a friend of mine is looking for a job and i happen to know a guy, a former manager of mine, who might be able to use a guy with his skills and experience.
i just called him and he answered. his voice was soft, and i could hear voices in the background. he was in a (business) meeting, he explained, and he would call me me back later.
OK, that's great, but honestly dude, why did you even pick up the phone? your mobile phone tells you who's calling, and if you're in a meeting, why answer?
this, of course, gave me an idea for a poll.
under what circumstances will you ignore an incoming phone call? mobile phone, home, work, whatever?
ed
p.s.: as always, my answers later, yadda yadda yadda...
silverwhisper posted on Dec 05, 2007
| views: 511
Comments
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skald said on Dec 05, 2007....
Oh I´m the first. I always used to answer the home phone at once. Was just thinking about it the other day. It is not necessary to jump all wet out of the bath to find the home phone or off the toilet.
My cell has the habit of ringing when I am paying in a shop even though it never rings. i do pick it up and say that I will phone back but I feel embarrassed. It also rings when I am driving and then I just don't pick it up. I can always phone later.
When my boys were teenagers the home phone, we only had those then, was ringing all evening. It was not possible to watch a movie. I was glad when we got a thread less phone. t that time I saw an Icelandic play on TV. It was a family with teenagers and one day the phone did not ring all day. The husband said to the wife, check the phone it must be out of order. That is how I felt if our phone did not ring for half an hour.
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beyondtheveil said on Dec 05, 2007....
When I was growing up and years after everyone answered the phone because it was going to be someone you knew. Now, I never answer on the land line and check the cell to see what is on the other end. I don't have business meetings (except with the puppy) so the only time I don't answer the cell is when I'm shopping and am too busy to stop and have a conversation. Fast and heavy traffic on the freeway can stop me from answering too. -
uniquely-ironic said on Dec 05, 2007....
We don't have a home phone now. We've discovered that most of the calls were sales or other annoyances, so we just use our cells. Why pay $100 minimum for the aggravation?I will answer the phone most times if I recognize the number. Exceptions to that are if traffic is horrible, I'm in the bathroom or at work and busy. I turn off my phone at movies, doctor's offices or if I'm out to dinner and don't want to be bothered.If I don't recognize the number I will rarely pick up. -
Twylarants said on Dec 05, 2007....
We no longer have a land line, just our cells. I only answer if I recognize the number.
Most of our communication is texting anyway.
Some customers will stand right in front of the counter and hold up a 'wait a minute'
finger when I ask if I can help them so they can finish their call. I don't, I walk away. Just don't come up to the counter until you're done with your call.
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TinSoldier said on Dec 05, 2007....
Hmm, I'll answer the phone most times.
But not if I'm in a meeting or in some other kind of activity in which it would be rude to turn my attention away. And now, probably not while driving either.
My in-laws and my wife will generally not answer their phone if they don't recognize the number. I will, though.
Like some others, we no longer have a landline in our house.
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Eilan said on Dec 05, 2007....
Although we have a cell phone (that's right--just one!), we still have a land line, as dial-up is currently the only Internet option available to us.
Unless I know that it's a local number, I don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the caller. If it's important, he or she can leave a message.
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frontanack said on Dec 05, 2007....
I answer when I feel like it, and can get there without breaking a leg.
update: Beau is in custody in Ottawa: taken to children's Aid;
arrangements for her return to tbay will be through that office and the tbay office.
and the man who took her thinks they will let her stay and antagonized my son through msn being very abusive: I am going to copy the conversation and post it on the Frontanack blog for you all. :) peace out.
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nursecutie said on Dec 05, 2007....
I don't usually answer my phone when I'm at work. I leave it in my purse and then I check it when I have a free moment or a break. I also ignore calls from people I don't feel like talking to.
Or if I'm already talking to someone else in person, I won't interrupt our conversation unless the caller is someone important. Or I am expecting the call for some reason.
I almost never answer the house phone unless I know the number calling. That is b/c it's usually a telemarketer. And I don't speak to them!
xxoo natalie xxoo
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tbs230 said on Dec 05, 2007....
Well, funny you should mention this...I was just having a conversation with my mother about calling her. I called her, she missed it, called me back...I missed her call so I called her back. She picked up and said, "I just left you a message telling you not to call me back." (well, I thought it was funny! hmph)
If it's family, I will pick up.
If it's friends, I will only pick up if I'm not busy, and actually feel like talking to them.
If it's an unknown number, I will only pick up if I'm not busy.
...but all this is contingent on me actually hearing my phone ring.
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wombat said on Dec 05, 2007....
I have been known to ignore a ringing phone alot while I am doing just what I am doing right now--posting. Ha...I ignore it when I am afraid it is work calling wanting to come in early or on my day off. And I ignore it when in bed. By the time my cranky knees get there, the answering machine has already picked up anyway. I just listen to see if it is important enough to try to get up.... -
destinydiva said on Dec 05, 2007....
almost always! I hate the phone! I did have a phone with caller display and it conked on me a few weeks ago, so now I have to guess wether or not I should answer it :-) I usually dont .. if its super important they phone my mobile, which I dont answer either...unless it rings after my land line rang cus then I think it might be important.... but its usually dom mithering or my mum just wondering where I am! :-) xx
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Lioness said on Dec 05, 2007....
I don't answer my cellphone calls when:
1. I have official meetings (I always see to it to put it on silent mode)
2. It's bedtime (I don't like to be disturbed when sleeping)
3. It's an unknown number (I know the caller would text if it's really important)
4. I am not ready to talk. (While mad or having a bad mood, while talking to someone -- except if it's family or someone from work)
5. I don't want to talk with the person
I don't always get calls in my landline phone at home. But if I do, I answer it promptly (rarely do we have telemarketers here), unless if it is, as mentioned, bedtime. :D
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evil_twin said on Dec 05, 2007....
I answer my phone when it's convenient. If I'm at work and not too busy, I'll pick up my cell. But usually only if it's someone I really want to talk to. If I'm in a meeting or something, I usually turn my phone off or set it to vibrate. I would never answer it at that moment.
Most of the time, if I don't feel like talking, I won't answer. And then whoever it is will usually send me a text if they really have something to say. And like Natalie said above, we almost never answer the home phone unless we know who's calling. If it's not a telemarketer, they'll leave a message.
-evil_twin LA
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wombat said on Dec 05, 2007....
I've been systematically getting rid of telemarketers by calling them back, and listening to their messages of how to take yourself off their list. Sometimes I get a real person, sometimes instructions on which buttons to push. There is the "Don't Call" number thing, but I heard that if you are on it, next June you will have to re-do it. Something about it being good only for five years if you have called before. I hate telemarket calls! They really "push my buttons!" -
BreA2 said on Dec 06, 2007....
As some others have already said, I will only answer the phone if i recognize the number so if it is someone i know using a different number or something i guess that they have to sit through the torture of my ring back tone and if they want called back, they have to leave a voice mail. other times i don't answer the phone when i'm out to lunch or with a group of people. if i can see that it might be important i sometimes get up and excuse myself. i hate it when people just whip out there cells like it a nice dinner conversation or something! -
D6fer said on Dec 06, 2007....
I get sooooo many calls every day....it's driving me nuts....I racked up about 30 hours last month.....I won't answer if its an area code that I don't recognize, or if the number is not listed or private.....I won't usually answer if I'm with someone else on business....try not to in restaurants....turn it off in the theater.....I do use when driving....I know I know....shame on me....but, I get so many calls that I don't have enough time to be pulling over all thew time...I would like to get blue tooth. -
crybabylu said on Dec 06, 2007....
Ed--If you called me, no matter what I was doing......I'd pick up the phone. I would definitely say, that you are an important caller to him. -
lfbno7 said on Dec 06, 2007....
At work I always answer the phone. At home I never answer the phone unless I'm waiting for a specific call. -
fearing said on Dec 06, 2007....
Ed, My cell phone rings constantly. I have rather relaxed work situations so it is very possible for me to answer it but that doesn't mean I'm going to. At work, it depends on what I am doing with the children and who is calling. At home, I don't answer the phone at all if I am helping Scooter Bug with homework, we are eating dinner together, or Sweety is here. Family time is a valuable commodity and I don't want to spend it on the phone. Rare exceptions are my mother/brothers. If it is a convenient time, I will pick up. -
MissMimi said on Dec 06, 2007....
I pick up if I recognize the number. I'm much worse about listening to voicemail. Right now I have four new voicemails on my cell. They've been there for a few days. Or if I'm listening, as soon as I know who it is, if it's a friend or a family member, I tend to delete the message without listening to the whole thing. I know a few people who carry on whole conversations on voicemail, and it drives me crazy. -
Me-Myself&I said on Dec 06, 2007....
i don't carry a cell...i only answer the landline if i know who is at the other end. but besides that ...i'll always answer. -
beyondtheveil said on Dec 06, 2007....
unique- You are right that many (most?) people don't need a land line. I keep mine because I retired from a communications company and get all the features, use of the answering machine, and unlimited long distance for six bucks a month. If it wasn't for this, I wouldn't have one either. -
uniquely-ironic said on Dec 06, 2007....
BTV - $6 a month?!! That's insane but very cool. If it only cost me that much I'd have one too. -
frontanack said on Dec 06, 2007....
re:"Keep us posted?"... in case you have not accessed my blog... the creepchris came on msn last night under the name of "Beau I am with you always.." (changed from.."Beau will you marry me when you are ready?"and he brutalized geri, telling him that 'Beau is not coming home.." and many hurtful and cruel things. about 5 pages, and then geri just blocked him.and, .. I talked to both OPP and CAS .. and they assured me that, yes, Beau is in custody: group home: / they are aware she may try to run/ they have told her "You run: we will follow" so...and this am, his msn nickname said."Chris" ...:)but then, as I was about to show that to geri: it changed to:"See you when you get home". :(I am going to put my "morning rant" up on my blog.. and then, I am going to call the P0lice and CAS///// and go get a peace bond. :) -
CreativeWoman said on Dec 06, 2007....
I pick up my phone most of the time if I can talk. I figure if I can't get to it, they'll leave a voice mail and I'll return the call. I really don't worry about it much.
CW
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travelr712 said on Dec 06, 2007....
well, i don't have a phone of my own at work, and i don't have a cell phone. before B. moved back in, i may have gotten 2 calls a month that weren't solicitations, and i don't answer those. now that B. is here, my phone gets 20 calls a day, and none of them are for me, so it does me no good to answer it anyway. so i guess my answer would be, never :-) -
wakingharmony said on Dec 06, 2007....
ed~ Im with cry~ The guy must have considered your call important to answer. I answeer if Im one near phon or only one home... but what ticks me off I havent figured out my phoe yet is I just got a call and a lady recording says she has important call BULL! #2 Bull I have been over paying interest om my credit card!!!! Well Isn't that a crock I dont have a credit card but please do send me a money order with my over payment! In the mail...Post office mail. -
honeybunny said on Dec 06, 2007....
I will ignore most any number I do not recognize. I also hate those callers that show "No Name", do they really think someone is gonna answer when they aint got a clue who is on the line. -
PassionTraveler said on Dec 06, 2007....
I won't pick up if:- Blocked ID and I'm not expecting a call from one of my two friends with blocked IDs.
- Don't recognize the area code. (I'll answer an unknown number if the area code is familiar to me since it could be a friend using a different phone.)
- Its a chatty or needy friend and I haven't the energy to deal. I'll listen to the VM and if it seems safe, I'll call them back.
- If it's my mom and I have less than 20 mins to talk. (She's never less than an hour).
- If I'm on the toilet
- Shower
- Tied up at work (meetings or just busy)
- On a date, possibly in the throws of passion. ;)
PT
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silverwhisper said on Dec 06, 2007....
skald: i always used to be the first to the phone, too. oddly, my phone doesn't ring when i'm in stores, though. i wonder if that's just me, though? heh...that's very funy about that play--seriously, i can definitely see that! :D
beyond: like eilan, i too use dial-up so i'm obliged to have a land line. we have caller ID On it though so we have a pretty good idea of when not to bother picking up.
u-i: honestly, i'm deeply envious. :> me, i always used to leave my phone on during work, just in case there was an emergency.
twyla: you know, some day i should get on a text plan...
TS: dude, you gotta be careful! me, i have to answer when i don't recognize the number in case it's someone calling for an interview.
eilan: when i was commuting, having a mobile phone was a godsend. seriously. esp b/c every few weeks there was some kind of major problem and the mrs was picking me up...
front: i'm sorry, i really am, but i absolutely cannot follow anything whatsoever going on in your blog page. i don't know who any of the people are or how they're involved. it's exceedingly hard for me to follow and i've tried reading it all (that's a whole lot of blog entries) and i just can't.
nat: as a nurse, i'm sure it must be difficult to talk during your shift! btw, are you familiar with the do not call registry?
tbs: heh, that's really funny about your mom! :D me, i always ignore the phone if i'm in bed unless i'm expecting it.
wombat: that's funny, i always interrupt my online time if someone calls! of course, i suppose it would be hard to tell sometimes, huh? :D also, check out the link in my comment to eilan, above.
destiny: ah, you're one of the people who refers to her phone as a leash, aren't you? :>
lioness: those are some pretty good rules, if you ask me.
kyle: i turn my phone off udring meetings, too. i find it funny that in interview advice articles that i see, they have to tell people to turn their phones off during an interview! that blows my mind!
brea2: welcome to my blog! i do the same as you with unfamiliar numbers on my mobile usually. and i detest it when people use their phones in a restaurant and are just chatting.
d6: 30 hours? as in, like, 1800 minutes? dude, you gotta stop calling those 900 numbers! :D
dee: i dunno, i know this guy...we aren't really that close, so i was really surprised, you know?
lbf: well, at work of course you answer the phone!
fearing: i like the barriers you have in place to preserve family time. :>
mimi: seriously, i cannot imagine leaving a voicemail unopened deliberately! maybe i'm weird like that, though?
mm&i: well, w/ a landline it's different, isn't it?
beyond: i used to know an engineer who used to work for bell labs. he had a great plan!
CW: i too always assume that if it's important, there'll be a voicemail. however, my parents don't seem to grasp this concept so they never leave voicemails. it's incredibly frustrating!
trav: you're an IT geek that has no mobile phone? [blink] damn dude, you're a true original!
wh: yeah, i routinely just hang up on recorded messages too, although sometimes, if no one's in earshot, i'll vent a little spleen at the top of my lungs just for the hell of it. :D
honeybunny: mind if i shorten that to hb? anyway: yeah, i have trouble ignoring a ringing phone, myself.
PT: bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! yeah, i just can't imagine even hearing a ringing phone if i'm otherwise...engaged, myself! :>
me, i have a rule: a physical person takes precedences over a call and a call takes precedence over e-mail/site. i'll break that rule if it's someone close or it's late--cuz no good news ever comes late at night.
ed -
travelr712 said on Dec 06, 2007....
silver - thank you! i get that allot. :-) i also get complaints that i don't have a cell phone. but when i did have one, the expense and hassle of it did not outweigh the necessity of the 2 calls i got per week that were actually valid. i don't miss it a bit! -
silverwhisper said on Dec 06, 2007....
you know, i held out until a few years ago but now that i have one, i find it utterly indispensable!
ed -
CreativeWoman said on Dec 06, 2007....
My parents aren't good about leaving messages either. They are also bad about turning off their phones if they are together. My sister and I just shake our heads at that.
CW
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Mamie said on Dec 06, 2007....
I only answer the calls where I know the person. If it comes up unknown in any fashion, I hang up on it so we don;t have to listen to the ringing nor the random VM. If I do pick it up by accident and a nice person has "great news" for me and my mortgage, etc. I tell them I am in the same industry...they are gracious and say good bye before I do.
I always check call waiting while on a call but only interrupt my first call if it is my husband or my daughter. Esp. daughter as I am always on guard since she is driving now. If not them, I let it go to VM.
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silverwhisper said on Dec 06, 2007....
CW: i dunno, i always leave mine on anyway, myself. :>
mamie: are you talking about your landline or mobile? and one thing i do prefer my mobile phone for is that with mobile phone call waiting, at least you see the phone# that's calling.
ed -
travelr712 said on Dec 06, 2007....
silver - yeah, that happened to me too, and when i didn't have one anymore, i went through 'phone withdrawel'. now i see it as just a convenience. i'm never more than a few minutes from a phone, and my life does not belong to the people on the other end. -
TinSoldier said on Dec 06, 2007....
Why do I have to be careful?
I usually answer my phone, and when I'm looking for a job I'm likely to give out my number, not my wife's or my in-laws'.
Just not when I'm driving or otherwise have to pay attention to business matters.
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silverwhisper said on Dec 07, 2007....
trav: see, for me it's indispensable due to personal calls, not work ones. :>
TS: i was referring to your blog entry about phone use whlie driving, man. :>
ed -
travelr712 said on Dec 07, 2007....
silver - i see. yeah, it was convenient for that. i think that when i have a job that pays a bit more, and i've gotten into a better financial position with a little more regular disposable cash (like there is such a thing!), i'll probably break down and get one. but i'm enjoying the freedom from phone at the moment :-) -
destinydiva said on Dec 07, 2007....
yeah, silver, I defo see the phone as a leash! :-) I love going out and leaving my phone at home!! which I can only do when the kids are staying at my mums and its past their bedtime, and honestly! I feel the freedom !! :-) -
evil_twin said on Dec 07, 2007....
Ed, our number is on the do not call list, but we still get calls from our credit card companies trying to sell us special insurance for our accounts. And we get calls from people wanting donations to their charities too. So I guess even when you're on the list, there are ways around it. Or else they're breaking the rules.
-evil_twin LA
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the_infernal_optimist said on Dec 07, 2007....
I'm one of those people who really wants to know who's calling, so I'll usually at least glance at my phone to see who it is.
I don't pick up, though, if I have a kid in my arms. And I wouldn't answer in the middle of supper, or in the middle of a conversation with someone else face-to-face, or in a business meeting, etc.
Basically, I figure they'll either leave a voice mail or call back if it's super-important, and if not, I'll call them back (if it's a friend) as soon as I'm free.
~Infernal
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wombat said on Dec 07, 2007....
silverwhisper: Thanks for the info. I had heard that on the radio back last summer, I think. I did not they had decided not to do it. -
queenparanoia said on Dec 07, 2007....
when i'm in soulcast.. =) -
silverwhisper said on Dec 07, 2007....
trav: heh...i don't think i can conceive of it as freedom anymore...
destiny: yeah, i can totally see that for you. :>
kyle: WTF? insurance for a damned mobile phone?! what, do you and nat have iphones or something?!
infernal: that sounds so you. :>
wombat: my pleasure! :D
queen: o, fess up--if dazed calls while you're on SC, i don't believe for a second that you wouldn't pick up and comment at the same time! :p
ed -
queenparanoia said on Dec 07, 2007....
ehehehe youre right about that... =) -
silverwhisper said on Dec 07, 2007....
yeah, figured... :D
ed
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