Take it from me: never, ever get a new phone number

Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI

Two years ago, I got a new phone number. In the eyes of my social media and ride-hailing apps, Amazon, my bank, and the state of Pennsylvania, that effectively meant I lost my identity. Only recently have I emerged from this technology-induced quagmire.

Sitting at my desk with a new smartphone in hand, I slowly rotated my head up and down while staring into the front-facing camera. Then, without breaking eye contact with the lens, I carefully turned my head from one ear to the other.