Telephone Calls

[Sam Gamgee]

I don't talk on the phone much to people that I see regularly (that is mostly text), but for someone I'm catching up with after a long time, it's usually a phone call. But I might only actually use my phone to make a call maybe once or twice a month, and sometimes not even that much.

I ignore 99% of the calls I rec'v. Some people get all sore if they call and I don't call them back. "Didn't you see you missed my call?..." But if they don't leave me a message, I assume it wasn't important and take no action.

I find that older people (60s and 70s) much prefer to talk on the phone to text, and the younger the person, the more likely they are to text than actually talk. Texting is useful on many levels, one of which is we get to think about what we are going to say before we say it, and in actual conversation this is much more difficult. But I can't help but think something is being lost by not taking the trouble to figure out how to do this.

 

[tklee]

Even last time before I married my wife, when we were still dating, we didn't talk on the phone more than 15 mins

 

[condorlover1]

@tklee : Isn't that called 'Phone Sex' if its is only 15 minutes?

 

[puff_not_snuff]

@puff_not_snuff I have always wanted to know what your personal take on the 'wow face' emoji is, you use it frequently...feel free to answer below, or alternatively, start a new thread to answer the question in an obscure fashion.

Hello Mortonbriar, I have wondered the same (big surprise) but I'm afraid I have hit my inane thread quota for the quarter but will try to remember to revisit the idea and discuss it with my shareholders (me, myself, and I) in the Spring.

Actually though, I think you and @anotherbob have influenced my own use of the "wow" not the syndicated radio show we use to have here that had "Whip it Out Wednesday" that people advertised with bumper stickers encouraging female drivers to... anyways, my own personal philosophy to the "wow" is to not only use it for seemingly "wow" moments but also for the most banal comments, or to do a blanket "wow" blitz in a thread. I am curious now to hear aboutyour own "wow" methodology.

On another note, I much prefer when a forum as a bunch of response emojis vs just a like button as it sort of removes the popularity contest aspect of liking a post, or on those occasions someone posts something sad or whatever and it feels a bit off to simply "like" the post as a way to acknowledge what the person expressed.

 

[condorlover1]

There are certain emoji I would love to add to the forum. One that appeals is a Minion clubbing the sh*t out of another Minion which I think might work quite well in certain circumstances. I would also love a 'turd' colored meerschaum pipe emoji. I have never considered the 'Whip Out Your Wang' emoji used by @anotherbob very carefully, not since the famous post about the gruesome scenes he witnessed as a school bathroom hygiene technician!

 

[Grangerous]

Your swearing off of Australian women may be prudent. If they’re anything like women from New Jersey… you may be entitled to compensation.

Yeah, it’s a shame that texting has replaced conversation.

 

[tklee]

@tklee : Isn't that called 'Phone Sex' if its is only 15 minutes?

10 & 15 Minute Phone Sex Call 1-888-247-0224​

Oh ya..... Luckily that time I didn't need to pay anything

 

[condorlover1]

www.lingojam.com has a 'text speak' translation tool for people like myself who would happily purchase a rotary dial cell phone if Apple every launched one!

 

[condorlover1]

@tklee: Thats not a phone sex number - it is the concierge service at American Express Platinum Card!

 

[tklee]

@condorlover1 Oouu..... Sorry about that, I think I'm not qualified to be a phone sex pimp

 

[PipesRock]

I was Public Information Officer for law enforcement for 10ish years before, during, and following the height of Blackberry, MySpace and the transition of TV 'news' & 'News'papers to more instant web stories. As a consequence, during the last decade I pretty much transitioned to this guy...



... dislike phones, text, social media but 'suffer' phones as Warren described. I enjoy mostly listening to my grown kids on the phone a couple times a month.

 

[condorlover1]

@PipesRock :I don't have any children but I told they can do amusing things!

 

[sjohnston0311]

Despise talking on the phone. I'm a millennial, I text.

 

[anotherbob]

I have never considered the 'Whip Out Your Wang' emoji used by @anotherbob very carefully,

Sorry I keep forgetting how much less effective that is online. (trying out this humble brag things the kids are into). And when I say effective I mean at starting a conversation about existential angst even with the philosophically disinclined.

not since the famous post about the gruesome scenes he witnessed as a school bathroom hygiene technician!

My favorite part is I wonder which one it was and which ones I've told you guys. Though more then the four foot log that was shaped like a cartoon do poo or other bathroom things, the frequency of which I find clipped toe nails in meeting rooms actually grosses me out more. It's one of those these people are out there and they're common....
Though the grossest thing was the print shop which was owned by other people in the 80's and whatever chemicals and ink they used and dumped down the sewer line still maintained their scent when the toilets backed up. I described it as the most interesting thing I've ever smelled. Honestly it beat out a neglected grease trap.

 

[mortonbriar]

Hello Mortonbriar, I have wondered the same (big surprise) but I'm afraid I have hit my inane thread quota for the quarter but will try to remember to revisit the idea and discuss it with my shareholders (me, myself, and I) in the Spring.

Actually though, I think you and @anotherbob have influenced my own use of the "wow" not the syndicated radio show we use to have here that had "Whip it Out Wednesday" that people advertised with bumper stickers encouraging female drivers to... anyways, my own personal philosophy to the "wow" is to not only use it for seemingly "wow" moments but also for the most banal comments, or to do a blanket "wow" blitz in a thread. I am curious now to hear aboutyour own "wow" methodology.

On another note, I much prefer when a forum as a bunch of response emojis vs just a like button as it sort of removes the popularity contest aspect of liking a post, or on those occasions someone posts something sad or whatever and it feels a bit off to simply "like" the post as a way to acknowledge what the person expressed.

Just........wow.

 

[anotherbob]

Hello Mortonbriar, I have wondered the same (big surprise) but I'm afraid I have hit my inane thread quota for the quarter but will try to remember to revisit the idea and discuss it with my shareholders (me, myself, and I) in the Spring.

Actually though, I think you and @anotherbob have influenced my own use of the "wow" not the syndicated radio show we use to have here that had "Whip it Out Wednesday" that people advertised with bumper stickers encouraging female drivers to... anyways, my own personal philosophy to the "wow" is to not only use it for seemingly "wow" moments but also for the most banal comments, or to do a blanket "wow" blitz in a thread. I am curious now to hear aboutyour own "wow" methodology.

On another note, I much prefer when a forum as a bunch of response emojis vs just a like button as it sort of removes the popularity contest aspect of liking a post, or on those occasions someone posts something sad or whatever and it feels a bit off to simply "like" the post as a way to acknowledge what the person expressed.

That reminds me of another janitor story. My position is a coverage position as in someone is off I do their job or at least cover it enough that things keep going and it's not so bad when they get back. I was covering one of the few classroom buildings in our district. It has a big floor that require lots of cleaning and regular burnishing (polishing it so it's really shiny, best ratio of not hard to people thanking you). I was cleaning that floor and had to use a stand up ride on floor auto scrubber. There was one female student who kept looking at me. It was an inquisitive figuring things out look, the kind that usually leads to questions like did you go to this high school are you related to Stephen Snotgrass etc... So noticed it but not a big thing. Then when I got to where she was she did that trick of oh gee did I drop that thing. The thing was this sticker that showed how a shot or beer or wine requires different volumes to get the same drunk. But at the top it says "size matters". My first thought oh she heard a rumor that is not true or is about someone else she thinks I am.
About five minutes later I am taking the things through a little area without a lot of room where I have to watch the corners to not get stuck. Looking down I realized I had the most comically large pants tent I've ever had in my life. Or in other words I continue to innovate ways to disappoint woman.

 

[anotherbob]

Despise talking on the phone. I'm a millennial, I text.

Hey me too. I am an old fart but I hate talking on the phone. Though I loved it till working certain jobs. One of those jobs sucked so much I had trouble sleeping because I'd honestly think "the sooner I fall asleep the sooner I'll feel like I am back at that place".

 

[mso489]

I wish I had more of a inclination to "hang out" in person or on the phone. Introversion doesn't bode well for ones presence in the world. Over the years, I've had some good phone calls with family and old friends, when I relax and enjoy myself. But it's not a habit by a long shot. I recently had good, rather long phone calls with a cousin, my sisters, and a friend from college more than fifty years ago with whom I've exchanged visits over the years.

Now the phone is such a channel for incessant sales pitches and endless scams and scuzz, getting phone calls isn't much fun. My wife and I quote a journalist friend of hers when the phone rings: "What fresh hell is this?"

 

[condorlover1]

Sorry I keep forgetting how much less effective that is online. (trying out this humble brag things the kids are into). And when I say effective I mean at starting a conversation about existential angst even with the philosophically disinclined.

My favorite part is I wonder which one it was and which ones I've told you guys. Though more then the four foot log that was shaped like a cartoon do poo or other bathroom things, the frequency of which I find clipped toe nails in meeting rooms actually grosses me out more. It's one of those these people are out there and they're common....
Though the grossest thing was the print shop which was owned by other people in the 80's and whatever chemicals and ink they used and dumped down the sewer line still maintained their scent when the toilets backed up. I described it as the most interesting thing I've ever smelled. Honestly it beat out a neglected grease trap.

I remember now that I described you as 'the N.E USA turd sommelier' after the description of the famous foot long....

 

[anotherbob]

I remember now that I described you as 'the N.E USA turd sommelier' after the description of the famous foot long....

yeah I can't describe the smell of that thing. But I honestly thought I would have to call emergency services because it was clearly not right. The other person who smelled had a similar reaction. They thought it was a chemical spill or pipe backing up not a single log. I think it might have been from one of the contract construction guys just because no one who works in that building died from some horrible disease recently.