Do you have a problem with telephones?

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I'm starting to think I probably do as well.

Another phone-fact about me: my mobile has developed a small scratch and I want to throw it away and get a new one because it's not perfect any more

I think I do alright on the phone though I do have my bad days where I have to keep asking them to repeat themselves because I was so stressed all I could hear was gibberish.

I absolutely loath having to use a phone though.

The company I work for gave me a cell phone I have to wear but I conveniently forget to charge the battery 5 days out of 7

Yes, I don't like talking on the phone as well.

It makes me so nervous.

Sometimes, I don't like phones, but what i really hate are those stupid answering machines. I would rather talk to the person instead of the machine. Usually, if an answering machine picks up, I will hang up and try again later. But, if i'm the only person at home, I will wait for the answering machine to pick up to see who it is before i answer it (just because i don't know who's calling).

I'm okay with someone else phoning me, but I can't stand calling others, especially just for a chat (my Mum always tells me to call my friends, but I feel uncomfortable phoning anyone without a clear purpose for the call). I also won't return a missed call unless it's someone I know, which my little sister constantly berates me for, but I just hate initiating conversation, which is what phoning others is as far as I'm aware. I can usually cope with others phoning me, and thankfully most of my friends are happy doing most of the talking, or are into my specialist subjects, so I don't have to worry about not knowing what to say.

I find talking on the phone tedious. I prefer very short and to-the-point conversations generally unless I'm catching up with an old friend and an in-person meeting isn't possible. Lately I've also taken to using text messaging a lot.

I have a big problem with phones and answering machines. When I phone someone, I want to be talking to them, dirrectley. I don't want to be talking into some Space-Aged machine. I also find that it's a lot easier to communicate VIA E-Mail.

I love to Email, don't have to worry when the person responds, I can think of what to write. On the phone you have to process information and then reply to it, it can be very difficult. I like to text from the house & mobile phone also.

I also prefer to text or email. Then I can change my mind and re-type, which you can't do in a verbal conversation. If I get it wrong it's just too late - I've already said it! You can't 'un-say' stuff (if only! I'd have avoided so much worry and misery in my life if I could have 'un-said' things!) I'm sure you can all relate to this Also, if someone's written/typed what they want to say I won't have a problem hearing it.... even if they have a really difficult regional accent

Wow... people call without any reason?
Actually I know a lot of my friends do that among themselves but I never do it myself. Just too weird.

I hate the ringing of the phone...AH the thing was ringing just now and it was the phone people!!!My bill is late and they are saying they're going to restrict all phone stuff until they get their money. My bills are always late. Anyway, I hate the ringing, I hate talking on it, I hate the fact that everyone feels they have to run to answer the phone.

It's not the phone, actually, it's just that there might be a person on the other end... {{{shudder}}}

... and when you CAN'T avoid it any longer and you HAVE to make a call about something important, you finally gather the resolve to go through with it and you get an answering machine.

For a brief moment you have this "sigh of relief" feeling building inside you, but now you are on the spot to try to leave a coherent message that identifies the reason you called, etc all in a matter of seconds.

If you have really run out of luck, the person you called picks up the phone just as you struggle to complete the message in time. Sometimes it's tempting to just say, "Sorry I missed you", and hang up on them, but you can't do that either. You're too honest.

This wonder of modern technology that everyone is so enamoured with has just put you so near a spitting scream that you're finding it hard to breathe and you must now sound glad to catch them, after all ...

THEN you must try to remember what important business caused all this in the first place. You cannot resort to small talk as a filler! As bad as small talk is to start with, it is excruciating over the phone!

It's a great idea, but phones simply don't work for me. They are useless!

LOL! yes, quite!

I think I have a greater fear of talking on the phone than in person, although in person I am very shy and nervous too, but I dunno what it is. I hate using phones for the most part because I am very private and paranoid - I don't want anybody else in the house to hear what I'm talking about. So when my 1 friend calls me, I refuse to talk about some things unless I go to her house. I also hate my voice and I'm nervous about talking to anyone new and what they're gonna think of how I sound and talk >.< It's also really hard when I'm not sure HOW to say what I want to say over the phone.

Alot of times when something can ONLY be done over the phone, I choose to not go ahead with it at all. It's too nerve-wracking, its not usually worth it. If somebody wants to talk to me - EMAIL ME! I'll surely be alot more comfortable and open about what really needs to be said anyway! Othertimes it HAS to be done and can ONLY be done over the phone - like whenever I have credit card or online banking problems, but luckily they have all the questions for you and its actually easy and fast. but somehow I dread it anyway.

And the telemarketers.... I am HORRIBLE at this! Those people are BASTARDS! I often feel like I have to say 'yes' to get it overwith already because they won't take no for an answer, no reason is ever good enough for them, and somehow I'm incapable of just hanging up until the conversation is done. I often have to accept the offer, wait for it in the mail, and then YIPPIE I have to phone AGAIN to cancel it. Which sometimes doesn't happen anyway because I procrastinate phoning to such a long time that the month passes and they charge me for the service!

OH! And and then there is getting the phone, its for my brother, and I have to look ALL OVER the place for him and he's no where to be FOUND, take a message, and then ofcourse I forget to tell him about it later and he gets pissed off at me that he never got his message!

And OFCOURSE people only call you when you are watching one of your favourite shows and you don't want to miss anything! Or interrupted ANYTHING you're focused on.

I can understand the need for phones in earlier times, but these days I wish it was possible to just not own one at all. If I could get away with that, I totally would do that.

Last edited by Solidess on 21 Sep 2006, 6:01 am, edited 1 time in total.