My Virtual Life Down the Toilet

By:  Lexi Smith

Have you ever accidentally dropped your phone into water?  Perhaps you watched helplessly as it fell into a puddle while you attempted walking and texting?  Or it did a nose dive into the sink while you multi-tasked a conference call and washing dishes?   My moment happened yesterday as I maneuvered my open purse and my large puffy coat in a tiny bathroom stall.  You guessed it. The phone promptly landed in the toilet!  Fortunately it was before I used the facilities.

Like most of you, my phone is my connections to the real world – my calendar, social networks, and primary means of communication.  In one brief moment, that whole virtual existence found itself floating in the toilet . . . and I panicked.  OMG – I killed my phone!

After fishing its poor lifeless body out of the water, I immediately tried turning it off and on in a desperate attempt to see if the fall was really fatal.  I learned afterwards that this was actually the worst possible thing I could have done to save it.  In doing so, I short-circuited the device.  How would I know – do I look like an engineer?

What I should have done after rescuing it from the water was to pull out the battery.  This would have instantly cut the power and prevented further damage.  If faced with this predicament, you should also quickly remove the SIM card (if your phone has one).  This is where all of your data live (contact information, pictures, etc.).   Finally, dry the phone.  As tempting as it is to use a hair dryer – or the hand dryer in the restroom – don’t do it.  The heat from these dryers is hot and may fry your phone – or worse – cause the battery to explode.

Popular Mechanics suggest the use of compressed air or a vacuum cleaner – neither of which I had readily available to me.  I opted instead to turn the air conditioner in my car on full blast.  Then, I did my MacGyver move – pure genius.  The purse that unceremoniously flung my phone into the toilet was new.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t always look for those little silicone packets that manufactures stuff into new merchandise to absorb moisture, but last night I dug around and found two!

I also had a small plastic bag for my makeup, which I emptied.  I threw the phone and packets into the plastic bag, and viola – instant evaporation chamber!  Now I have to wait three days for it to dry out before I can see if it was successful.

If it doesn’t work, I may need a new battery.  Worst case scenario is that I’ll need a new phone – and some time to repair my bruised ego.  I know that I am not the only person who has lost her virtual life down the toilet – but I feel irresponsible.  Still, accidents happen, and the good news with my virtual life is that I can recreate it.

Lexi Smith is a lifestyle guru for the woman seeking positive change.  She is owner and creative director of Being Fabulous!, a consultation and personal shopping service designed to help clients achieve a higher quality of life by finding their own signature style.