Cell phone for a second grader

In article , Nan says...

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:27:16 -0400, Rosalie B.
wrote:

"mark" wrote:



Were you allowed inside the home? I wouldn't let you in my home
unless you were clearly injured, but I'd be happy to make the call for
you.

Nan

Nan says its okay to bleed on my front porch, just don't bleed on the
rug......... LOL LOL LOL


I made a deep cut in my thumb with a linoleum knife in HS and the
nurse didn't want to let me into the infirmary because she didn't want
me bleeding on her nice clean floor. Her name was Mrs. Payne.

Too funny.
Locally we have a dentist named Dr. Brilliandt and one named Dr.
Toothaker.

There's a local podiatrist Dr. Toeback.

(ouch:

Banty

In article , Penny Gaines says...

Banty wrote:
In article , toypup says...
[snip]
Right. But my problem has been with the school office and teachers (and one
friend who is one of those hooked-up folks with the cell on her beltloop..).
They call my *cell*. Getting my message box, they leave a message, and think
they're done. I'm sitting at work, I'm sitting right next to my landline at
home; no call.
[snip]
I'd leave a message with the teacher that you don't turn your cell phone
on, especially on the emergency calling card (where I wouldn't even bother
to list my cell phone). Then they shouldn't complain. If they do, just
remind them you don't turn it on and don't let it bother you. They should
get it eventually. If not, it's their problem, not yours.
[snip]

But life comes at ya fast (like the ad). Things have changed! Now Mommy
presumably has her cell attched to her Mommy-jean gathered waistline while she
hauls little bro and little sis around all tarnation dontcha know. And the
emergency card numbers get programmed into some database, which loses my big red
bold arrows, and the new default is - the cell! Argggh.

It *is* my problem if I want to be contacted by the school regarding my son.
And I do, no?
[snip]

Well, I want a message left on my home phone, but also for them to ring
my mobile.

Basically, all our phones seem to go to answer phone mode if you don't
answer them within a few rings. So I might be rushing to the phone
when it kicks into answer mode, or I might be in the garden and not hear
it, or I might have gone to the corner shop. I'll see the message light
next time I pass, and get the message. I probably won't even have my
mobile on, and if I do, I won't check it (because I'm at home).

However, sometimes I'm not home, and I'll have my mobile with me and
on. I've been in that situation a couple of times where the school
really does need to contact me, and I'm not at home.

For instance earlier this year, I spent a lot of time visiting someone
in hospital over 60 miles from home. I had time to drive to the
hospital, have a reasonable visit, and get home about the same time as
the kids got out of school.

There were two occasions where the school had to be in touch with me
before I got back. Once was to say the after-school club had been
cancelled, so i had to make an alternative arrangement, and once
because the child had had an accident (not serious, but I needed to
know). Yes, in both cases the school would probably have managed, but
I did need to know.


I've had a teacher call *all* the numbers. Which is fine (for me - harder for
her!)

I'm noting that IME anyway, if it's *one* phone (and of course people would like
to make just one call to chase someone), increasingly it's the cell.

I think at some point I'll have to go to the cell more. But then there are
coverage problems.

The thing is - I'd *always* see a message on the landline within the day.

Banty

"Banty" wrote in message
...
Frankly, if it's something like calling a set of companies to, for
example, get
estimates for work, a situation like that will put me off.

Not the 'talking to machine' factor; for me it's the callback factor.


I can understand that. BTDTBTTS. From the worker bee's supervisor POV,
though let me tell you that there are loads of people in the world who don't
have answering machines [or don't turn them on maybe] who are quite willing
to call up a worker's supervisor and complain so and so never called back
when, in fact, the return call was attempted more than once and no one
answered and there was no answering machine to at least let the person know
you tried to contact them, or, even better, leave the information requested
on the machine. Ah well. We aren't perfect. The systems we devise are
developed for the devil to shoot holes through. And, as murphy said, if
something can go wrong, it will. My usual is that I finally slip into that
bathroom when someone I've been waiting for returns my call. I do, however,
have v/m on all the phones, work and home.

Aula

In article , Aula says...


"Banty" wrote in message
...

Right. But my problem has been with the school office and teachers (and
one
friend who is one of those hooked-up folks with the cell on her
beltloop..).
They call my *cell*. Getting my message box, they leave a message, and
think
they're done. I'm sitting at work, I'm sitting right next to my landline
at
home; no call.

Then they complain that 'they couldnt' raise me by phone', assuming that,
since
I didnt' answer my cell, and dontcha know *everyone* has their cell with
them
all the time, they weren't going to try my landlines either.


Maybe they'd all like a new poster? You know the one. It says something to
the effect of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and
expecting different results. Get the one with a pic of a cell phone and
paste in your face by the phone.

I know. Sarcasm off. I just couldn't resist it. I'm with you on this one.
If there's a problem they should call *all* your numbers. If there isn't
they should leave you voice mail at home. You'll be home eventually.

This issue is similar to the one i have about people failing to follow
instructions when I call a business/doc and leave a please call me at work
between 9 and 5 message and, they invariably leave me v/m at home. Um, they
are closed when I'm home and they don't follow instructions well, and, I
can't get a live person on the phone when I call them. Sigh. Maybe its
just that there is so much to process people put as much as they can to
auto-default mode and don't think before acting?

It's auto-default. Mommy-must-be-at-home has switched over to
mommy-with-her-cell-handy.


So, what happens when you put an outgoing message on your v/m telling people
you don't respond to messages left on your cell phone? Have you tried that?
It *might* work, although I've noticed an amazing number of folks who fail
to listen to outgoing voice messages on all manner of phones.

I've thought of that, but there are times (like when we're caravanning to a
scout outing) that I *want* folks to leave a message on my cell.


You have my condolences, but know you are not alone in your frustrations.
God forbid they should ever be attempting to reach you in a true emergency.

Then I assume they'd call all numbers. I hope...

Banty

"Banty" wrote in message
...
But I hate that too. Too much experience with playing telephone tag.
....
It's not the wait; it's the uncertainity.


That is true. There is a wait. The potential for phone tag exists. And
the uncertainty is there at least until one makes the first contact with
whoever one is trying to reach. If, however, one does not leave a message
and begin the potential phone tag round the uncertainty will remain
indefinitely. Game engaged will ultimately result in the removal of the
uncertainty, be the game brief or lengthy. An alternative is to resort to
pen and paper and engage in correspondence [a nearly forgotten *art* these
days, lime], but that seems to have poor results when dealing with many
issues.

Aula

In article , user says...

On 12 Sep 2007 16:57:20 -0700, Banty wrote:
In article , Nan says...

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:27:16 -0400, Rosalie B.
wrote:

"mark" wrote:



Were you allowed inside the home? I wouldn't let you in my home
unless you were clearly injured, but I'd be happy to make the call for
you.

Nan

Nan says its okay to bleed on my front porch, just don't bleed on the
rug......... LOL LOL LOL


I made a deep cut in my thumb with a linoleum knife in HS and the
nurse didn't want to let me into the infirmary because she didn't want
me bleeding on her nice clean floor. Her name was Mrs. Payne.

Too funny.
Locally we have a dentist named Dr. Brilliandt and one named Dr.
Toothaker.

There's a local podiatrist Dr. Toeback.

(ouch:

And locally we have the vasectomy specialist - Dr. Stopp.

Hee.

I just looked it up - it's "Dr. Toback".

But still....

In article , Aula says...


"Banty" wrote in message
...
Frankly, if it's something like calling a set of companies to, for
example, get
estimates for work, a situation like that will put me off.

Not the 'talking to machine' factor; for me it's the callback factor.


I can understand that. BTDTBTTS. From the worker bee's supervisor POV,
though let me tell you that there are loads of people in the world who don't
have answering machines [or don't turn them on maybe] who are quite willing
to call up a worker's supervisor and complain so and so never called back
when, in fact, the return call was attempted more than once and no one
answered and there was no answering machine to at least let the person know
you tried to contact them, or, even better, leave the information requested
on the machine. Ah well. We aren't perfect. The systems we devise are
developed for the devil to shoot holes through. And, as murphy said, if
something can go wrong, it will. My usual is that I finally slip into that
bathroom when someone I've been waiting for returns my call. I do, however,
have v/m on all the phones, work and home.

Sure, I understand it can't be perfect.

But, a lot of times I won't leave a message, taking a shot at a call an hour or
so later actually getting the person I want to talk to. Rather than waiting for
him or her to decide to do their callbacks. That's the reason for me to not
leave a message (at least initially), rather than actually not liking to leave
messages on machines.

OF course, sometimes when I call back, I get the same front desk person, who
recognizes my voice. :*)

Banty

toypup wrote:

Miss Manners says we don't have to talk to machines.

Absolutely. However, one assumes the consequences
of not doing so (e.g., not getting called back, not being
able to reach the person, etc.).

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Banty" wrote in message
...
I think at some point I'll have to go to the cell more. But then there
are
coverage problems.


I know some landline carriers offer call forwarding as one of those add on
cost services. I wonder if you can set it up so that you can turn it on to
send calls to work [or call] as you are walking out the door and thereby
remove the necessity of giving out any number other than your home landline?

-Aula

"Banty" wrote in message
...
OF course, sometimes when I call back, I get the same front desk person,
who
recognizes my voice. :*)


It is worth it to sweetly develop a relationship with those front desk
people. They run many offices and sometimes can weasel someone into taking
a call as they are running to a meeting or something.

Aula