Wednesday, August 01, 2007

CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE: TAKING A DUMP
Where oh where is "Miss Manners" when you really want her? Probably not multi-tasking in the toilet I dare say.

I'm not sure about the rights and wrongs of the phenomenon of using the cell phone while dropping a log in a public lavatory. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't do it, but is it OK for other folks? Are busy executives really so short of time that turning off the cell for a quick crap is too much? I don't know about anyone else, but I'm pretty sure that I would be mildly disturbed to realize that the bloke I'm chatting with over the phone is simultaneously drowning the kittens at JFK.

Sure there's not much else to do as you sit down to heave a havana, but it somehow seems a little tacky to fill in the spare time by chatting about your latest business venture. If life is so hectic that spending five minutes and a penny is time poorly spent, then I suggest reviewing your career choice.

Time management gurus may well be proud of their students who can squeeze extra job time and a loaf at the same time, but I can't persuade myself that it is the right thing to do. Why not treat unleashing the holy leviathan as a moment for introspection and self-examination, not an opportunity to simultaneously drop a call and drop a cobra.

Folks, do yourself and your communication partner a big favor and try turning off the phone while you make a deposit at the porcelain bank. Please!