evil overlord of the mobile phone
You do know that the evil overlords who created the mobile-phone culture control every aspect of our lives, yes? If you have any doubt about that, put your cell away for 24 hours. Try to do any of your normal activities. Start trying to access anything which requires two-factor authentication. And good luck.
I had no idea that I found the mobile all that reassuring and comforting. But apparently I do. When I am not cussing it out for demanding it be kept at hand. Every stinkin’ moment of every stinkin’ day.
Preparation
Got Ping to Doggy Sleep-Away Camp the day before. Packed, put the trash out, ran the dishwasher, ordered the Uber, set the alarms 4:25 am. Added my various eyeglasses and the e-reader to the computer bag. I was feeling pretty smug, in fact, until I had checked in at Southwest Air at Logan Airport and survived security.
It was at that point that I realized I didn’t have my mobile.
A Cranky Tablet
I replaced my old Microsoft Surface Pro last winter in anticipation of a trip to Lisbon. And it worked just fine in Lisbon. Of course, I had my phone with me and I don’t recall any bratty behavior.
But when I asked it to open my email, it said, “nope, you need to use your address and password, and then we are going to confirm with your cell.” Shut me right out, it did.
I keep a cheat-sheet for stuff, you know, just like security people tell you not to. I was able to open that and check all the passwords I don’t remember. Didn’t help because damned near everything is two-factor authentication. Couldn’t authenticate by text message, couldn’t authenticate by email address.
Making Do
I obsessed about the tasks that were mobile-reliant for both legs of the flight.
From The Depths
Keyless entry to my room at Hampton Inn, for instance. Okay, I had the lady in the lobby make me a key. I’m probably better off analog anyway. She also explained how I can use the free jitney to return my car to the rental Thursday night, get picked up and returned to the hotel, then brought to the airport the next crack-o’dawn.
Communicating with my friends, and the library and bookstore hosting my book presentations. There’s always the hotel phone except I don’t know any of the numbers. I DM’d a couple friends on Facebook, which did work. Made do. This was to be the great public debut of From The Depths: Dyslexia, Bipolar Disorder, and the Triumph of Art, after all. Since you asked, I provided a link. Available at Amazon in both print and digital versions.
They still have regular taxis at Logan Airport, don’t they? They had better. Technically I could walk home from terminal B but I don’t want to drag my suitcase that far. Besides, I’m not actually sure of the walking-route and without Google Maps…
I did bring Portia, my Garmin GPS. She and I have a long and close relationship. I much prefer her dulcet English accent to whoever that is on Google Maps. In theory I can use her when I am on foot as well. She was all over directing me around Des Moines, and to Winterset and back.
Lesson Learned
The Front Desk provides a wake-up call. Or said they did. The insomnia that plagued me all week ensured I was wide-awake by 3:30 am for my 4:15 ride to the airport for my 5:20 am flight to Chicago. That wake-up call never came.
The wake-up call about not doing anything stupid that would result in the phone being left behind? Loud and clear.