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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.
It’s a carnival you can visit to celebrate creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. If you want to participate, you can share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky.
Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:
Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.
To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand.
Make-Do Mondays Participants
- Runningamuck (hand soap)
- My Practically Perfect Life (door stopper)
- The Goat (headboard)
- Outward Expression (Easter treats)
- mominapocket (recycled flower pots)
- Always With Me (sharing quality sunglasses)
- Sunnydaytodaymama (frugal play kitchen)
- Caribbean Wordkeeper (cable needle for knitting headbands)
Make-Do Mondays with Ann
Sorry for posting so late—the Easter schedule threw me off.
Lately I’ve noticed that several friends, family, and colleagues have acquired some pretty neat communication gadgets. Basic cell phones are being replaced by devices that do much more than handle phone calls. Whether it’s a BlackBerry or an iPhone or any of the similar high-tech gadgets on the market, the basic cell phone is becoming more and more … well, outdated. And maybe even uncool.
But make-do people tend to ignore the cool factor. If it works, many of us will use it until it really and truly doesn’t work anymore.
I admit that around the time of my birthday, I thought there was a chance I’d be getting an upgraded phone. I thought maybe I would get something with e-mail access, which would be handy. At the Sprint store I clicked around on an impressive display model of a Palm Treo that offered Internet access, and although I don’t need it, there are times when it would be fun to look something up on the spot.
But I didn’t get a new phone.
So I’m making do with my old phone:

It only offers a few standard electronic rings. Just beeps; no music. We don’t have a fancy Bluetooth-type ear piece. And we chose not to have texting. It’s just a phone.
About a year ago, I was fiddling with it at a park and the antennae base snapped. It didn’t break off completely, so when I push it down firmly, it pretty much stays put; but the plastic cover does slide up and down the antennae wire sometimes, looking a little unprofessional:

The low-resolution camera turns out grainy photos, so it certainly doesn’t replace a digital camera. But it’s fun when the kids snap pictures of themselves so that I can enjoy a nice screen saver. This one is from last summer.

So don’t try to text me; I can’t respond.
But we can chat freely. The Belgian Wonder did make sure we have a lot of minutes.
If the main button is too big, try this one:








13 comments
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April 13, 2009 at 8:46 am
Sharinskishe
What you say is so true, we make do with what cell phone we have. (I’ve been using cell phones for 20 years, at first only through my job, but then personally when they became what we thought was affordable.) I though do not have my original phone, I am one that has a phone with more features. Most of which I don’t use.
I have a Palm Centro with Sprint/Nextel. Not that I chose it, my Hubby did. He is the one that loves to change phones. We don’t have bluetooth yet, which does surprise me- yes, I am knocking on wood right now.
We actually got the phones as a bribe to stay with Sprint. We were with Nextel and when Sprint bought them, we had some problems with the transition and we finally threatened to cancel. So they bribed us with the upgraded phones to stay.
Funny thing is that in just one day when we told them we were going to change companies, they were able to fix the problems we had been trying to get fixed 3 months! Go figure, what a coincidence.
I hate to change phones! You have to reprogram them, learn how to use them. Get used to them. I basically hate change, so a new cell phone really stresses me. I plan on keeping this one as long as it continues to work.
Thanks for hosting, Ann. I am going to try to get my post written and linked later. I am quite behind in my Blog world, but with sudden out of town, laptop in the shop, helping with a wedding, my son’s birthday and Easter, well you know what it is like!!
Thanks again for being there for us. We love your words and I hope you have a great day.
Shari
April 13, 2009 at 9:36 am
runningamuck
I too, am using an old cell phone. That’s what happens when you drop your current one in the toilet… the PUBLIC toilet no less. But I don’t want to go there this early in the morning. I don’t like my old one but I don’t want to fork over the $100 it’ll take to replace the screen in the water damaged one. Plus, I’m not sure I could ever hold it up to the side of my face again KNOWING where its been… BLEH!! =0)
April 13, 2009 at 11:31 am
trishsouthard
Ann, I am so encouraged we have the same phone. I have a brown one also. We are taking back moments in our days each time we use our antiquated cells. Our daughter finds it so funny she can text her Daddy and not me. Oh well, I enjoy her sweet voice. I’ll be braver in showing off my vintage Sprint!
April 13, 2009 at 11:51 am
Esther
I’m in the old phone club too….honestly, I still can’t get used to paying the monthly bill…..besides, I’m saving for a Bosch
April 13, 2009 at 11:52 am
Kristin
We have switched companies so have had to change phones – but I didn’t want to! LOL I had a car I didn’t want to part with. The service mechanics at the dealership actually told me that they wouldn’t repair my car. It was too far gone and cost more than the car was worth..far more. They also wouldn’t let me drive it home. I would have duct tape that car together if I could have. It’s funny how some things can be broken and cobbled together and we just want to keep them no matter what.
April 13, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Nancy
Since I only use a cell phone when I travel. I have resorted to a pay as you go phone. My husband has a cell phone with Sprint, a blackberry, palm pilot, and and i-phone. Anything that says technology…he is the first to experience it!
April 13, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Make Do Mondays « alwayswithme, a Weblog
[...] them in case we lost ours, or ours were damaged beyond repair). Since we already had them, we made do and gave them to her. No need for her to tire herself out traveling the three hours it would take [...]
April 13, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Ruth
My phone looks nothing like that, nor does it do any such thing as photography. LOL!
My link is up, Ann. I finally remembered.
April 13, 2009 at 4:01 pm
shravan
Nice blog.
See this “10 most beautiful cell phones”:
http://newzburp.com/2009/03/top-10-most-beautiful-cellphones/
April 13, 2009 at 4:05 pm
shravan
Nice blog.
See this “10 most beautiful cell phones”:
http://newzburp.com/2009/03/top-10-most-beautiful-cellphones/
P.S.: Forgot to say good post!
April 13, 2009 at 5:38 pm
sunnymama
As long as you can make a call that’s all you need! My cell phone is pretty much an antique
but I haven’t needed to use it for weeks anyway. I never really caught on to the whole cell phone thing!
April 13, 2009 at 6:47 pm
jadekitty
I’m CE junkie, I’ll make do with out a hair cut or a new outfit for months!
Today I put my phone on Vacation disco to save money for a few months, and I went to use the built in Music player, and it won’t work now. So I must call my provider and see if there anything they can do about it. To say the least, I am very disappointed with them right now.
July 2, 2009 at 11:13 am
Consuming Kids «
[...] And not long ago, I myself was hankering for some kind of portable Internet device like an iPhone, BlackBerry or Palm Pre. I’m not sure how I’ll handle my daughter’s handheld game, but I managed to resist the iPhone craving. [...]