Does anyone else hate talking on the phone?

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Tsaryn
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29 Jul 2008, 8:46 pm

gbollard wrote:
My wife loves the phone though - it's a nuisance for me - since she picks it up always - even when we're busy watching a film. Then have to put out movie on pause for an undetermined time - and I'm expected to sit still and wait - for 5 minutes - or for 105 minutes .... who knows how long the call will last.


LOL--My boyfriend does the same thing! I just go do something in another room until he is off the call. It just highlights the differences between us-- I save calling people back until I am done with what I am presently doing (probably goes to the not liking to multi-task part of me). I think that's what annoys me most with phone calls-- the call disturbs/drags me from my current action and I'd rather finish what I am presently doing before moving onto something else.



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29 Jul 2008, 9:16 pm

Yup! The irony is that I answer the phones at work. LOL I would rather not have to answer phones. Don't mind talking when it's someone I like talking to...but that's not always an option.


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05 Aug 2008, 5:58 am

Answering the phone makes me very nervous, because I know I won't know what to say, and I'm also afraid of misunderstanding or not hearing the other person.

Plus I've had bizarre experiences where someone started yelling at me because they didn't believe they had reached a wrong number! The phone is sort of like an ambush! :D

I generally don't answer the phone.

I also don't like the phone because I feel put on the spot, and have to sweat out what to say, and it's all improvised. It's exhausting. It's the same in person tho, but in person I guess it's a little less weird to have pauses or change the subject, so it's more acceptable to be sort of awkward.



QuantumToast
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07 Aug 2008, 5:35 pm

Yeah, I hate it. I don't think I've ever actually called a phone from my mobile - I always just text, all the phone calls I do on it are incoming.

I actually shrugged in a phone conversation with my aunt once. :lol:


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07 Aug 2008, 5:45 pm

I am in the minority here.

I have no preference as to how I communicate with people, but telephone makes the most sense to me because if I have a lot of stuff to do, and really want to talk to somebody, I can do that by telephone. I can't do that by e-mail or IM.


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Aalto
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07 Aug 2008, 6:37 pm

I've just been finding it harder over the past few years. A few times I'd write down everything I was going to say and read from it. Doesn't help.



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07 Aug 2008, 7:30 pm

Aalto wrote:
A few times, I'd write down everything I was going to say and read from it. Doesn't help.
I don't exactly write it out, but I do sometimes write a little list so I don't get distracted. And I say, out loud to the person, that I have three (or whatever) items, and "Item One is ___" Then when that one is pretty much warn out and we start to drift, I find an excuse to say "Item Two, ___." Now that I think of it, I'm not sure why they don't mind. That sounds like something that should freak out the typical NT, but it doesn't.



Aalto
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07 Aug 2008, 8:05 pm

Tahitiii wrote:
Aalto wrote:
A few times, I'd write down everything I was going to say and read from it. Doesn't help.
I don't exactly write it out, but I do sometimes write a little list so I don't get distracted. And I say, out loud to the person, that I have three (or whatever) items, and "Item One is ___" Then when that one is pretty much warn out and we start to drift, I find an excuse to say "Item Two, ___." Now that I think of it, I'm not sure why they don't mind. That sounds like something that should freak out the typical NT, but it doesn't.


Ah yes, I think I've done that too.



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07 Aug 2008, 10:13 pm

Tsaryn wrote:
Overall, I despise it. I do better if I am initiating the phone call (I can prepare myself for the communication)-- I even "rehearse" the call sometimes, going over in my head possible responses to what I am saying, reviewing my replies so I feel more comfortable. All of this is draining at times, so I often find I procrastinate at returning calls. I'm better with email (I've even pushed for the increased use of email at work as opposed to phone calls to our office, under the guise that email is more efficient, particularly if you have to look up information and call the person back, which I feel is true; however, my true motive is to get out of talking on the phone).

On the otherhand, when I am receiving a call, I tend to not answer, wait for the voicemail, take a deep breath, rehearse, then call the person back (or not, if I am particularly out of sorts).

Though I'm fine when talking to my boyfriend, so go figure (probably because I am relaxed with him). =)


You just saved me a lot of typing, Tsaryn! Same here...


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07 Aug 2008, 10:23 pm

i absolutely hate phone conversations unless its late-night talking with my boyfriend :oops: im always afraid that ill call a wrong number and be confronted with a complete stranger calling back, or being confronted with talking to a complete stranger over the phone whom i cant see the face of. me and phone calls with people i dont know is like me and looking strangers in the eye, it just doesnt mix. and even when it IS late night phone call with my boyfriend, we often cant find anything to talk about, and i oftentimes dont hear what he says correctly. we have more in-depth conversations in IMs than on the phone, but his mom lets him on the computer only sparingly so i gotta deal with phone calls..


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kerrissteen
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07 Aug 2008, 11:34 pm

QuantumToast wrote:
I actually shrugged in a phone conversation with my aunt once. :lol:

i constantly wave my hands around when trying to make a point forgetting they can't see me :rabbit:

i hate calling, except to a handful of friends but i'm generally ok with picking up the landline as only my really close friends know that number or the call is for my mother... but on my mobile when i can see who's calling i get nervous if it's someone i know i'm not comfortable on the phone with... i get really jumpy too if i'm expecting a call, like for a job or a business calling me back because then it's like i've had too much time to worry about how to respond



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07 Aug 2008, 11:57 pm

The worst of all possible worlds is voice mail.
I've got nothing to say to a machine.
If I had some simple, one-way information to give,
and/or if it's something that can wait,
I would have sent an e-mail.
Voice mail stumps me every time.

"Call me when you get a chance" doesn't cut it.
I can't sit here by the phone and wait.
Did I miss the return call?
Should I call again and look like a jerk?

The only time I will talk to a stupid machine is when I know
nobody is there and I have a prepared message in my head.

And then they stump me again by answering after all.
Oh. (dead air) Hi. (dead air) You're a real person.



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08 Aug 2008, 7:38 am

I love talking on the phone since I can roll my eyes, make faces and all that stuff you just can't get away with while talking to someone face to face ^_^.



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08 Aug 2008, 11:55 am

Tahitiii wrote:
The worst of all possible worlds is voice mail.
I've got nothing to say to a machine.
If I had some simple, one-way information to give,
and/or if it's something that can wait,
I would have sent an e-mail.
Voice mail stumps me every time.

"Call me when you get a chance" doesn't cut it.
I can't sit here by the phone and wait.
Did I miss the return call?
Should I call again and look like a jerk?

The only time I will talk to a stupid machine is when I know
nobody is there and I have a prepared message in my head.

And then they stump me again by answering after all.
Oh. (dead air) Hi. (dead air) You're a real person.


I despise voice mail. I always stammer as I try to collect my thoughts, and rarely do I ever get a message out that has any semblance of coherence. I think my trouble is in summing-up. Usually when I call someone, I have more to say than "call me back", so when I don't get to dump those thoughts to a live person, I end up dumping them out onto the machine.


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08 Aug 2008, 12:54 pm

I prefer email to the phone. I like having something to refer to, and I can save the email. The phone is disruptive and background noise and other things I'm doing interfere with conversation. I feel more in control and more able to devote my energy in text based communication. I can also be more clear this way.


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08 Aug 2008, 9:58 pm

Yeah, phone conversations indeed suck. I actually prefer real life conversation, even though i am no where near decent socially :P