Smart usage of a 'dumb' phone

Everbody, it seems, has a “smart” phone. Well, not quite everyone. I still have a “dumb” phone, although several team members have been urging me to get a smart iPhone (“you could blog from your phone, Pete!”). That’s enticing. But for now, I will type out text messages using the T9 function – I’m actually pretty fast at it – and continue to flip open my seemingly ancient cell phone.

Because of my increasingly crowded life, I have started using my “dumb” phone in a smart way. Over the past few weeks, I have begun using the “calendar” function to punch in upcoming events. I’m so on top of it that I punched in the impending nuptials of one of our favorite and most loyal alums last summer when I found out he got engaged – and the wedding is July 2013! So now, my phone buzzes and beeps at seemingly random times, until I check and see that I need to attend this meeting or that event.

It’s gotten to where my wife Heidi says, “Pete, put THIS in your phone so you don’t forget.” Hmm. Smart idea.