by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: September 23, 2009

Cell phones are here to stay. Their usefulness outweighs their aggravations and annoyances - mostly from others - and most of us are willing to put up with these in exchange for their putting up with the same from us. First I will list the ten essential uses and then I will list their five most widely known negatives. Hopefully, these will recede as they become as commonplace as a regular phone.

1. SOS signaling

Immediate help is there when needed. Our car breaks down, someone is trying to break into our house and we can call the police, an ambulance is needed, a neighbor is locked out of their apartment and we call maintenance for help or children at school can call parents if sick or needs a way home. There is no end to the convenience of having a cell phone where we can get help when needed.

2. Compact size goes everywhere

The first hint of the magic to come was when regular phones began allowing us to carry them outside, into the other room, or even to the grocery store with us. Yet they were clunkers as compared to the minute giants of communication we can now tuck neatly into a jacket or jeans pocket. The older phones are still useful when we lose the little gems. All we need to do is to call their number and, in most cases, they can be found. When I lost mine in the parking lot, a friend called the number while I waited near the car. Sure enough underneath, near the front wheel came the squeak, 'here I am.

3. Good neighbor policy

When we see others in stress we can help out by calling their family, an ambulance, and the police. We don't have to walk several miles to get help when we or they are in distress.

4. Instant art

We catch our children and others doing delightful things and we capture these moments for later replay. And sometimes the instant photographs we snap will record crime scenes, catch robbers in the act, and will assist in numerous ways. The ways in which picture taking can become useful are countless. Years ago when we first heard of the possibility of someone on the other end of the phone seeing us was not something we wanted. Vanity has given way to common sense. We can send our pictures to them, but, as far as I know, no one can take our picture by simply dialing our number. It is not necessary to have our hair combed or even both eyes open to use the magical little gadget.

5. Record keeping

We can jot down notes so that we will not forget our brilliant ideas when traveling. (Not while driving, more on that negative later.) We can text

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