Recently, as I was sitting in my office, I heard a loud thunk on my front porch. When I went to investigate, I saw that I had two new phonebooks (of the paper kind). When was the last time I had used an actual phonebook? It got me to thinking.
Usually, when I am in my office, I have access to the internet, and it is easier to just search on-line for the information that I want. If I am out of my office, I have my handy cellphone with all the bells and whistles that allows me to search for almost anything I want, anywhere I am, at anytime I wish. But…
Last week, I was in need of a personal phone number. I knew the person’s name and where they lived (or at least I thought I did). Easy, I thought. I pulled up “white pages” on Google and searched for the phone number of the person. I got all sorts of information and numerous listings but no phone numbers. If I wanted more information, I had to pay a nominal fee. NO WAY! I tried several different sites and still came up empty handed. Then a light bulb went off in my head. If memory served me correctly, I had an old phonebook sitting in the buffet drawer. Granted, it was four years out of date, but maybe… Down to the dining room I raced, opened the buffet drawer and EUREAKA! There it was. Let’s see… D…. Do… Down… yes, there is was – “Martha Downing” on Pine Street with a phone number! Twenty minutes searching the internet. Less than three minutes looking in the phonebook. Hmmmm. The expediency of technology? Not always.
It is different if you are seeking the number for a business but, even then, you should weigh all your options and determine if you truly need a paper phonebook or if the internet serves you just as well. For a great article read 5 Things You Need to Know to Avoid Wasting Phone Books and then decide. Just remember, if you do opt for the paper phonebook, when the new one arrives, be sure to recycle the old. Happy searching!
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