you're involved with something engrossing, the mood is mellow and you have a few moments of time for just your thoughts, suddenly the persistant ringing of your phone, you don't want to answer it, but there's that...a guilt that it may be something important, you pick it up...and nothing, no sound, no breathing, not even a dial tone...just...silence...are they seeing if i'm home?!?!

does this happen to everyone that has a home phone, and who are they?

Nope, not at home. That's lame. I get calls at work that just go "beeeep, beeeeep, BEEEEEP," because some fucker somewhere thinks that my phone number is a fax numer. I need to hunt that bastard down.

Hm, its usually mobile (cell) phones that contain Pavlovian bells, where people feel compelled to answer them and guilt if they don't.

Perhaps an answering machine or service would help, then they can still contact you.

possible, too many years work in call centers...i hear a bing or a ring and it's an urge to pick up...it wouldn't be so bad if i got paid nine dollars an hour...i don't think it's just me however, it happens at work a lot, and happened to us in montana...or we get people asking for really weird names...i wonder sometimes just who had our number before we did?

missed connections... there's a thought for a story.

love the new avi, Dyn

Telemarketers have a automated machine that's purpouse is to screen out potential answering machines in an effort to increase the number of real people they get in touch with. (sick bastards!) I've noticed this: You answer the phone, and say something.. and get silence in return. As soon as you say "hello" or whatever a second time.. that's when the line on the other end picks up. We used to get ALOT of telemarketer calls, and I've tried this a few times... it seems to be the case... plus I read something about it online.

or

you're being watched by the CIA! They're monitoring your every move and installing hidden cameras when you're not home. not to make you paranoid or anything...

then why would they call to make you all suspicious and the like?

exactly! no one ever believes the "conspiracy theorists" or the "paranoid"...

i would get that, too, except it would be some pre-recorded message that has this Mexican guy as a telmarketer, but they wouldn't be selling anything. the fucked up thing is that even when i switched phone numbers, it happened again and no one else i knew had that prank call happen to them.

so i get called a crackhead. go figure. damn mexicans.

as for telemarketers, i think there's a new law now that you can get put on a list that you do not want any calls from any telemarketers (in Canada that is) and the fine for any company that violates that list gets fined upwards to ... i can't remember...but some big number close to 10 grand...

crackhead.

:dope:

... close enough.

i had that happen to me one day a few weeks ago. it drove me nuts. i finally unplugged my phone for the day, but then it filled up my voicemail with fax beeps.

ah, sweet rogue...is it the little witch, or was it the rugrat?

the frustrating part is i tried *69, and the number it was 1-111-111-1111, how real is that? and when i tried to connect it was not a valid number...i should have figured...i would have had better luck with 555-5555, but i'm a sucker for my curiousity

telemarketers, evil, wicked people, i know i used to be one...on the brightside i say hello four or five times and no one answers...i guess the irritate "hello" and mean projected thoughts must disuade their machine.

the witch i thought...

I hate Autodiallers.....

kill them all and then shoot the telemarketers.

Neon

she is kind of cute?...sae from the magic users club.

is there one with grey hair? there HAS to be one with grey hair.

It's interesting you mention that idea because the latest voice-recognition software does something very similar.
It senses tress level from tone and voice fluctuation and determines your economic level based on this.
The program then lists your phone-number as: "Too poor to compute."

i don't think so, they're all young, but there is a young girlish looking boy jock that's gay...

finally, something nice about being poor...