OhBuoyancy! » phone

An Asthmatic Christmas

Reese — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:14:44 +0000

Check out Asthmatic Kitty’s Christmas page.

It has Christmas goodies from Sufjan and others including an e-card, games, ornaments to color, videos, and 8-bit (Nintendoesque) Sufjan Christmas ring tones.

More Phone Etiquette: Identity

Reese — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:39:33 +0000

Say you have a phone number for someone but you haven’t called them in a while, or ever, so you’re not 100% sure that it is the correct number for them. You decide to send a text message to the number, “Hi! Is this Jane?” Maybe it is Jane, maybe it’s not, either way if Jane doesn’t have your number how is she going to feel about responding to this anonymous person questioning her identity? Not comfortable with it, that’s how. By all means, say your own name in the message! It’s common courtesy. To not give your own name is like calling someone on the phone and your first words after their hello being, “who is this?” You called me! Tell me who you are first, then I might answer your question.

Voicemail 101

Reese — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:05:45 +0000

I get wrong number calls all the time, I’ve got to where I don’t answer the phone if I don’t recognize the number, unless I’m expecting an important call. This will, of course, cause the caller to be send to voicemail, the sly culprit. It may be the last thing you suspect, but it is the reason many people you may not even know will laugh at you behind your back. I know it’s provided me laughs on many occasions. Why don’t those people who put out the “for Dummies” books write one on leaving voicemails? There’s definitely a need for one.

Here’s a tip on voicemail:
Before you leave a voicemail message take two seconds to make sure you have the right number. Otherwise you may be telling the world your girlfriend calls you ‘cooter’ or letting your boss know that when you call in sick it’s really because you’re so drunk you can’t dial a phone.
Also, don’t leave anyone’s personal medical information on voicemail. Sure, it may not be your own information, but as a medical professional you are responsible for keeping it private (an “I’m sorry to hear about that” goes out to Sidney in Ft. Walton, I didn’t listen to the whole message, no worries).

Let me close this out by saying I cannot fix your pipes, car, boat, or unlock your door. I will not pick you up from Stetsun’s, I am not up for a “booty call,” I do not have directions to the hotel, I do not know where your baby’s daddy is, and no, I do not have that ::ahem:: medication you were asking about.

Just Returning Your Call

Reese — Thu, 22 May 2008 05:51:20 +0000

If you call someone and leave a message how long do you usually wait for them to call you back? There are probably many variables that would go into this, such as who the person is to you (friend, acquaintance, family, co-worker), and what you’re calling about. So say you call someone you’ve never called before, but have hung out with once or twice and what you’re calling about isn’t really a pressing matter (maybe you’re asking them out). Here’s some advice, when they haven’t called back after 2 days, it’s okay to call again. It’s not okay to call again after 2 days and then every day after that.
Maybe they have a good reason for not calling back, like the text they sent you that said they were sick (maybe you don’t have texting?). I don’t even think it should matter their reason, it gets to the point where calling repeatedly is just creepy and weird. Sure, maybe you’re excited and eager about having a new friend, but chill, too much is just too much. If you hadn’t called so many times they would have called you back by now. ~~I’m~~ They’re not even checking my their voice mail any more.