[Jelena]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

O god.

< hides under the table alongside Moriarty >

LOL

[Tobbe]

Soo, when are we people here at AG going to get together, throw a party..? That woul be great, impossible, I know but still..

[RLacey]

I hate making phone calls to people that I don't know. I'll always take the email or letter-writing option in preference, though that's mostly because I can craft what I send them in a far more controlled way than when under pressure to say something.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by RLacey

I hate making phone calls to people that I don't know. I'll always take the email or letter-writing option in preference, though that's mostly because I can craft what I send them in a far more controlled way than when under pressure to say something.

Shameless craven.

[UPtimist]

Originally Posted by MoriartyL

This has all the tact of physically pulling one of your friends away from their conversation and yelling at them, "WE WILL TALK ABOUT FROGS NOW!".

What's wrong with that?

That's the way I open every conversation.

[Stoofa]

The only person in the entire world I call just to chat with is my sister Catherine. I don't really enjoy speaking on the phone with everyone else. Which reminds me, I was supposed to call my other sister yesterday and totally forgot. I'm a bad sister.

[UPtimist]

Never say sometihng like that when people like Trep are around.

("I'm a bad sister")

[Stoofa]

I await his berating.

However, by posting in this thread I have reminded myself to call my sister today!

[Squinky]

Speaking of hating telephones, here's a pertinent Sam and Max comic I made a few days ago.

[Gordon Bennett]

Ah yes, I do understand. I do not like the telephone, not one bit. There's the distance aspect, the whole thought of communicating out into a complete unknown without seeing who is there, ir even knowing who the person is on the other end.

Which, as an aside, I really can not stand when people call and don;t identify themselves, or even ask "do you know who this is?"

Business calls are even worse. Too much anxiety. What am I supposed to say? What am I getting myself into? To be honest, writing and e-mail are no better, because there's still that unknown aspect and it just seems to become a monumental task.

The funny thing is, I know from experience that I have the social skills to manage nearly any situation, and that in the moment I can always manage, but that makes no difference when considering the prospect.

Sometimes I practice at being outgoing, just to try to become more accustomed to it. It's never easy, even though it does generally go well.

[Sage]

Gordon, as polite, articulate, and direct as you have shown yourself to be through your posts here, I'm surprised you'd have any trouble with the telephone.

[Melanie68]

I think you can be very comfortable with the written word (especially so with someone you've not met) but can be uncomfortable talking. I am most comfortable talking with people I know well but find it hard to start up a casual conversation on the fly with strangers or with people I casually know. If I have an objective in speaking with someone, I can do that fine.

Although I'm much better on the phone with people I don't know (especially if it's business matters) but if I'm intimidated by someone in person, I definitely will be on the phone.

[Gordon Bennett]

Sage, thank you for the kind words. I've given the matter some thought over the past few days, partially due to this conversation, and partially because I've had to make so many phone calls. I think it's a question of not knowing who might pick up on the other end, and what sort of conversation to expect.

There's something eerie about starting a conversation and not having any idea who might appear on the other end.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Melanie68

I think you can be very comfortable with the written word (especially so with someone you've not met) but can be uncomfortable talking. I am most comfortable talking with people I know well but find it hard to start up a casual conversation on the fly with strangers or with people I casually know. If I have an objective in speaking with someone, I can do that fine.

That's exactly how I am. Someone I don't yet know would have to make the first move because I'm terrified to start anything - fear of being snubbed or rejected, mainly. Ironically, in the past people had admitted that they thought I was a snob because I never said much.

Although I'm much better on the phone with people I don't know (especially if it's business matters) but if I'm intimidated by someone in person, I definitely will be on the phone.

I'm perfectly fine on the phone, but if the person is in person and s/he seems intimidating, if it's strictly social I can get nervous but if it's strictly business I can hold my own and get the job done.

[Squinky]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Ironically, in the past people had admitted that they thought I was a snob because I never said much.

I remember that in the fifth grade, one of my classmates went right out and asked me, "Why don't you ever talk?" It's not that I didn't say anything at all; it's just that I felt no need to talk just for the sake of talking and therefore didn't really say much. The same applies today, of course.

[fajerkaos]

hello, this is the most intreasting topic ever...
is it okay if i link to it in my signture??

BTW: telfone rules!!