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Walking in Rhythm . . . With a Cell Phone?

In the last few years, I've seen people talking on cell phones while they are on walks. (When I mean "walks," I mean as a form of exercise by walking for at least 20 minutes straight.) I don't know about you, but the reason why I take walks is to clear my head. My brain needs a breather from things, including talking on a phone. I do not dislike talking on a phone, but being away from one for 20-30 minutes a day is nice. So I don't understand why people take their cell phones on walks. Sure, cell phones can be taken almost anywhere but call me old fashioned, I doubt that I'd ever take a cell phone with me on a walk.

Now here's a curveball: while walking/harboring-the-delusion-I-can-jog on Saturday, what do I see? A jogger with a cell phone and an earpiece in his ear. At first I thought he had an MP3 player but upon closer inspection, I saw what it really was. I don't get it; what if somebody called him? I doubt he could really combine words into coherent sentences with his heavy breathing and the sweat running down his face.

Don't we exercise to alleviate stress? Why would we want to bring something to it that could induce stress? I'm not saying that talking on the phone is always a stressful thing, but it can be. Have we become so dependant on cell phones that we can't go at least 30 minutes without one?

I just don't get it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Argh, put the phone down! It will be there when you get back.

I love getting away for a few minutes each day when I go out running. It's like that Nike running ad campaign where the people set out on their jogs with all of those people trailing them... then eventually end up alone with only the sound of pavement and breathing. My two cents!
1:55 PM
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