letting the old go
29 Sep
I carry two phones. Not to show off, but simply because right now it’s practical. Both phones are very old, and very tired.
One of them, the one I can’t let go off, I’ve had since around June 2003. It’s a Sony CMD-J70. It’s O.L.D, and each ring, sms, and call is an earnest plea for leave.
Here’s the reason why I can’t let go of it. It’s got about 700 phone numbers. 200 on simcard, and 500 on phone. I have no way of transferring the numbers unless I manually write them down somewhere, a task I have started and failed countless times.
During my first leave in 7 years (last year), I bought another phone, because I needed to be contacted without have clients stress me during my month of bliss. I bought a simple Nokia 1100.
Fast forward one year later, the Nokia 1100 is also running out of space, with about 400 numbers on both phone and simcard.
So what’s the deal?
I find it extremely hard to let go of certain things, and yet the irony is, if something drastic happens and I need and have to let go of those same things, I’d move on without a blink. Like if someone were to steal both phones, I’d rant, kick a few walls, run mad for all of 5 seconds, and then begin plotting to replace both the phones and the numbers.
This one time, years ago, my PC crashed and I lost about 80 gigs of client work, archives and vital data. I rioted the entire night, and the next morning, 6AM, I started my early morning basketball sessions down at the Miracle Center court. Sadly, I don’t do them anymore.
Or like this one time I woke up and gave away everything in the house. Sofas, TV, DVD, bed, the works. And started sleeping on the floor.
Just like that.
So why is it so hard to let go of things, why do we keep them around us even if we are never ever going to use them? Is it nostalgia? Or is it a hoarding disorder?
I’m pretty sure there’s an old shirt, or pair of pants you haven’t worn in almost six months, maybe even a year. It probably doesn’t fit anymore.
So seriously? Why are you still keeping it?
And why do we find it so hard to let go of the old, and embrace the new? Do we find comfort in the familiar, or is it the fear of the unknown?
Something happened to me today that has forced me to take a hard look back at where I’ve been, and how far I have come. It’s not a shabby landscape, but it ain’t pretty either.
So I realise, now more than ever, it’s time for a new beginning.
—
Offtopic:
When I was praised I lost my time, for instantly I turned around to look at the work I had thought slightly of, and that day I made nothing new.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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there is something comforting about the familiar, sometimes it feels like we are wired to fear the unknown, yet for a fact am sure its not the way God intended it.
Lol…”is an earnest plea for leave.” Heh heh, grant him the much neede leave then. Even for just 1 week.
But u, I’ve haha-d…700+400=too many contacts for both phones. (assuming there are different numbers in either ohone and non is saved twice. U’re just showing off…that is even more than the population of Kampala even minus any of my 7 mobile phone numbers.
Kati, lemme make u copy them numbers into some book somewhere, I magine u lost your phones this evening. And u have to start from scratch to look for all the contacts u had…God forbid but imagine and consider…
Are u writing the numbers down already? I knew it’d work.
@Emrys, I feel you, totally.
@Cheri, LOL. Cheri… took your time getting these socks…
I’m not showing off. the old 700 numbers are all original, no duplicates, some of the 400 have duplicates from the old phone, but man, sorting through them is a nightmare. Besides, like 95% of them are business contacts.
But I’ve decided to give my old phone leave by end of October. Period.
How you doing?
I’m not well. Times are being tight on my side. I’m actually afraid. For the first time.
Whoaa… sounds pretty serious. Care to share?
… wait, the whole world will know your woes on the blog.
Munange, the whole world already knows my woes…ON MY BLOG. Post is up.
hehehe! sawa.
Hi Solomon,
I couldn’t believe it when i read the blog that you can’t let go of your phone just because of the contacts. Well you will be very sorry when you lose the phone.
I have lost my phone on several occasions and eventually lost my contacts but with the available technology, i that will not happen again.
First, i am a fan of Nokia phones and have never had any other brand. The first thing i did was to look for a phone with infrared function and then installing the nokia pc suite on my laptop. On doing this, i could easily store my phone contacts on to the laptop. whenever i added new contacts, i would just synchronize my phone contacts with the ones on the laptop. Even when i happen to loose the phone, i would buy another one with the infrared function and retrieve my contacts again.
I also discovered that i could save my contacts online. All you need to do is to sign up for an account with http://zyb.com and then you will never worry about your contacts again. [You need to have a web enable phone to be able to synchronize your phone contacts with your zyb contacts]
DAwg, you gave away the works
How come i wasn’t….
Ok, you get me ranting as well?
I know the feeling of the phone drama
Mrs got me a new one… but before that…
Dude, seeing as u and i got those sony’s at the same time, i must say i’m totally floored that you still have it running. How thats even technically possible after all those knocks, i don’t know. Them phones were gr8 at the time but they seriously lacked any form of serious connectivity to transfer data.
Letting go is the age old human problem. I personally have issues with it. You on the other hand who gave away your whole house literally shouldn’t have problems letting go. There must be a particular bondage to that old phone…hmmmm….
Meanwhile, you and I need to talk or etalk. I need to know how yo doing.
je pense…as things grow old, we get a certain attachment to them that we just can’t let go…even though the are of no use to us…
My brother had this suit he worn at his baptism in the early nineties…he is in his late twenties now but still wont let go of that suit…
i had two dresses i absolutely adored….they were my whole world….till that fateful day my mom discovered my wardrobe…my life was never the same again after that….
Been There Done that!!!! I’ve had my share of losing phones and even stopped counting, thus resorting to the “disposable phones” for dilly-dally occasions.
1000 Plus contacts is really loads and loads are you sure you use all those numbers? one good thing that came out of losing phones was also losing dormant and multiple entry phone numbers.
Change can be uncertain and hard, look at the presidential post but the question is do you really want to be using a ‘tadoma’ instead of a power bulb?
Hi guys, thanks for all the comments, although I do think I forgot to mention that I have romanced the idea of a new phone, but try being self-employed and you’ll see that as soon as you get the dimes, there’s always something more useful to buy or pay for.
@Wilbroad, I’m more of a Sony Ericcson fan. Their combination of music, photos, and function is the bomb, not to mention the phones ain’t shabby. I’ll transfer contacts with time.
@ B2B yup, gave away the whole works… so rant away
@ The Apprentice, these phones sooo rule. I still have those silly nvgor8 messages we used to send each other. Aaah… memories
@Rising page. Welcome, and that story of two dresses needs a cup of coffee to go with it.
@Emi’s, welcome, and yes, I do use the numbers, though not all the time. This one time I called up some guy I hadn’t seen in three years, because he was the only one who could sort me out, and he still had his number!
The things that we possess are an important landmark of experiences and occasions.
My first computer was an Apple SE30 and even though it does not work I have it in my office as a reminder of where I have come in terms of computing.
We define ourselves by our clothing, music, possessions, relationships etc.
Hello John, thanks for dropping by.
I know what you mean. This phone I keep talking about, it’s going to retire in style, and it’s not for sale at any cost. It will be a constant reminder of the places, people, and experiences I have had.
I can’t shake the feeling that you’re actually DK.
Sorry. Just had to say it one more time.
Now I’ll get out of both your hairs.
[scurries off]
Not to belabour a point…
Elementary my dear Watson, you just might be on to something…
This is great info to know.
its the fear of thinking that one day you will need it and it wont be there…. i hate that feeling… about the off topic that is….