Timely Reading & No Smartphone Use

I planned to devote the day to reading print books and avoiding news and social media.

Front cover of We Can Do Better Than This: 35 Voices on the Future of LGBTQ+ Rights

When I resolved to not use social media and to avoid news on January 20 in quiet protest, and to read some of this and some of that timely books, I didn’t anticipate that my phone would make it so easy… by locking me out a couple days before the 20th.

Late Saturday night, I thought I was changing a password on an app. Google claimed that two of my passwords were compromised. But either Google or my phone fooled me: I accidentally created a password that means I can’t use my phone. Sure, I can click on “Emergency Numbers” and call either a close friend or roadside service or type another phone number. But otherwise, the device is unusable. I’ve incorrectly guessed the password countless times since then.

I knew I needed to cut back on using my smartphone. It’s not doom-scrolling that I miss. What I miss is texting friends, taking (cat) photos, checking the weather app, the Insight Timer app (for guided meditations) and having alarms on my phone. Fortunately, I have an alarm clock — it’s battery-operated, and last night I put a fresh battery in it, and it works fine. Texting friends is the hardest to go without; I’ve been emailing instead.

So yes, I did it — no social media or news all day. That is, until at about 8 pm I…