Final

Lately, it seems like everyone has a cell phone and should you by chance run across someone that doesn’t have one, you look at them like they have three heads and wonder what planet are they from. When I come across these people, I find myself wondering, “My God, how do they survive without a cell phone.” My cell phone is my most important accessory and I don’t leave home without it. Well one day not too long ago, I had to leave home without it because I flushed it down the toilet by accident. I was talking on the phone and dumping cereal into the toilet and just as I hit the lever, I dropped my phone and I got to watch it go right down the drain. The next day was hell from the time I got up until I got my new phone.

The first thing I realized when I got out of bed, is that I have no phone numbers. All my contacts and numbers were in my phone and now they are gone, gone, gone. My thoughts raced, how would I call anyone today, tomorrow or next week. All those ads I had ignored about backing up my contacts…what a fool, guess I should have taken their advice! I realized that I was going to tell everyone my pitiful story about losing my phone (or should I say flushing) and have them write their numbers down for me, so when I get my new phone, I can put them in my contact list. Oh what a humiliating day this is going to be…I’m sure I will never hear the end of this.

The second thing I realized is that I wasn’t going to receive any text messages. Lately, all my friends communicate by texting. They text everything from Good Morning to jokes. In a single day I can sometimes receive between 75-100 text messages. I thought to myself, I am not going to survive. I am going to be so cut-off from life, I might as well stay in bed until Verizon opens and I can go get my phone. Ugh, I can’t believe I flushed my phone.

The third thing I realized is I am going to have to pay for this stupid mistake of mine, because I didn’t purchase the insurance. I remember them asking me if I want insurance and thinking, “I don’t need to pay for that, I am a responsible adult…my phone will last me two years.” Now let me tell you, I have insurance on my son’s phone because after all he is a teenager and one would assume that in two years something is going to happen to his phone. I guess I called that one wrong, since his phone is fine and mine is floating to China. Looks like my little mishap with the toilet is going to set me back a couple hundred dollars I don’t have.

I went to work and told everyone my sad, sad story and had them write their phone numbers down for me so that when I got my new phone, I could put them in it. Everyone thought my story was quite the riot. Someone even changed the ringer on my office phone to a toilet flushing – haven’t figured out who yet, probably someone from I/S. I wasn’t able to send or receive text messages and I let everyone know that I felt really excluded – they assured me they would send me double when I got my new phone. At lunch I went to Verizon with my tail tucked between my legs and wrote them a check for $150.00 to get my new phone…complete with insurance this time. It was a horrible experience being without my cell phone and I can’t imagine how people survive without one. Hopefully I will never have to experience being without it again. I did learn one thing though…never talk on your phone when you are around the toilet.

Practice Final

Everyone has a hobby of some sort and over the years my hobbies have changed. I have scrapbooked, participated in card making, and even done a little rubberstamping. It seems the older I get and more physically fit I become my hobbies have moved from sedentary to physically active. I now run, mountain bike and even cross-country ski, but my new favorite hobby is hiking. There are several things that make up a good hike for me and no matter where I go they are always present.

One reason that hiking has become one of my favorite pastimes is I love that feeling of physical exhaustion you get from a good hike. People probably call me crazy, but I like that feeling of pain. You know the pain, the kind that your body hurts just rolling out of bed or when just to go down a flight of stairs it makes you wince because your quads hurt so bad. Feeling that kind of pain means I have pushed my body to do something that it doesn’t normally do and for me that is what drives me to go on my next hike.

Another reason I enjoy hiking is the company I am with when hiking and being outside enjoying nature. I have hiked with many people, my boyfriend, my son, my mother, friends and every trip is different because the people and conversations are different. Also, the nature and wildlife is amazing. I have seen deer, moose, rabbits, eagles, etc. and there is nothing like that feeling of seeing these animals in their habitat, up-close and personal. I have a unique memory from every hike I have been on and it is because of these two things that even when hiking the same trail, every hike is different.

The best part about hiking is the pride you get from accomplishing something you have never done before. It doesn’t matter what trail or what mountain you hike, the feeling of accomplishment is always the same. It is kind of like putting notches in your belt…Cadillac, Katahdin, Chimney Pond, Bee Hive, etc. No matter how many notches you have, you still want to add more.

For me all of the above are what I feel and experience when partaking in my favorite hobby. So no matter what trail I take, who I am with or what limits I will push my body too, I will always be anticipating my next hike.