We’ve all been there – en route to a super important place (coffee) and you whip out the super savvy iPhone 5S (just me?) and finish scrolling that IG feed, send a text containing low-key slang, some OMGEESS and a face palm emoji (still just me?). You’re swerving in your imaginary lane, maybe you even come to a complete stop and if you have your earbuds in, forget about hearing on-coming traffic or the shuffle of the financial district at your heels.

I get it. I have been that person. But lately, I have been leaving my phone in my pocket, on my desk, at home to be more in touch and aware of my surroundings. I don’t want to contribute to the madness that is the already disconnected shuffle around me. We look down at our phones to meet someone who could be right in front of us. We don’t notice we’re next in line, we miss what could be an opportunity to connect to a friend or stranger. We have made even the transition times, the times in between the doing, more doing.

So let’s give them a category, shall we? Hopefully with a full vocabulary to better identify these scroll-and-stroll types, we can have some compassion, gently give them the stink-eye and change the way we interact with the world by becoming more aware of our surroundings, each other and the way we move about our day and the world.

1. The Drunk. You know the walk – left, right, left, more left, right. This is harder to get around than a stroller at Disneyland.
2. Braking Bad. Walking, walking and then stop. Without warning. Without common sense.
3. Swol Sister. Girl (or guy) at the gym with her earbuds in. Not because she’s working out and bumpin’ (get it, guurrl!) but walking up the stairs (enter The Drunk or the Braking bad here) or even (yes – IRL situation) in line for the shower. THE WORST. I literally had to tap that sweaty shoulder to let her know the shower was free. That had better been The Weeknd she was listening to. Then we coo.
4. Stair (not)Master. Trying to get somewhere and lo and behold – blocked. By The Drunk or Braking Bad attempting to go up or down the stairs. Look, I get it, Swol Sister is swol and that spin class was like sooo hard but can the phone chill in the Lululemon pocket for a hot second while you complete the task at hand?!
5. Obvi Oblivious. Headphones on or head down or both, these people get so absorbed in their appy happenings that they don’t even realize someone is right behind them also trying to get through the door, maybe with coffee in hand or of the bag lady variety (guilty on both accounts).

It’s been one of those days – homegirl just needs to vent and try to restore some order in the crazy tech-centric streets of San Francisco. Look-up, dearies. There’s a whole lot of cool stuff to see and you’re missing out. You can always set a reminder on your phone to tell you to engage with world.