Did you know July is National Cell Phone Courtesy month? Yes, indeedy and with good reason. Inappropriate cell phone use has become a huge problem, and is getting worse as more people are using mobile phones. It is also one of the most irritating issues for many people.

My last Puget Sound Business Journal column article was about National Cell Phone Courtesy month. I gave tips on appropriate and inappropriate phone use. The article won’t be available to non-subscribers until July 29, but you can read part of it here: http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/07/26/smallb2.html 

[...]

I recently asked my Facebook likes how they feel about people talking on cell phones in public places like the grocery store or coffee shop. Several people responded that they hated it and yet some of those same people stated that they do it themselves. I had to admit that often when doing the weekly grocery shopping I will call my husband, who makes the grocery list, for clarification. But, I do it very quietly and out of the way of others.  

[...]

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you may have read in a post or two that I don’t like to cook. Thankfully my husband Eric doesn’t mind too much being the house chef. However, we agreed Sunday dinner is my one night to cook. To make cooking my Sunday meal more fun, I listen to upbeat music on my iPod. I dance around the kitchen as I measure, chop and sauté and I sing at the top of my lungs. Poor Eric.

[...]

In a recent yoga class we were asked to switch the cross of our legs and change how we intertwine our fingers so the other thumb is on top. It wasn’t easy to do and it felt very uncomfortable. It reminded me that habits are so deeply engrained in us. [...]

I subscribe to a few different blogs of people I admire or enjoy. One recent blog post surprised me as it seemed out of character for this blogger. It was a bit like a brag about how busy he was and why it was making him a better person. He outlined minute by minute what he was doing one day. A few times the timeline included the statement that he was chatting with people while “picking off a few emails” or taking phone calls. He went on stating how full every minute was. Even when he was alone he was doing something – email, writing, etc.  He seemed exhausted by his life while also talking about how necessary it is to work like this because he’s “out to win.” [...]