunch, don’t try to pretend that you aren’t and then talk with a full mouth.   However, I draw the line at peeing while on the phone.  It doesn’t sound like running water, it sounds like pee.  Just don’t do it.  Put me on hold, handle your business and then resume the conversation.

I’m not your chauffeur; talk to me.

When my kids are in the car during our everyday transport, I prefer them to be engaged in conversation with me, listening to music or just staring out the window instead of playing games or sending texts on their phone.    Some of the best conversations happen in the car and that’s not possible if their attention is elsewhere.   I know that the car is a good place for an adult passenger to read their emails, return texts or update their Facebook status (“I’m riding in the car on the way to work”….the whole world is waiting to read that, you can’t let them down), but it’s only okay as long as you tell the driver that you are going to do that for a few minutes and excuse yourself from the expected passenger-seat conversation.  Nobody likes to feel like a chauffeur.

Jesus doesn’t follow you on Twitter.

I see people in church with their Blackberries or iPhones, thumbs flying.  I agree that they could be looking at a Bible app (my husband’s excuse) and reading scripture, but it’s such a temptation to quickly check your email or send a tweet (“I’m really enjoying church; the service is awesome today.”) that it’s just better to be totally engaged in church and leave your phone in your pocket.  They do still make Bibles in book form.

A few weeks ago I was at a school function and the speaker was a little long-winded for most of the people in the audience.  As I looked around the room I saw several heads bowed and iPhone lights glowing in the darkened theater.   That was rude.  If you are bored during a speaking event, the courteous thing to do is stare straight ahead and mentally play “what I would do if I hit the lottery tomorrow.”

If you read Emily Post I’m sure that she would tell you the same thing.

What do you think?  Do you think that technology is causing us to become less courteous?  Does it bother you when people text, email or are otherwise distracted in your presence?

*I don’t get paid for my opinions in any way; this is just me sharing stuff that I like and I think you will too.

You know those people who walk around with bluetooth earpieces in their ear? Like they are all pod-people and part of some alien nation? I hate that look. I understand that it is a convenient way to talk on the phone, but if you aren’t on the phone, TAKE IT OFF. Believe me, a bulbous ear attachment does nothing for your cool points.

As you can see, I am not a fan of bluetooth ear devices. But I had to admit that they seemed like a good idea when they first came out and I tried several brands to no advil; they just didn’t fit my ear properly and really I felt like a fool wearing one.  Style counts in my book.  Several years passed as I used my wired headphones to talk on my cell phone. The wires often got in my way and the quality wasn’t very good, but since I was anti-earpiece, that was my only choice.

Recently I got hipped to the Jawbone Icon Headset and although I was very skeptical that I would like it, I decided to give it a try.  First of all, the design is very appealing; gone is the pod people-like bulb.  The Icon is small, slick, shiny and blinging….I like bling.   This is my model, The Thinker:

Alright, so I figured that at least I wouldn’t look stupid wearing it.  Encouraged, I put it in my ear and I was pleasantly surprised to find that by trying different earbuds and earloops, I found a perfect fit for my ear.  The headset was comfortable, lightweight and didn’t feel like it was going to fall out of my ear (a problem with past headsets).   Already two of my biggest concerns (style and fit) were addressed.

Since I don’t talk on the phone while driving (and neither should you–take Oprah’s No Phone Zone Pledge), I wasn’t sure if I would actually get much use out of the headset, but then I took my dog for a walk.  I don’t have much free time to talk to my friends, so I frequently call them when I am walking my dog.  In the past they have complained that my wired headphones didn’t work well when I was walking, so instead I held the phone to my ear.  That’s not a good way to walk my dog; one jerk from him and my phone is on the ground.   The Jawbone Icon Headset works perfectly while walking my dog.  It was very windy the other day, but while walking Chili Dawg I could still be heard and hear with my headset on with no problem.   In fact it started to rain and I jogged the last block home–still on the phone–and my friend didn’t even know it.  I guess that’s the “NoiseAssassin” in action that Jawbone says is one of it’s best features.  Believe me; it works.

The headset is very easy to use with my iPhone; I flip the switch on the headset, set my phone to “bluetooth” in Settings and then they’re connected.  It’s that simple.  There is even a battery meter on my iPhone’s status bar that tells how much battery I have left on my headset.   If my phone rings while wearing the Icon, it talks in my ear and says the number of the person calling.  It freaked me out the first time it happened, but now that I’m used to it, it’s cool.

I really like the Jawbone Icon Headset and will use it whenever I talk on my cell phone (but I will take it off if I’m not on the phone. And if you ever see me just wearing it as ear jewelry, feel free to stop me and tell me about myself).  Whether walking my dog, folding laundry or strolling around Target, with the Jawbone Icon Headset I can talk hands-free, be heard clearly and not look like an idiot.

*Disclosure: My husband was sent several Jawbone headsets and I took one to use for myself because I’m his wife and I can do that.  The headset was not sent to me personally, nor was I asked to write this review.  My opinions are my own.

It’s been called to my attention that my RSS feed was not working like it should be, so I did some geeky work and fixed it.  If you were having trouble with subscribing to my RSS feed before, please try it now.   You can click “Subscribe To Feed” on the right side of my blog page to do that.  Or, if you prefer, you can subscribe by receiving an email by clicking “Subscribe By Email.”

And if you’re not subscribed to Funkidivagirl.com, you really should be!

For those of you spend much of your time on Facebook (and who doesn’t?), good news!–I just added Funkidivagirl.com to Facebook Networked Blogs Directory.   Just go to my networked blog and click “follow” and when I update my blog you can read it on Facebook.   This is not to take the place of coming to my website, but just another way to read Funkidivagirl.com.

You might have noticed that I put a couple of new badges on my blog home page.  Click on the Facebook badge to become a fan of Chili Dawg (he does have some good status updates).   And you can see my latest 12 Second video right there inside the badge by clicking the “play button.”

Okay; the geeky updates are over.  Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

*I don’t get paid for my opinions in any way; this is just me sharing stuff that I like and I think you will too.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I love my iPhone!  I have a few apps, but really I am not utilizing the iTunes App Store as much as I could be.  So I added Pandora, Tap Tap, Tipulate and Shazam…..and to this date I haven’t used any of those.  But I did find this cool new app that I just have to tell you about.

I’ve been sort of in a funk lately (as opposed to funki, which is the preferable modus operandi) and so I’ve been thinking that I need to start a gratitude journal to focus on the good stuff.   The trouble is, as hard as I try, I’m not a very good journal writer.  I buy a pretty journal and pen, set them next to my bed, write in it for about two weeks and then fall off the wagon.   And about six months later I repeat the process again.  Instead of feeling grateful, I end up feeling like a failure.

That’s why while reading the latest issue of Skirt! I was so happy to read about an iPhone Gratitude Journal app by Happy Tapper.  For .99¢ I figured that I could give it a try and I must tell you that I absolutely love it!  I think that this will work for me!  The app is also very user friendly and has a feel-good, groovy feel.  The little Buddha is so cute and makes me smile.

You can change the background and even lock your journal from curious eyes:

The quote displayed after each journal entry is a nice touch (or you can turn this feature off):

I like the fact that I can type in my “grateful thoughts” the minute they happen in a concise bullet format and I love that I can add a photo to my journal entry as well (the photo goes in the spot of the little Buddha in the first screenshot).  

This week I have been grateful for:

a great pedicure

the ice cream truck

good iced tea

• a fantastic facial
• beautiful weather
• nice visits with my parents and mother-in-law
• a listening ear in Renee

And I am very grateful for my iPhone and the Gratitude Journal app.  Namaste.