My thoughts on cell-phone ettiquette

While browsing around today, I came across an article here: http://http://www.slate.com/id/2132539/?nav=navoa which reveals one person's annoyance with others who invade their personal time, either with children or cell phones. Don't get me wrong, I have always wanted to let parents of unruly children know how little I appreciate the presence of their nose-miners in adult environments. I don't appreciate the unruly ones in family-friendly environments either, but moving on to cell phones...

The writer also expressed her displeasure with "college-age" people who carry on conversations via cell in public. My response to her: Get over it!

Here's the truth behind people who are bothered by the person at the next table at the coffee shop, who happens to be talking on the phone: they are just pissed off that they can't hear both sides of the conversation.

That's right. Look at it this way: if I was at the coffee shop with the person who would otherwise be on the other end of my phone call, we would probably be having the same conversation. At that point, according to cell-ettiquette-nazis, it would cease to be offensive. What's the difference? You don't get the gratification of knowing exactly what I did this weekend, etc.

And another thing for all of those who have their Depends in a wad over our "college age" public one-sided conversations: I have never heard more cell phones ring at inappropriate times than the two times that I attended events where I was among the youngest people there, by decades! The first was the swearing-in ceremony for the Raleigh City Council, and the second was a good-government group meeting! Cell phones ringing, some people even answering...how embarrassing. All people old enough to be (or older than) my parents.

Of course, I don't condone inappropriate conversation in public in any form. Don't take it that way. But I have just had enough of people who are quick to judge without thinking.