Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Don't Call Me, I'll Call You




I have been home a little more than usual this week and I am about ready to throw the phone out the window. Just today, I have answered the phone to recordings telling me that the FBI says there is a home break-in every 15 seconds, that pre-planning my funeral is the best way to show my love to my family, that my windows are for sure pieces of crap that need to be replaced and that my car windshield could be a danger to my life. Oh, and Rachel from card services has called me no less than three times to tell me I need to lower the rate on my credit card.

The reason I have been home is that I am "packing" in preparation to have the furniture moved out of our bedrooms and living room for re-carpeting. Believe me, it is a lot like moving so I have had to drop a box or crawl out from the floor of a closet to answer the phone, just to hear Rachel's recorded voice. Yes, I do have a portable phone, but it usually ends up hidden under something that is getting packed. And, yes I do know that there is no requirement to answer a ringing phone, but there is something about a phone ringing that just, well, calls to me and I am a hopeless phone answerer. On top of that, our hapless handyman, Robert, has been here all week replacing some light fixtures (he's not real fast) and every time the phone rings he yells "Jeanie, your phone is ringing", like I am deaf or something.

Apparently my registration on the Do Not Call list is expired. I guess I will have to call someone to check on that.

15 comments:

  1. I am having similar recorded calls which drive me nuts! I am not a phone answerer - I usually screen. But, if I'm expecting a call I answer and then often find a recording at the other end. I was just asking Bob about the no-call. Do you think it isn't in service anymore?

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  2. PS I've just verified that I'm already on the CO state list but I am now registered on the national list (you can find the link at the state list website). Good Luck to both of us!

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  3. The "Don't Call" list is a joke. Most of my calls are political ones, but I seldom answer my phone unless I check Caller ID.

    Good luck with the carpeting. Lots of work but it will really all be nice for the holidays.

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  4. "This is about your credit, it is imperitive that you act now as this offer expires shortly"

    Shortly apparently is so far over a year and a half. How friggin imperative is that.

    Thank you call screening!

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  5. I'm a hopeless call answerer too!! My hubby just shakes his head when I HAVE to answer. Once I was in the bathroom and the phone started ringing. I actually tried to hurry with my business so I could rush and answer it....hahahaha. I just laugh at myself. :) (We don't have call screening or caller i.d.)

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  6. I rarely answer the phone any more. When I do, it's almost always Rachel from cardmember services, or the FBI crime pitch (got both of those this a.m.), or one of those others you mentioned. We just did the recarpeting thing and I agree, it's almost like moving!

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  7. That was a lot of phone calls to get in one day Jeanie from solicitors and whatnot. I've learned to discipline myself over the years not to get the phone working at home since it cuts down on production, so I just look to see who it is and let it ring through unless it is hubby or son.

    Seems like a good project when it will be over with the new carpeting, but you are right, lots of work to get to that point! I think you planned it right though to do it during the fall months and not when you potentially could be outside enjoying summer weather :)

    betty

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  8. I know what you mean....we unplugged our home phone...everyone we know calls us on the cell phone or at the office...now I'm getting these kinda calls to our office number at night after hours...then I get paged to listen to someone try to tell me I need to get insurance...or something other crazy....or I need to have my name moved up on the google search engine...

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  9. Our oldest daughter's phone shows up on caller ID as "Private Number" or "Unknown". It drives us crazy. Now I just wait for her to leave a message and call her back because too often I pick it up and get "those" calls.

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  10. Land-line is set to 2 rings. And we do not answer it. Nor do we answer our cell phones. Since we only use our cell phones, to make contact with each other, if needed.

    Our family knows we do this. If anyone else really has business with us, they will leave a name and number.

    End of Story.

    'Course, I dislike the phone anyway, so it's pretty easy for me. -grin-

    "Auntie"

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  11. I have already told one charity to take me off their list, and it has worked. No more weekly calls from them.

    If it says CALLER UNKNOWN on the caller ID, I always answer, because it could be hubby calling on his cell phone, or somebody else equally as important. If it is a crank call, I simply hang up before the 3rd word is uttered.

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  12. Ugh! You need to get on the national do not call list! I don't envy you the moving about for carpeting; that's a huge job. For the same reason, my house needs painting and I can't cope with moving the furniture (bookcases, china cabinet) away from the wall. Maybe when I retire...

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  13. I feel ya pain. I too cannot ignore a ringing phone! I hope you DO LOSE it so you can't hear it ringing!

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  14. How funny that I just wrote a post a few days ago about the phone and caller ID. The caller ID is helpful but not perfect. The no call list is great, but I hear it's not fool proof either. Sigh...

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  15. We are getting a ton of calls again, too.

    I need to check on our DNC as well!

    Thanks for the timely reminder!

    Do you know, though, that politicians and charitable causes are exempt from DNC lists? I think I read that recently.

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