What do you think of phone convarsations?

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I don't like talking on the phone. I just don't know what to talk about, most of the time, and I don't want to bore people by talking about my obsessions. I also have an aquatience who only phones when she wants something, for example, she phones every year when her Birthday's comming up. I try to make small talk with her, by talking about standard things, like my family, their jobs, their health, what's going on in my life, my Little Chico Wheaten, and all of the other things that people enjoy hearing about. Every time I attempt at making Small Talk with her, she changes the subject and starts to talk about her problems, or her concerns. The next time she phones, I'll talk to her about London for twenty minutes, say Goodbye and than hang up and see how she likes it when somebody goes on about their interests and concerns.

I also dispize phonning for a Taxi, but that's a whole different story.

Same. I haven't been too social lately, so the only people I've called within the last month or so are my parents and a pizza place.

Wow, some of you have EXACTLY the same phone issues I do! I absolutely hate making a call, to anyone, for almost any reason. Except my wife, I have no problem calling her. I figure it's a combination of my lack of verbal communication skills in general, and the desire not to interrupt anyone (the golden rule taken to extremes I think).

Receiving a phone call is not so bad, because there is no guilt that I'm interrupting someone. And now with caller ID, it's even less of a problem because you can somewhat know who's on the other end before you answer.

IMs are great, because I don't have to think on the fly, and no one is watching me or my actions while talking. You can also compose a response and edit it before sending, avoiding some embarrasing things you might say.

There is only one person I can talk on the phone. Even then it usually takes 10-15 minutes to build up the courage to call her. Plus I have to think of things to say. On our first call I told her I wasnt used to talking on the phone so I think she keeps it in mind and helps me along.

Like most people here, I have so much trouble initiating phone calls. The only people I don't have any trouble calling are my mum, dad, and aunt. All three have told me that I sound very formal on the phone though. When I do have to make phone calls I usually make a script of what I am going to say before I call. Phone calls seem to cause more anxiety than speaking to people in person.

iam very nervous on the phone and cant think of what to say sometimes.
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My average phone bill is about £2 a month, and mostly consists of me getting angry with service companies - my "Friends and Family" numbers list makes for entertaining reading

Whoever invented Caller ID needs to be given a Nobel Prize or something.

Ditto. I used to have epic calls back when I was 13 or 14. My only friend was just as messed up as me, and the two of us used to call each other all the time for support. He talked me out of suicide on many occasions.

My big problem with IM is that it's so disruptive. I prefer email and bulletin boards so that I don't have to read the message until I'm ready.

At least your parents can't snoop on your conversations online.

Yes, exactly! Drawn-out phone conversations just exhaust my auditory processing, and quite often I have trouble getting the words to come out coherently as well. The result is many awkward pauses, some of them while I'm trying to catch up with what the other person said several seconds ago, others while I'm trying to find the words for what I want to say.

Interestingly enough, I don't have this problem when I'm typing, only when I'm speaking. I guess it's because I can go back and edit my words and rearrange the sentence as I'm writing it, or something.

Argh, I can totally associate on that. Half the time, they talk so fast or have such a heavy accent that I can barely process what they're even trying to say to me! I've seriously gotten calls from telemarketers where I couldn't understand a word they were saying. >_<

Incidentally, if you've not already signed up for the US federal do-not-call list, do so now: http://www.donotcall.gov/

Not for everyone. I can get my thoughts out much more quickly and coherently in typing.

(Maybe I should just do like some autistics and type into a text-to-speech program...)

hmmmmmmmmm.....well whenever I get bored I talk on th phone.I prefer to text on my cell.But I also like I/M better.My AIM is Verya Draug Fea I dont' care who I/M's me.

Though text is infinitely easier and more comfortable it lacks something very important. Voice. Text can never imitate the sound of your friends laughter or the sorrow and empathy in their voice, or even the joy. I hate using the phone but the sound of my friends voice alone is enough to lift my spirits.

I find myself making all sorts of excuses not to make a call, when i have i wish i had not. I never seem to know when to its my turn to talk then when i do well, at least when its family they usually say can i at least get a word in which is polite for shut up its my turn. I dont mind answering the phone too much because it never seems as bad as starting the conversation, but it still bothers me.