Okay, I need to start by stating that I don't have a cell phone. Well, that's not completely true. I have a fairly old cell phone that I used to use with Pay-As-You-Go minutes. I found the rates to be terrible, the minutes were either wasted or I went through them too quickly, and I had a bit of a problem keeping my phone charged. Plus I was always paranoid in the theatre that my cell would go off and I'd be one of "those" people.

And you know what, my fears come from an honest place. I've been on the other side. I was performing at a dinner theatre for the better part of a year, and almost lost my place in my choreography when a gentleman in the front row not only received a call during the show, but actually took it and proceeded to converse for several minutes! I was shocked and appalled.

So I gave up my cell phone. I used it so infrequently, and it seemed to cause me more grief than convenience. In the year that I've now been without cellular technology there have probably been three occasions where it would have been really great to have a phone. But I somehow managed to get through them without one.

So as a reformed cell phone user, I've noticed a new trend that I find VERY disturbing. Quite frequently when I am in communal washrooms, I hear that my stall neighbours are on the phone. What is that about? The other day a woman next to me answered her phone, then asked who was calling, and proceeded to have a business call ON THE TOILET!

Am I really old-fashioned? I just don't think any calls are so important that they need to be made or taken when nature is calling. Sure, I know the bathroom stall has always been a refuge for women in crisis looking for a private place to shed some tears or spill her guts, but I assure you, these are not those kinds of calls.

Are the men doing this too? Is talking on your phone at the urinal now common-place? I would think the mechanics might be slightly more difficult, but perhaps men are overcoming those odds and joining women as they place and receive calls in the washroom.

Please stop. I find this disturbing. Wait until you're at least at the sink. It's really the classy thing to do.

I am a great fan of using the bus and my bike for transportation, and one of the (many) reasons I enjoy using these forms is that I get to interact and observe my fellow people. When I'm on my bike particularly, I really feel the sense of community from the other foot/pedal commuters. Since I'm not in my car very often, I've noticed how many people on the bus and on the sidewalks are plugged in. It seems that I may be the only person in the world without an IPod.

Now here's the thing; I love music, I really do. I've got a decent (although hardly impressive) cd collection, and I'm lucky enough to be able to listen to the radio at work. Some of my favourite programs are the ones that expose me to new Canadian music. But it strikes me that many people here in Canada are tuning the rest of the world out almost all the time.

I've heard that very often people want to have their IPod with them so that they don't have to converse with other bus riders or pedestrians. I've certainly been in situations where a fellow bus rider makes me feel uncomfortable either because of mental illness or addiction issues, but I've also struck up conversations with very interesting strangers. I will admit that I almost always travel with a book on the bus, which does provide me with an excuse to not engage, but I'm still aware and able to hear what's going on around me.

The thing that I can't understand is the need for a soundtrack delivered directly to your ears when walking or riding your bike. Aside from the safetly issues with regards to cyclists, part of what I love about my daily bike ride is listening to the city around me. And even if there isn't anything particularly interesting to listen to, my commute is the time of day when I get to focus completely on my own thoughts.

I have composed stories, songs, essays and letters while on my bike or taking a walk. I find it to be the most mentally stimulating thing that I can do. I have no distractions, and biking is almost second nature to me now, so my body knows how to make that machine go without any interference from my brain. I feel sorry for the people who drown out their own thoughts with a contstant musical background. I suppose some people may find the same mental stimulation from music that I get from my bike ride, but I suspect more often than not, people who are constantly plugged in are avoiding something. Avoiding conversation with other humans, avoiding the hum of the city, or avoiding spending time with their own thoughts.

This weekend I attended a conference in Nordegg, Alberta called Rural Roots. This conference was put on by Change for Children, a fabulous NGO that operates out of Edmonton Alberta. I met lots of great and incredible people, but there was one individual who really stood out. We only had one conversation, and it wasn't about any issues or projects. It was about his trip to get to the conference. He told me that he had taken an eight hour bus ride over night from his hometown, and arrived in Edmonton at 6 in the morning. He then walked from the Greyhound Bus Terminal to the shopping centre where the conference buses were departing from. I estimated that this would be at least a two hour walk.

That was the only conversation I had with this young man all weekend. I saw him several times throughout the conference, and he always seemed involved and engaged. He obviously got a lot out of the speakers and workshops. It was while I was on the bus heading home that I started to think about him, and the distance he travelled to attend this conference. If it were me, I would have given up attending the conference when faced with that first, overnight bus ride. In fact, if I hadn't had a ride to the meeting place of the conference buses, I might have reconsidered attending altogether. So I started to think about convenience, and how often that impacts the decisions I make.

I like to think of myself as someone who isn't a slave to modern conveniences. I don't have a cell phone, I make food myself out of non-processed food, I take the bus or ride my bike instead of driving, but I still don't do certain things because of the inconvenience involved. There always seems to be an excuse around the corner that will keep me in my house, keep me from participating or taking a risk. I was really struck by this young man's passion, and his tenacity. Nothing would prevent him from attending this conference. As I thought about him, I realized that I would like to be more like that. I wish that I wasn't daunted by a two hour walk to get somewhere important, or the prospect of asking to take a leave of absence from my job (which I don't really care about) to do some overseas volunteer work. I'm going to try to remember the journey that this participant took to get to this weekend conference the next time I decide that something is too hard. It's not too hard if you really believe in what you're doing.