Some of our family and friends are on our back to use our cell-phone more AND give them the number. We have it just for emergencies and we usually leave it off for weeks and months at the time.
Their reasoning: "But then you are not constantly available!" - aehmmm that was the whole idea.
or
"We could SMS together! I've been SMS-ing with my daughter all morning and it's so much fun!" - yup, fun for my aunt, but my personal vision of hell.
My mother also calls our regular phone almost daily and I have to admit that I don't always pick up - and don't get me started on the people who phone, take calls, or go online during socializing. I hate that. I wonder what they would say if I took a book and started reading during dinner?
And of course some of us are in jobs where we aren't always able to answer our mobile phone, and indeed may have to have it switched off altogether and not just on silent. Very few of my friends have my mobile phone number, because I don't give it out unless someone actually has a need to use it -- but even so I've had the occasional episode of someone getting deeply upset because they called me during standard office hours and I didn't answer. Because it simply didn't occur to them that taking personal calls is not appropriate in some workplaces. What was particularly bizarre was getting this from someone who mostly does not switch on *her* phone unless she wants to make a call.
I don't know what SMS-ing is, but I'm sure I don't want to do it. :-)
I don't mind if a person takes a call during socializing, if the conversation lasts less than one minute and is on the theme of "I'm at dinner with people; is this an emergency? [answer is negative] Then I'll call you back in a few hours."
I'll check my cell if it rings when I'm socializing. Most of the time I won't answer it, but if it's a family member or certain friends, I want to at least confirm it's not an emergency.
I hang up on machines immediately, but I often get into conversations with solicitors, and then feel bad for wasting their time even though I know I won't buy what they're selling over the phone.
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Some of our family and friends are on our back to use our cell-phone more AND give them the number. We have it just for emergencies and we usually leave it off for weeks and months at the time.
Their reasoning:
"But then you are not constantly available!" - aehmmm that was the whole idea.
or
"We could SMS together! I've been SMS-ing with my daughter all morning and it's so much fun!" - yup, fun for my aunt, but my personal vision of hell.
My mother also calls our regular phone almost daily and I have to admit that I don't always pick up - and don't get me started on the people who phone, take calls, or go online during socializing. I hate that. I wonder what they would say if I took a book and started reading during dinner?
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I never got the whole private calls during office hours thing. I never call anyone at work unless it's urgent and then I make it as brief as possible.
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I don't mind if a person takes a call during socializing, if the conversation lasts less than one minute and is on the theme of "I'm at dinner with people; is this an emergency? [answer is negative] Then I'll call you back in a few hours."
I'll check my cell if it rings when I'm socializing. Most of the time I won't answer it, but if it's a family member or certain friends, I want to at least confirm it's not an emergency.
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(Though if you're taunting them rather than just chatting, that's not cool. I doubt anyone takes that job who has other options.)
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