“I actually intend to stay not busy”
After years of practicing I am immune to this fear and I never pick up
I always answer that with something like “kinda” or “was gonna do stuff soon” and finish with “why what’s up” if it’s important I’m not actually busy
not particularly…
zoom call
but too busy for that; what’s up?
Oh dang my boss is calling me. Let me call you back on Febtober 98th.
LOL this is why I usually answer, I can talk via instant message or text…But no phone or video calls. As I hate phone or video calls, I feel shackled to my device and I can’t escape it. I find the idea maddening and only do phone calls for official things like dealing with doctors, work, or businesses. If I befriend someone (on the off chance) I ask them if they like phone or video calls with friends casually, if they do, I run.
I’ll do a phone call if it’s more efficient but video calls are out of the question. I did them for job interviews during covid because it was useful in that context for us to see each other and twice when I was demoing how to reprogram some devices I support at my current job. But for just day to day social communication? Fuck that. We don’t need to see each other unless someone is taking their clothes off.
For work i dont accept calls. Usually.
I prefer having text/email records.
No one can say to me “I did (or didn’t) say that”.“I have the receipts right here.”
Moose antlers will regrow next year with branches where wounds were made this year.
I prefer written conversations, too, but some people are absolutely useless for asynchronous communication …
Yep, we all have different communication styles and it is fine, if it had to be a real time conversation. It would have to be over dinner, lunch, or coffee. As I need something to bind me into the moment aside from a conversation. I am a strange creature like that.
Same here.
Busy and available are two different things.
The polite way to do this is to ask “can you talk.”
No, the polite way is to skip the preamble and just call. Either they pick up or they don’t.
/edit: I took this meme to mean at work, where being on call is expected. In that case I‘d rather get called directly than getting interrupted twice by writing first.
Outside work: don’t call unless this is an emergency.
There’s a 100% chance I’m not picking up a cold call. A preparatory text conversation will guarantee I pick up, after I do what I can to provide whatever they want via text so we can forgo the call if possible.
If you cold call there better be blood or fire involved. It’s not the 1940s anymore, you don’t own my time. If you call and it’s nothing urgent or important, or a programmed call, I will hang up.
you don’t own my time.
That’s my point. If someone writes first and then calls they are wasting my time twice.
The point being that if you have a question and it is not urgent, you could ask by text and I will answer on my time. If it is something complex that merits a conversation, say so and we’ll schedule a call when it is convenient for the both of us. If you cold call to inquire something complex and I have something more urgent or important to tend to, you are effectively stealing my entire attention. There’s a reason we have asynchronous communication channels.
EDIT: This also applies at work, specially at work. I’m being paid to fulfill a set of tasks and achieve a specific goal. Not to suck up the ego of some random colleague who is being paid just as little as me. Unless my job is to literally answer calls at a call center, don’t ask to ask, don’t ask to call, just ask your fucking question and if it takes a conversation I will be the first one to suggest a time for a call. But don’t cold call unless it is an emergency.
Sounds like someone who gets set to always go to voicemail.
No I need the preamble. Is this a conversation I want to have now or later or never?
That too. Though sometimes I can text, but I can’t talk. I usually assume the same about others.
I like to put the phone to my ear like it’s a voice call, then pretend to accidentally hang up, then refuse to answer again, then stop responding to texts.
… then move out of the country.
You guys get a warning before receiving a call? They just skip that formality for me lately.
Maybe because you’d say no.
Always answer with “yes” on this question. Also you get warned?
At least they ask first. I have a colleague who would call with no warning whatsoever.
But why a picture of richard gere?
“…actually…”
“Are you?’
This is how come I leave FaceTime disabled.
