I wish I could e-mail more

[DrFaroohk]

For various reasons, I H-A-T-E talking on the phone. Even to people I know and love. It's especially hard when it's a total stranger or business related.

But noooo, everything has to be done in voice. I know it's probably for security reasons, but it SUCKS.

I only today managed to find out my license was suspended months ago, because my disgust with the phone is so severe I was unable to actually call the DMV to find out. Fortunately I discovered that you CAN get that information via e-mail! But still.

It was always hard at my c-store job because I had to talk ot the district manager a lot and pass her on bits of info. Crazy anxiety just from picking up the phone. But could I e-mail it to her? Of course not! She wanted to hear my voice.

Even with my wife, I wish we could just text back and forth when she's at work. Not that I mind talking to her, but both of us are crazy busy all day and I don't always have the time to drop everything and have an entire CONVERSATION on the phone. I can take all the 30-second breaks i need to send texts, but jesus, the phone really fucks up my day AND hers so I don't know why we need to do it!

For a young boy with social anxiety and a stutter, this magical device you could type into and send messages over a long distance was amazing! And it's like no one else ever wants to use it.

[Greenday]

The only time I email people is when I need to do something for business and using a phone isn't applicable. But I'd much rather text or IM. It's much easier to multitask while doing those. Especially while at work, I don't want to be having personal conversations on the phone. People don't need to be hearing my business and it just looks bad since you can't exactly hide the fact that you are talking on a phone.

[Peppergirl]

I agree with both of you.

Also, many of us that have jobs that require a lot of speaking (call center), especially to idiot customers...we simply don't want to have talk a lot when we're not working.

Getting people to understand this is very difficult, though.

[bex1218]

I like talking in person. I will use my gas anytime just to avoid the phone. I rather do my bills online, and text/email (email is rare for me). Its always been some weird phobia of mine with phones.

[Sableonblonde]

I HAAATE using the phone. I try to accomplish anything I possibly can over the internet. I LOOOOVE e-mail.

The only person I talk to on the phone is my dad. My mom finally figured out texting so now we just text each other.

I tell people that I have a very limited number of minutes on my phone, so I can't really talk. Except that my minutes rollover, so I probably have thousands of minutes stored up by now LOL

I hate using my cell phone to talk anyway because holding it up to my ear makes my face really hot.

I'm glad my husband also hates the phone. We just text all day long. In the two years we have been together, I'd estimate we've spent maybe a total of ten minutes talking on the phone.

I couldn't work a job where I had to talk on the phone, especially if I had to call other people. I COULDN'T do it.

[SongsOfDragons]

*waves hand* Add another one to the poll of those who don't like talking on the phone...

[bex1218]

I also hate ordering food on the phone. My roomies order food then I pick it up. I, again, rather waste gas then be on the phone.

[tropicsgoddess]

I don't like talking on the phone unless I really have to. I'd rather text or email. I've been paid to talk on the phone to customers for 9 years as a call center rep, so hence why I don't really like talking on the phone.

[Peppergirl]

I don't like talking on the phone unless I really have to. I'd rather text or email. I've been paid to talk on the phone to customers for 9 years as a call center rep, so hence why I don't really like talking on the phone.

This.

Do you have family/friends who don't get it, though?

I'm willing to compromise (talk sometimes/text sometimes), but I have one friend in particular who, after blowing up my phone all day will leave yet another voicemail saying, 'well, I don't want to text all that'.

Well, guess what? I don't want to SAY all that either, so I guess that puts us at an impasse.

They know I'm not just doing it to be diffcult. Like most call center emps, we who are on the phone CONSTANTLY at work get tired of it fast.

[Ree]

I hate talking on the phone.

At work, I try to do as much as I can through email.

It actually works better for me because then, I have a hard copy of my conversation to refer to if there's a problem, instead of relying on memory and my word against the suppliers.

The best part, though, is not having to navigate alll those automated phone lines.

[Mytical]

Add me to the growing list of not liking talking on the phone. I will, and there are certain people I will always talk to, but I prefer not to. No clue why, was a call center rep..but not long enough for that to be the reason. So..don't have a clue. Then again..not really a skype person either..give me Private Messaging any day of the week

[Andara Bledin]

I've got a love/hate relationship with phones. Sometimes I'm fine, and sometimes I'll look for anything at all to not call someone.

I find, however, that if I just do it, it's a lot less trouble than putting it off, but that may be mostly the type of stuff I end up calling people over.

^-.-^

[woodensunshine]

I totally agree with you, but for different reasons. My job entails financials and when you're trying to explain how much you're paying a customer over the phone (It's your replacement cost, minus your depreciation...yes, yes there is some depreci....yes, I understand, okay well, minus your deductib...yes, we take out the deduc...Okay, here's your payment, I'm sending you a letter that will explain it better!) it's a pain in the butt. I would rather just email them and have them contact me if they have any additional questions...

[blas87]

I pay my cable and medical bills over the phone, but that's just because of past problems with their online services and not trusting them. The cable one is automated, the clinic I talk to a real person, but it's only a pain when they are adament I have to give them x amount or else.

Everything else, I do online at my parents (they have a more secure internet access) for bill paying and online banking.

I do call the automated bank number at least twice a day. It used to be once every other day, until my debit card number was stolen. I'm just paranoid now.

I don't like talking on the phone. I don't even like texting that much anymore, because some people just have way, way, way too much extra time on their hands.

[DrFaroohk]

I think it'd be better if it was more acceptable to speak hte way we type.

For instance, I could send you a text saying "Hey have you seen Hunger Games yet?"

And you could write back "Yeah, it sucks."

And I would say "Thanks."

It seems so wrong to have a phone conversation like that. You'd have to start with like "Hey Gene, how are you. Oh good, how's the kids. That's great, so listen, I was hoping I could ask you something...."

And it turns into a full blown conversation, over one little thing, taking up like 20 minutes of my time, or I could just go with 20 seconds of my time to type out a quick text.