By Gina Bevers
Has this ever happened to you?
You're hanging out with a friend - or maybe you're on a date or with your significant other - and your partner is on his or her iPhone/Droid/BlackBerry texting, e-mailing and Facebooking. Meanwhile, you're asking yourself, "What the heck?"
Have our friends and family members become Pavlovian Pod People who lack impulse control? Are they now just human shells who can't connect with others except with mobile device?
I recently heard from a guy friend who was on a date with one of these Pavlovian Pod People. The woman spent most of the evening texting another guy. Pure class there, my friends.
At evening's end, she actually asked my friend if they could go out again. Now that takes some serious chutzpah.
Don't get me wrong. I would probably shrivel up and die if someone took my smart phone away from me for even a day. But I love people more. And people - especially the people you love or think you could love - appreciate it when you pay attention to them.
Ignoring the one you're with is just rude. And isn't there enough rudeness in this world? And aren't there better ways to get on your honey's You-Know-What list than ignoring them to tweet about the English muffin you had for breakfast?
If you think you might be one of these Pavlovian Pod People, there is help. Stop missing the world and all the fun around you. Put your phone down. Put your hands on your head, and step away from the phone.
And step phone-free toward your friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands and wives. Otherwise, you might find yourself with nothing but a Droid for companionship.