Whoa, whoa, hold the phone!

by Father Mark Goldasich

A couple of weeks ago, I was driving home after bowling in Lawrence on a Monday night. When I was a few miles from the Tonganoxie exit off I-70, I spotted a notification on my car’s infotainment system screen: No Device Connected.

Why was my iPhone not being detected? I checked my shirt pocket for it and was surprised that it wasn’t there, nor was the phone on the passenger seat. Panic set in as I realized that I’d left my phone at the bowling alley.

Though tempted to turn around, I decided against it. I was confident that, because there were still a couple of my Knights of Columbus teammates on our lanes when I left, one of them probably picked up my orphaned phone. I’d just call and find out. . . . Unfortunately, I didn’t have a phone to do that!

Furthermore, I realized that I didn’t know the phone numbers of any of my teammates by heart. All those numbers were on the phone. When I calmed down enough to think, I realized I had those phone numbers on our bowling schedule. I’d just call from my home landline — so glad I still had one. Then, I remembered I didn’t pick up a hard copy of the schedule but only took a picture of it . . . with my phone . . . that I didn’t have.

Back in Tongie, I was a nervous wreck and immediately went to my computer where I had a copy of our parish roster. Phew! The first Knight I called didn’t have my phone but said that Steve, our captain/coach/organizer had picked it up. Looking up his name, I saw only one number on the roster, and didn’t know if it was his or his wife’s. I called  . . . and it was his wife’s cellphone. (Thank goodness, my call didn’t wake her up. It was late after all.) She gave me Steve’s cell number, we connected, and he delivered my phone that very night.

Isn’t it amazing how lost we feel without our cellphones? There’s so much vital information on them these days.

Sometimes, when we talk about stewardship, we generally think only in terms of our finances. But being stewards means taking good care of our possessions as well, especially the technological ones.

With that in mind, I invite you to join me in Clean Out Your Computer (and Cellphone) Day on Feb. 10. If your computer or phone seems to operate slower or you waste tons of time searching for files or pictures, this day is for you.

Start by clearing out your emails. I’m embarrassed to tell you how many thousands I have scattered across my five addresses. Purge the outdated ones and all spam, then file the important into organized folders. I doubt that I’ll ever get to “inbox zero,” but I’d be satisfied at “inbox 500.”

Next, toss apps and delete programs you never or rarely use. Unsubscribe from lists and advertising sites, and get rid of duplicate, unflattering or blurry photos. Finally, make sure that you regularly back up your files. (And don’t forget to give your keyboard a good cleaning as well! It can get nasty.)

You might be surprised at how “spry” your present tech will be after a good cleanout. Resist the urge to participate in the “throwaway culture,” by tossing the old in favor of what is shiny and new. Pope Francis — and the environment — thank you.

Incidentally, I’ve learned my lesson: These past two weeks, my phone is the first thing that goes into my pocket once bowling is finished. I’d say that’s a good call!