“I appreciate the offer, but I simply don’t want one,” I said. “I know it will completely take over my life. I will wind up working around the clock and that’s not healthy. I need to turn work off some time. Truly, thanks, but no thanks…”
As if I had never said a word, a Blackberry was delivered to my office a couple of days later.
At first, I didn’t want to look at it and I definitely didn’t want to touch it. I just let it sit on my desk as if I knew that just one taste would have me coming back for more and more and more. Yes, I knew it was a drug. It was my “crackberry.”
Six months later and I am now an addict. I simply can not live without my Blackberry. I use my Blackberry 24/7 — in my car, in bed at 2:30am, waiting for the elevator, on the can and literally 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after my son was born. In fact, I recently discovered that emails are delivered to the Blackberry Server before the Exchange Server. Now I catch myself, at my computer, working on an email and sadly pulling my vibrating Blackberry from its holster in order to sneak a peek at a new message delivered to the device a mere two seconds before it ultimately pops up before my eyes in Outlook.
I know I have a problem. The majority of the time, however, I am in denial. I have convinced myself that I am now more efficient and effective and I am more accessible than ever! Heck, I was able to address a handful of work-related issues while watching the Padres game with family at Petco Park a few Sundays ago. Talk about non-stop productivity!
Is there life after Blackberry? Yes. It is very exciting and it is often dramatic and it provides no downtime. It is a life where work and play are intermingled. And now that I have had a taste, I’m not sure if I can ever go back to my life before Blackberry.
Thank you, I could not have sead it better my self.
[...] Full-disclosed: I proudly sported a company Blackberry for three years prior to picking up an iPhone about four months ago. In all sincerity, turning in my Blackberry was one of the most difficult things about leaving my last job. It felt like I was losing my best friend or being forced to involuntarily kick a habit. Now, I ask you, is there Life after Blackberry? [...]