Don’t call me … I’ll e-mail you
Posted by Lisanne on January 26th, 2010 . Filed under: family, friends, frustrations, love and marriage, lucas, meredith, miscellaneous, parenthood .I don’t really enjoy talking on the phone, and I think it’s because I don’t think fast enough on my feet. I usually end up saying something dumb or revealing something that I didn’t necessarily want to say. And I just feel like I can’t express myself as well over the phone as I can through an e-mail. Sometimes there are awkward silences, too, and I start blabbing because I feel like I have to fill the space and “keep up” the conversation. Everyone has a different phone talking style, it seems.
Like today, for example … I’m totally laughing at myself. I need to get a hold of someone, but I can’t find an e-mail address for her. So, I just did a Facebook search to see whether she’s listed. (Unfortunately, no.) I guess I’ll have to make a phone call! I swear, sometimes I go to the ends of the earth just to track down an e-mail address so that I don’t have to use the telephone! I”m a journalist, so you’d think that I’d be used to calling people. I use the phone frequently to set up interviews, which isn’t so bad ~ because it’s usually a quick conversation setting up the where and when details. (Oh, and making appointments ~ dread!) It’s not that I don’t want to talk to a particular person; it’s just that I feel much more comfortable with the written word. More myself.
There are a few exceptions, however. I can talk to my parents (especially my mom) for hours on end, and I love every minute of it. I treasure the “girl talk” that my mom and I have; I only wish that we could do it in person! And of course, my husband and I talk on the phone. Ever since high school, Shannon and I have been able to talk on the phone for hours and hours, and I’ve always enjoyed that. My friend Jessica is the same way. There’s something special about a friend with whom you can have a conversation about anything, everything … and just enjoy that connection with each other. I do love hearing a friend’s voice, and I’m glad that friends call me. I’m just not very good about doing the same.
I know many people who are constantly on the phone, and they seem to really enjoy it. Their mobile devices are almost like a lifeline for them, in a way. I suppose that I’d be the same if I had a nifty iPhone or something. (I don’t even have a cell phone at the moment.) Sometimes I wish that I had one of those phone headsets so that I could get stuff done around the house ~ or chase the kids ~ while talking.
How about you? Do you enjoy talking on the phone? Do you prefer calling up a friend as opposed to sending him/her an e-mail? (Ha ~ no one will want to call me now!)
January 26th, 2010 at 1:56 PM
I totally understand where you are coming from. I’m not a phone talker, either. One of the reasons why we opted to not carry a land line when we moved. I much rather talk to people face-to-face or over e-mail. The few exceptions are my mom (who pretty much does most of the talking), my sister (she inherited mom’s talking skills), Ben, and Jim. All are people I’m extremely comfortable with and know me and still love me. ;-)
January 26th, 2010 at 3:14 PM
I am the same way. Joe makes fun of me because I would much rather text or email than call someone. I have complete conversations over text messages! The only people I really talk to on the phone are my parents and siblings. Joe, on the other hand, very much prefers talking on the phone to texting or emailing.
January 26th, 2010 at 4:39 PM
Lisanne, I think we are so much alike. I dread talking on the phone. I get knots in my stomach just thinking about it. That’s just awful. I also go to great lengths to find an email. That’s one thing I would for sure change about myself if I could.
January 26th, 2010 at 5:08 PM
I am an emailer myself. Don’t really care for the telephone.
January 26th, 2010 at 8:17 PM
I know exactly what you mean. I’ve always hated the phone. I used to really dread it, but in the past few years I’ve gotten over that. I was hired at my current job to do tech support, and even though I don’t really do that anymore, I still make at least a handful of phone calls almost every day.
But 100% of the time, I prefer to email! Most of my clients already know this, and luckily my coworkers are awesome enough to encourage my clients in that way (“She’ll actually respond a lot faster if you just shoot her an email.”) I’ve actually lost contact with some of my friends because they’re not emailers, and I don’t ever call people. We just communicate in different ways.
January 27th, 2010 at 5:10 AM
I am very much the same, using your own breath is such a personal thing, plus I hate my own accent ! (ha ha) and I’m so self conscious of possibly coming across incorrectly. I prefer to email/comment/im/tweet someone, because then I can *think* about what I’m going to say first.
January 27th, 2010 at 6:08 PM
I used to love talking on the phone and did it all the time. Now not so much. I actually hate it. I always have leftover Cell Phone minutes and never even know where the home phone is, then when I find it..yup it’s dead! LOL
I talk on the phone all day at work and with being so busy all the time I like to snuggle up with my Boy and watch a movie or something when i am home and not cooking, cleaning or doing laundry!
January 28th, 2010 at 3:40 PM
I loathe talking on the phone, and will go to great lengths (screening, ignorning it, emailing, etc.) to avoid it, just like you. For me, talking on the phone just takes up way too much time. I express myself better in writing than by talking too (just like you again!). Besides, isn’t this why we have email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.? So we never have to talk to anyone ever again? ;)
January 29th, 2010 at 5:48 PM
Now I’m going to be embarrased to call you:)))
February 1st, 2010 at 2:40 PM
I’m the same way. I’m much better in person. Phonecalls seem like a waste of time to me. And usually, when I’m on the phone, one of my kids is screaming or needs something!