Tag: smartphone

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K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine motivation

Books and Batteries

Cartoon of a teacher and a boy with an electronic tablet. The boy panics and says, "Help! My Bible's batteries ran down!"
Published in "K!: Kidzmatter Magazine"

The first time a student brought their tablet into the Sunday school classroom was quite a sight. The child claimed it was her Bible. But for some reason, all the kids gathered around her and they weren’t asking to see her Bible. They were interested in what games were on her tablet. It took some time to get the class back into some semblance of organization.

Since the schools are all closed right now, I imagine the tablets and smartphones are getting quite a workout. I’m sure there are some times when a crisis may emerge because a device’s batteries are running on empty. Keep calm and find a charger! It will be all right eventually.

Find some time to recharge your devices as well as yourself this week. Step away from the laptops, tablets, smartphones, and televisions for a few minutes, if not hours. You’ll be glad to get some time to step away from the news and let yourself have a break from it all.

Cartoon of a teacher and a boy with an electronic tablet. The boy panics and says, "Help! My Bible's batteries ran down!"
Published in “K!: Kidzmatter Magazine”
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motivation

Step Away From the TMI!

cartoon of a woman tossing her smartphone
Copyright Kevin Spear

This week has been filled with information. It’s taken TMI (Too Much Information) to a new level! Newsday has an article entitled, Coronavirus Conundrum: How Much Information is Too Much Information? In it, the article states the predicament public officials find themselves in.

“The excessive communication [public officials broadcast] is exacerbated by the environment we’re in… But it’s unavoidable because of the modalities of communication now. If they don’t fill up the space, the space will be filled up by rumor, misinformation, and speculation.”

Gerald Benjamin in Coronavirus Conundrum

Officials feel they need to get the information out. Twenty-four-hour cable news networks have news and opinions to give. Everybody has to get their opinion out there. And some opinions are treated as fact without any evidence. Conspiracy theories abound about the origins of the disease and how it’s now being handled. It’s enough to make you want to disinfect your smartphone from the inside as well as the exterior!

But now it’s Saturday. We made it to the weekend. Take a deep breath and step away from all the information. It will be all right. Even if you are reading this on a weekday, it’s okay to step away from all the news right now. Don’t worry. It will all be waiting for you when you get back. Besides, if it’s really important, someone will probably want to discuss it with you. But be careful. If someone claims this virus was caused by space aliens that want to buy Manhattan high-rises at bargain prices, you may want to reevaluate your news source.

cartoon of a woman tossing her smartphone
Copyright Kevin Spear
Categories
motivation

Phone check…or not?

Cartoon of a business man and homeless man

When I drew this cartoon, I did not have a smartphone. Ten years has made quite a difference when it has come to phone tech. But are we better for it?

This article on the morning habit of checking your phone first thing in the morning was written before all the coronavirus hit. I’m sure some of the warnings would be even more true today. It’s not a good idea for me to check my phone in the morning. All the stress and anxiety that comes through the phone does not put you me a good mindset to begin the day.

We face a constant battle each day to either control the content in our lives or let it control us. We are not facing a scarcity of information. On the contrary, we face a flood of information each day. We have to consider whether the information we receive is fact or opinion, accurate or made-up. And even if it is factual and accurate, we need to consider whether this is helping us or not. Does it put us in the right frame of mind? Does it help us start the day on a good, right footing, or just put us in despair?

It is tempting to just grab the phone and let the tsunami of information flood us. But remember, we have the control. We can choose how much and what information we consume. Otherwise, we may need a sign that says, “I have a smartphone. Please help me!”

Cartoon of a business man and homeless man
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Leadership

Don Henley on the Death of Glenn Frye | Leadership Freak

Dan Rockwell has a great tribute to Glenn Frey and collaboration on his Leadership Freak post. You never know what kind if impact a chance encounter will make. Dan has a list of memorable teams and their businesses/achievements.

Source: Don Henley on the Death of Glenn Frey | Leadership Freak

No man is an island. We need each other. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since moving across the country is how critical it is to establish contacts in my new home. The Internet and smartphones make it easier to be in contact with friends and associates. Yet, there is nothing like face-to-face interaction to encourage creativity.

Rest in peace, Glenn Frey. Thanks for the music.

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technology cartoons

Frankenphones and Frankenapps

Frankenstein admires his frankenphone and frankenapps
kevinspear.com

Since it’s October, my thoughts turn to spooky monsters like giant Frankenstein smartphones and vampires like data-sucking and battery-sucking apps. Fear not! This post delves into the frightening world of Frankenphones and Frankenapps.

Beware of the little monsters lurking within your new smartphone. I have seen many phones also bring the zombie curse to their users. Only a spell would explain the crazy obsession with selfies.

So, to paraphrase James Whitcomb Riley’s old poem:  “The smartphone’s gonna getcha if ya don’t watch out!”

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog on October 6, 2015. I revamped and updated it for timeliness and comprehensiveness.