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The morning that went askew

Sneezing attack at home.

Which (may have) caused me to forget to pick up my mobile phone. (By the time I realised, it was too late to go back.)

Which caused me not to get the SMS advising the train before mine was cancelled.

Which meant my train was packed. (Though admittedly not up to 11.)

Which meant I got off it at Richmond to get onto a direct Flinders Street train. And started sneezing again. There’s something in those Siemens trains that makes me sneeze more than the others.

The lack of phone was, of course, highly distressing. Having taken the time to consolidate so much of my life into one handy little device, I found myself wandering the streets, not only uncontactable, but also unable to remember anybody’s phone number, nor check if I had any appointments today. And I had no idea what the time was.

I could check my voicemail remotely, though given it involves ringing my phone and waiting for it to divert to voicemail before entering my PIN, I could just see it vibrating itself all over the desk at home where I had left it.

Thankfully it hadn’t fallen off and broken.

By Daniel Bowen

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association / professional geek.
Bunurong land, Melbourne, Australia.
Opinions on this blog are all mine.

5 replies on “The morning that went askew”

Hi Danial. Odviously from the comment that you made about your mobile phone, am I right that your with Telstra? All the other carriers such as vodaphone all have ways of checking voicemail remoatly that don’t envolv ringing yourself and wating for the phone to divert to the voicemail. As a matter of fact, optus lets you do it for the cost of a local call.

I’m guessing that involves finding a 1300 number, keying that in, plus your mobile number to tell it who you are, plus a PIN.

For occasional use, I’d say it’s easier just to ring yourself and wait and enter a PIN.

I can actually remember late 60’s – no house phone, mid teens, lots of socialising, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. And you know what – I had a more hectic life then than I do now and it all worked out without a phone. Got some exercise too when I did need to make a phone call as that meant having to walk to the nearest phone box. A phone did not appear in our house until around 1970. I feel foolish now that I get that panicky feeling when I discover I have left my mobile at home too.

There is a 13 number. However, it is quite easy to remember. 133 321 if your with optus. Then you just have to key in your mobile number and your pin.

Vodaphone has a simalar system you just call 0414 121 121 key in your mobile followed by your pin. Have been with alll of the carriers now. Verry happy with vodaphone though.

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