Pages

Sunday, September 26, 2010

How I really feel about Caller I.D.

I've been described as a Tech-NO before... it's a title I'm trying my best to shed by learning a little HTML here (don't know what it stands for though...) and eventually I hope to be able to program my VCR to stop flashing 12:00...  (ummmm... wait, do I even HAVE a VCR anymore?  I'll have to check on that)

I was the last person I know to get a cell phone.  I still rarely use the darn thing.  I actually resent being tied to my phone.  If I'm not home... I LIKE the fact that I'm unreachable for a few minutes.  Very few people actually have my cell phone number...  (I make exceptions for the kids' schools...)

So this Caller I.D. thing - I know... everyone has it right?
I don't.
I resent when somebody calls me back based on the fact that I dialed their number.   If I had REALLY needed to talk to you, I would have left a message.  I promise.  Or worse yet - I misdialed my ManOfTheHouse once and the wrong number called me back.  He identified himself and then asked me why I called.  Oh BOY was he annoyed when I told him I'd called him simply because my finger slipped and his number happened to be similar to M.O.T.H.'s...  ummm, sorry sir - but really... I hung up after two rings and you were not required to return my call.

My LEAST favorite?  When people expect me to know who they are when they call me.  Growing up (and no, I did NOT grow up in the dark ages... but we didn't have caller I.D. - or cell phones... or VCRs... okay, maybe it WAS the dark ages...)  we were taught that it was common courtesy to identify yourself when calling someone's home.   Now?  I sit and spend the first minute or two of every conversation trying to piece together enough clues to figure out who I am speaking with.  It's a little embarrassing to have to ask "who is this?"...  but I do have to resort to that occasionally.
M.O.T.H. met some guy once who wanted us to hire him for... oh who knows what... the only thing I remember is that he'd call and begin chatting like we were old friends.  Did I recognize his voice?  yep.  Somehow it still annoyed me that he wouldn't I.D. himself when making a business call.  I ALWAYS said "now who is this again?" when he called... and somehow he never took the hint...  well, until I told him to stop calling altogether...  of course, that hint wasn't exactly subtle... but that's a story for another day :)

17 comments:

Saimi said...

VCR? Come on now, they don't make those anymore do they...We live in the ages of the DVD.

TisforTonya said...

dang Saimi - you managed to get in before I finished... didn't even realize that whatever combination of keys I was accidentally hitting would publish before I was done :)

Unknown said...

If it makes you feel better ...it may not... I dont have a cell phone...oh ya sorry this is Bridget you know me ? right? ha ha oh ya and I still have a VCR and wait for it.....wait for it....Cassette tapes and even a cassette player...you have to have one to play the cassettes...lol (in case you forgot what they are, you know...)

gigi said...

I love the caller ID. Now my mama will answer the phone when one of her children call home. She went for year not answering the phone. Always fighting depression and not caring to talk to anyone. Thankfully she always wants to talk to us kids. I find myself not anwering certain calls now too. LOVE it!

Cluttered Brain said...

Same thing happens to me EXCEPT I usually confuse the voices and think it is another person when it is not. Then I have to flat out ask who it is...
*sigh*
Just identify yourself.
It makes life for me a TON easier!

Kristina P. said...

Don't get me started! At work, I place reminder calls for appointments the next day. If they don't answer, I leave a message. You have no idea how many people who call back and ask who called. LISTEN TO YOUR MESSAGE!!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

T you probably have an 8 track tape player huh?

I love caller ID.
I hate when people don't identify themselves and just assume I know them.

HTML hyper text markup link

Wow, why did I know that?

Megz said...

You know nobody answers their phone Sunday morning because of Caller ID. They just know if so-and-so is calling it's because they need a primary sub. And forget it if it's coming directly from the church....
Yeah, I got my beefs with called ID too. I tend to take it a little personally if someone is sitting by their phone, sees my number and purposefully doesn't get it. Talk about rejection.

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

OKay I have no idea what a VCR is... must be too young for that ;)

Anyway... This is Shelle... and I missed lunch, so we (you and I and April if she wants to come) should go get a Nielsen's frozen custard... or a buy one get one half off glacier at Frostop

Just sayin.

Barbaloot said...

Drives me crazy when people call back if I don't leave a message! I'm so with you---if I wanted to talk to you, or had something to say, I would've left a message!

lori said...

I like caller ID, but hate when people call back just using the id #. My hubby sometimes will make work calls from our home phone... he always leaves a message telling them to call back on his work/cell #. I get quite a few weird calls from people "why'd you call me?" UHHH I didn't, "who are you?" I don't really like to answer that question before I know who I'm talking to.

Becky said...

I should make my mom read this post. She always gets mad at me because I never call her back. Only I don't know she ever called in the first place. I told her we have an answering machine specifically for that purpose, but she assumes we have caller ID. I'm not exactly sure why, since we've NEVER had caller ID, but the woman refuses to leave a dang message! Grrr.

Gina said...

I'm such a jerk that I love caller ID just so I can screen calls. "nope... don't want to talk to her today!"

Chelsi said...

HTML? Hyper Text Markup Language. I wouldn't know if I didn't learn it at school. I, personally, love caller id, for the most part. I prefer not having the surprise of who is calling. I don't, however, think you people should call back everyone who appears on their caller id. My mom is a secretary at an elementary school, and people will call the school and ask, "Who called from this number? Are you serious? Do you have any idea how many people work at an elementary school? Silly, silly, silly.

Jen T said...

Believe it or not, I don't have a cell phone or caller ID or an answering machine. I am kind of reclusive :) I also hate when people don't identify themselves when they call. Super annoying!

Missy said...

My poor old dad does that callback thing! LOL I hate it...

Charlotte said...

I have fallen in love with caller ID since I got it a couple years ago. It is called screening your calls and it is lovely. If there is no ID listed or it says "customer service" I don't answer.

I do get flustered when I call someone and they answer with, "Hi Charlotte" before I introduce myself.