We used to just call people, now everyone needs a scheduled appointment for a phone call.
By @umalately · Family
My daughter got annoyed with me for calling her out of the blue yesterday. they said I should have texted first to see if she was free, but I remember when the phone ringing was just a normal part of life, not an interruption.
The full story
It just seems so strange to me. The whole point of a phone was to connect with people spontaneously. Now it feels like you need to send a carrier pigeon a week in advance to book a 15-minute slot in someone's calendar just to say hello. I was just calling to ask if she'd gotten the cookies I mailed, but you would've thought I'd broken some sacred law. She huffed and said she was in the middle of something. Back in my day, you'd just say 'oh, sorry!' and call back later. It wasn't a whole thing.
How people voted
- Facts — 26% (55 votes)
- Depends — 37% (78 votes)
- No Way — 37% (77 votes)
Readers are split: “Depends” leads with 37% — 210 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@notreallybut — soft.
@jettish — can't wait until we need to fax a request for a 3-minute voice note.
@daniish — A ringing phone means you answer it, period.
@ehhmaybe — I get it, it feels a little strange, but a quick text really does help! Sometimes people are in meetings or just need to focus. She'll appreciate the thought!
@fayehm — This is a classic boundary issue and she's just trying to manage her time.
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