(no subject)

[nolly]

I just posted this as a comment in someone else's LJ, but I think it deserves a post of its own here.

I hate calling when I don't know who's going to answer the phone. Even when I know everyone in the house, if I want to talk to one specifically, I'll freeze. It's part of why I'll nearly always call a cell before a home number. There are a few exceptions, like my parents, and maybe my brother and his wife. Strangers are a subset of not knowing who will answer. I do find business calls easier than personal calls, usually because I don't feel like I'm potentially interrupting something more important -- I'm calling for a legitimate reason. They're also usually easier to script. I'd hate coldcalling, though.

Comments

[gymgeek.livejournal.com]

I have no problem calling people. I hate leaving messages on machines. I detest this. And I hate it when people leave long, rambling messages on my machine. I just want to know your name and phone number. That's it. And that's due to the fact I tend to leave long, rambling messages for some reason, and I hate that I do it. I am one of two people I know that don't own a cellphone or at least have a partner with a cellphone. I'm not changing that fact, either.

[gymgeek.livejournal.com]

As a follow up, I don't worry about interrupting someone doing something more important. If it were that important, they should have let the machine get it, or just not answer in general. I know when I'm in the middle of my stories, I let the machine get it. M*A*S*H or Babylon 5 is way more important than any phone call. :)

[nolly.livejournal.com]

While I know most people do that, I was not brought up that way, I can't ignore the phone myself, and I can't assume other people ignore it or turn off the ringer. While I know this is my own hang-up (no pun intended), it's not one I can easily break.

[nolly.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I'd rather talk to the machine than the person. Other times, I'll hang up on the machine, because I only want to talk to the person, and I don't even feel like saying "This is Nolly, please call me back as soon as you can." Either because what I wanted to talk about was time sensitive, or because it's too complicated to explain on a machine without it coming out too dire, or something.

phones

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

i dislike interrupt processing, ergo i dislike the phone. i don't like being called and i don't like calling. and yeah, i usually prefer to connect with a machine if i call.

with the exception of people very close to me. but even those know better than to call me casually. well, except for the paramour who calls from the grocery store because the shopping list is at home. :) but even in my LDRs the phone is usually not a mode of communication we use. haven't called the *poing* in more than a year.

i have an easier time calling businesses because, well, it's part of their business. unless they like email. i wish everyone had email. :)