THE NUMBER YOU HAVE DIALED..........

Anyone that knows me...........also knows that I am not a huge fan of ever-changing technology.  I think progress in the world is fantastic...except for when it impacts human relationships and interaction.  Which brings me to the most basic of our techno-logic advances: 

Remember me??

Ah yes the phone...........the telephone..........the yapper........
Back in the day........a long long time ago.........WAY before you and I were ever born.......Alexander Graham Bell....invented the device so you could "reach out and touch
someone"!!  Communicate.........keep in touch!!  Like a hug from afar!  What a GREAT idea!!  Hearing someone's voice is almost like having them with you......
BACK IN THE DAY WE:
- loved getting phone calls......"somebody loves me" 
- ran to answer it......."maybe it's for me?" 
- hated when the line was busy......."get off the phone already!"
- never knew who was on the other line.................."I hope its gramma"
- always answered the phone...."I was tired of vacuuming"

TODAY WE: LOAD OUR PHONE WITH "Calling Features" Intent on avoiding people!!

Call Display See your caller's name and number.   

Call Waiting  Don't miss important opportunities just because you're on another call.   

Call Forwarding  Automatically forwards calls to any number you choose. 

Voice Mail  Takes messages even when you're on the phone or internet.

Visual Call Waiting  See who's calling while you're on the phone.

Call Director  Send a message to your waiting caller while you're on the phone.

Call Return  Stop worrying about missed calls and eliminate the frustration of a busy line.

Call Screen  Block out the calls you don't want.

Call Trace  Protect yourself from unwanted calls.

Do Not Disturb  Say goodbye to unwanted phone interruptions.

Per Call Blocking  Prevents your name and number from being displayed when you call someone who has Call Display.

Smart Ring  Know who the call is for before you answer.

All these cleverly disguised calling features actually allow you to say:

AS a caller and TO a caller:

**DON'T BUG ME**

Nowadays we don't want to be pestered, we don't care who you are, we will block you!!  I say cancel the calling features.....lets get back to being happy when the phone rings.....lets "reach out and touch someone" for old time's sake.  Go ahead pick up the phone without looking at your call display......I dare you!!...I dare myself!!....I'm going to make a call right now......HANG ON!!......(ring ring)......"the number you have dialed............."

ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH

I hate phones............just sayin...