Foo - Do you answer your home phone?

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to answer my land line telephone. In fact I rarely do answer it unless I know exactly who the caller is and even then I have to be in the mood to talk to them. It just seems that with all of the means of communication today: cell phone, IM, email, texting etc, that a phone call is simply too intrusive.

With a phone call you have to stop what you are doing, and devote a period of time to the conversation. And then 9 times out of 10 it is bad news, like somebody wanting you to volunteer for something, or they are collecting money etc. It's easier to screen the calls with the answering machine.

I am now to about the same point with the doorbell. It would be nice if all of my non essential communication were redirected through email. Anybody else getting techno-reclusive like this?

And a follow up question: Do you feel guilty for not answering it? It seems like it is irresponsible to not answer it, or is that just me?

Once in a great while, if I'm sitting right next to it, I'll answer the phone. If it's someone I wish to talk to, I will. If not, I just hang up... no explanation needed or given.

I cut the land line off over ten years ago. I saw no point of paying for two phones when I only talked on one.

To keep my email as spam free as possible, I've made a few dummy email accounts. One is just a black hole that I never check, and is the most frequent email address I use when filling out forums; 5/4's of everything that comes to it is spam. Another I use whenever I buy something, and 3/4 of its mail is spam. And then I have my real email address that I protect as fervently as I do my real phone number (not my work #).

So yeah, I too hate being bothered by solicitors and go out of my way to make it hard on them.

I guess maybe I was a bit unclear. I really don't NOT ANSWER the phone because of solicitors. I am on the no-call lists and really don't get them. I am more referring to just general phone calls. It seems like a lot of these end up with somebody wanting something from you, even if it isn't money.

Don't have a home phone. But regarding cell phones; I think people really take cell phones for granted. They expect you to have it on you at all times, and to pick up immediately no matter what you're doing. My best friend is the worst at this. Every time he calls me and I can't answer, he'll leave some message saying how I need to actually use my cell phone. The best feature a cell phone can have is a power button to turn it off.

Right now, I have my cell phone turned off so my parents can't call me. :p

Nah, I send everything to voicemail. Then check caller-ID list every hour or so to see who's called. If it's anyone interesting, I'll listen to their message and maybe call back. I usually spend 1-hour after lunch returning all the calls. Some days I get over 50-60 calls, and I'd get nothing done if I picked up the phone every single time it rings.

Nah, I send everything to voicemail. Then check caller-ID list every hour or so to see who's called. If it's anyone interesting, I'll listen to their message and maybe call back. I usually spend 1-hour after lunch returning all the calls. Some days I get over 50-60 calls, and I'd get nothing done if I picked up the phone every single time it rings.

50-60 calls?? Too many ladies tryin' to harass you? :lol:

I quit answering mine about 2 years ago, anyone that I want to talk to has my cel #

50-60 calls?? Too many ladies tryin' to harass you? :lol:I wish! Nah, I run my business out of my home-office, so the land-line is the biz phone. Personal cell is a hassle as well since reception sucks so bad, I end up using the land-line for personal calls as well.

I guess maybe I was a bit unclear. I really don't NOT ANSWER the phone because of solicitors. I am on the no-call lists and really don't get them. I am more referring to just general phone calls. It seems like a lot of these end up with somebody wanting something from you, even if it isn't money.
I just did not want to show how much of a hermit I could become. I resent the hell out of the phone no matter who's on the line. When I'm at home I have (or more truly--want to have) better things to do than talk on the phone.
I do have more people stop by to visit than my friends do, all because it's a PITA to reach me.

i have no cell phone and i dislike talking on the phone. i also dislike talking to people.

i like it when people can't find me.

someone once emailed me to see if they could come over and borrow an egg. they were neighbors, and i could see their house..they could have just walked over and knocked on the door, or heck, even come inside and tooked the egg themselves, as my house is never locked. but the saddest thing about this story was that i was at the computer at the time (like i always am) and replied to the email saying "yes". then they "borrowed" an egg.

but seriously, "borrowing" an egg? wtf? like that's even possible.

I don't have a land line phone at college. But when I am at home I never answer it, because most everyone calls my cell, except my mom when I'm home and she's not. Something about our home phone ringing makes my blood pressure shoot through the roof every time. I think it's the fact that it's loud, annoying, and is probably my mom calling to tell me that I forgot to do something.

For that matter, I only answer my cell about 50% of the time.

The phone is my least favorite form of communication. Face to face first, then any kind of written communication (e-mail, snail mail, forums, instant messenger, etc), the the phone last. I don't know why I hate it so much.

i don't answer the home phone. the only reason we have it is our cell phones have poor coverage in the area.

i'm hardly on the phone at all. even at work.

I have a landline stripped off all services at home.

I answer it once a week, when my father phones from the Uk same time every Sunday morning for the last 7 years, only exceptions is when he is here visiting or I am else where.

All other calls go to the answer machine less than 1 in 20 actually leave a message.

i never pick up the land line when it rings. it's probably been close to 2 years since i've picked up that phone and answered it.

i have a slight phobia or something about talking on a phone anyway, and try to avoid it as much as possible.

So THATS what that ringing in my ears is all about...

But seriously folks, I added Vonage ( cause I stopped doing stupid things)
and the free Europe and Canada calling .
For less than $30 USD a true deal!
I never activated the voicemail but check the called ID on my Direct TV occasionally
for laughs.

Home Phone?

were you trying to call me?

caller id is my friend.

caller id is my friend.

What's cool is when the neighbors are calling. They can see you are at home but you still don't answer. :D

I never answer my home phone. If I only give you that number, I really don't want to talk to you.

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to answer my land line telephone. In fact I rarely do answer it unless I know exactly who the caller is and even then I have to be in the mood to talk to them. It just seems that with all of the means of communication today: cell phone, IM, email, texting etc, that a phone call is simply too intrusive.

With a phone call you have to stop what you are doing, and devote a period of time to the conversation. And then 9 times out of 10 it is bad news, like somebody wanting you to volunteer for something, or they are collecting money etc. It's easier to screen the calls with the answering machine.

I am now to about the same point with the doorbell. It would be nice if all of my non essential communication were redirected through email. Anybody else getting techno-reclusive like this?

And a follow up question: Do you feel guilty for not answering it? It seems like it is irresponsible to not answer it, or is that just me?
If my phone rings, I answer it. I use privacy manager software to filter my calls and if I don't know you, you get filtered to my voice mail for me to decide if I even want to call you back!

I never answer my home phone. If I only give you that number, I really don't want to talk to you.
no wonder I never get through

...someone once emailed me to see if they could come over and borrow an egg. they were neighbors, and i could see their house..they could have just walked over and knocked on the door, or heck, even come inside and tooked the egg themselves, as my house is never locked. but the saddest thing about this story was that i was at the computer at the time (like i always am) and replied to the email saying "yes". then they "borrowed" an egg.

but seriously, "borrowing" an egg? wtf? like that's even possible."Stand in your yard and I'll throw them to you" :D

On topic: I dropped the "home" phone a couple of years ago, but stopped answering it years before. Now I don't answer my cellphone.

i have a fax machine attached to mine....it doesn't have a phone.


i use my blackberry for all calls.

I gave up the cell phone 5 years ago and havent had one since..I have caller ID and an answering machine...sometimes I answer and sometimes I dont.

I use Skype on my computer...Cel Phone,not in this lifetime again! I had a Cingular celly for a while never got calls but the text messages drove me nuts!! I have a harsh time typing on a keyboard,forget about the idea of typing on a celly!!

No friends, no phone calls........*sigh*:(

I call, yet you never answer....

My roommate and I had to get a phone number to get internet, but we never answer it...31 messages and counting. :D

but seriously, "borrowing" an egg? wtf? like that's even possible.

Yeah! hey, I alwas think the same thing, like 'hey, take it, keep it, I definitely don't want it back once you're done digesting it'

...and what about the whole 'taking a dump' thing... you dont take it, you leave it! Of you're that way inclined then here, take mine, I had a normal childhood therefore I don't want or need it.

No friends, no phone calls........*sigh*:(

I call you on yahoo all the time...but your never there :(

I only answer if it's someone I know and want to talk to. I love whoever invented caller ID.

No friends, no phone calls........*sigh*:(

Post you number on here you will soon get loads of phone calls.:eek:

No home phone, phone lines are unavailable where our home is (electricity and water, fine) - I go to the office. I do have a cell phone, but only a small group of people in the world have it.

No friends, no phone calls........*sigh*:(

You know we love ya Siu! :)

Never I hate phones. I hate answering them