You know what? I HATE having to check my e-mail at LEAST 5 x's per day

[Mind_your_head]

I resent the FACT that I'm only considered 'new/cool/hip/in-the-21st century' if I respond to every blip/bleep that tells me that someone has e-maild or 'texted' me. I'm not THAT important (I don't carry a nuclear 'football' for example) that people need to reach me 24/7!!! In fact, the ability that other people have to reach me at ANY TIME......just stresses me out!!!! I'm never totally free to just relax, put my work cares behind me, and, well, just find out about ME (and the world at large, as it were).

Technology can be used for 'good' or 'evil'....and this 24/7 crap is just ONE example of technology's ill-use

Peace,
M_Y_H

[Richard Steele]

1. I normally check mine about once a week, and SEND email even less...

But I'm working on a project for someone on the other coast
right now, so I gotta keep checking it ten times a day.
It's annoying me something fierce.

[asdjrocky]

2. "So old"

I remember a time, it seems so long ago now, that I would walk down the street totally unconnected and it didn't even occur to me that the would might cave in around my ears if I didn't get a phone call or an e-mail. You know, looking back, it was a more simple and gentle time. Sigh.

[Mind_your_head]

6. What's that saying......

"Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes all by itself".....

that's definitely not in your case (or mine, I think).....:hug:

I truly miss the days of slower communication. When you could send out a telex in the morning and then go out for a 2-3 hour lunch with your co-workers. You got to know (and love or hate ~ but mostly love your co-workers ~ you saw them all as the people that they were - strengths/flaws and all!) You'd get a telexed response by the next morning and business would go 'on'.....but that was back in the day when we were a strong nation, we were only living through our first criminal president.....we were so naive back then.....

[Arkansas Granny]

18. Your saying reminds me of one that my grandmother used.....

"Live and learn. Some people only live."

[PDJane]

3. Explain to these people.....gently, of course.....

That you do not HAVE to answer the phone, text messaging or email immediately. These things are like a knock on the door; if you choose NOT to answer at that time, it's your home and your choice. The proper behaviour of the caller is to leave a calling card and wait for a more opportune moment...and not to become irritated because you don't wish to communicate.

Privacy is non-negotiable. Give people as much access as you are comfortable with, and no more. And yes, I do practice what I preach. I have call display and Bell answer, and I check my emails twice per day; once in the morning and once in the evening. I make no guarantees that I will respond to frivolous text messages. The problem is in forgetting that all this communications stuff is meant for your convenience. If it's becoming intrusive, set limits!

[ashling]

4. Don't worry

the NSA will check it for you.
:rofl:

[Chomskyite]

5. I can't stand being in a meeting and . . .

. . . having some snitty nonentity say I should have seen and printed out her precious vaguely written faculty senate resolution from among the other 80 or 90 email attachments I get in a given day.

[Rick Myers]

7. I check my email 2 or 3 times a day, depending on where I am...

I know 21 year old kids with full keyboards on their cell phones...

But now they're getting 'viruses' via Bluetooth...

My cell phone is a PHONE. That's it! It's 3 years old and it gets calls where all these 'smart phones' don't git shit!!!

No camera, no GPS, and if you text message me I will punch you in the head!

[PDJane]

10. I refuse to own a cell phone.

I have no "blue tooth" devices. I realize I'm old-fashioned (Springsteen is my contemporary), but there is nothing anywhere written to say that one has to purchase the latest in technology for the hell of it. If I truly were important enough in the scheme of things to walk around communicating with all and sundry, fine. I'm not, and have no desire to pretend to be.

If you want resolutions added to whatever agenda I'm dealing with currently, you will send me an email or a hard copy, with the purpose and meeting clearly marked. Yes, I'm crotchety, fussy, and a stickler for protocol. I won't hold a grudge, but I will expect concise information on the next try!

I'm in too much pain as a rule to bother with lies and outright stupidity.

[michreject]

28. If your phone is only 3 yrs old

It has the GPS in it. Pres. Clinton signed that into law.

[Book Lover]

8. Have to?

Everything has an off switch. Turn it off. I have complete faith you can manage doing it.

[cboy4]

14. Yea, you turn it off and then end up feeling like you're

on the witness stand when people grill you as to why you didn't get back to them.

If only it was so easy to just turn things off.

[CT_Progressive]

24. You say: "Because I hate you."

Try to keep a straight face for as long as possible.

Revel in their reaction.

[Book Lover]

34. Maybe my skin is thicker than yours

because I don't let that stuff bother me. Then again, maybe that means you are more considerate than I am! :-)

[Mojambo]

9. So don't respond.

I sometimes have emails from people sitting my inbox for days before I reply.

I check my email when I feel like it (actually I think it automatically checks every so often) and I respond when I feel like it, if at all.

If the people sending me email don't like that, they can totally fuck off. And they know it.

Honestly I don't see the problem.

[cboy4]

11. Yea, people think the world revolves around them and

that you don't have a dozen text messages and e-mails from other people as well.

The day I knew things have gotten completely out of hand is when a "friend" wanted to know why I ignored his repeated text messages, even though he knew I was on an airliner. :wtf:

[TAZller]

12. Lord... And i'm reading and sending from my phone...

But then again, what progress we have made being able to send a general complaint out to the ether not really knowing whom or where it might land and actually get a response in commiseration of our woes?

In days past if we just dialied a few thousand numbers at random complaining about having to answer the phone ringing on our walls to know who was interupting our dinner....we might just get cursed at.

The injustice of it all...

[Bluebear]

13. I hate receiving a phone call to tell me they emailed me.

And what I hate more is when they call me to tell me I have an email and then to call them when I get it! Leave me be, I'm on DU! :)

[seabeyond]

21. the reason i prefer email is a person can respond when and if they want.

i have been doing it all wrong. lol lol. darn it. so that is funny to hear someone calls to tell you about the email. people might or might not get an answer, and i expect the same when i send email. i hate calling on phone and interupting something

[alphafemale]

15. And the funny thing is I can remember that it was quite the opposite.

My Mom's been dead about ten years now, but I remember her being completely unable to understand how we could let the phone ring and not answer it.

Remember?

"The voice mail will get it."

"We'll check it later."

"After dinner/this show/our talk..."

Seems like another age away now doesn't it?

[Robbien]

16. I turned in my cell and only have a land line. My people are pissed

But miraculously life is so much more peaceful and more my own.

I am planning on keeping it this way.

[Raejeanowl]

17. The Loss Of The Presumption of Privacy/Unavailability

If you've got one of "those" jobs, where the boss gives you the cell phone and expects it, there's not much you can do. Nature of that job, or that boss.

But I am EXTREMELY selective about who gets my private cell number. And personal associates who care enough to email have learned not to expect an immediate reply except by pre-arrangement.

I give myself enough "wiggle room" to treat urgency as real urgency and get around to the rest. I couldn't tolerate it otherwise.

[mwb970]

19. I'm with you.

I even leave my cell phone in the car when I do my grocery shopping or whatever. I don't want to be "available" 24/7!

[Arkansas Granny]

20. I check my email at work several times a day, but at home I

sometimes go for days without checking. I don't own a cell phone because I don't really want one. If I did own one, I probably wouldn't have it turned on all that often. If I'm not at work or at home (i.e. near a phone) leave me a message or I'll see your number on caller ID and I'll call you back. If you want me to answer my home phone, make sure you don't have your name or number blocked because I don't answer any calls that say "unknown caller" or "data blocked". I have a phone and computer for my own convenience, not to make it easy for others to bother me.

[aikoaiko]

22. You rant like someone is forcing you to do anything?

geeeesh. don't act like such a victim.

[LWolf]

23. Who said you have to?

I check mine once a day, having encouraged people to use email instead of the phone. I prefer email to the phone. I rarely EVER actually answer the phone.

I don't "text" at all, and I wish I could figure out how to remove the spam texts from my cell phones' memory. My manual is mute on that point.

There are only about 7 people who have my cell phone number, and they know not to call during business hours, or to expect to "chat" when they do call. That's what email is for, lol. The cell phone is to coordinate family or friend's schedules, or for emergencies.

You can decide what and how much technology to use, and how often to use it.

[ecstatic]

25. Don't read or respond (in case they use read-trackers)

If they send a follow up, maybe I'll read it then because it must be important.

[porphyrian]

26. Why do you have to check email?

Everyone I know can ignore it as long as they want. Some people I know never check email.

[notadmblnd]

27. I have no problem not answering the phone or e-mail

or even paying bills until the mood strikes me. I control it, it does not control me.

[Kajsa]

29. Don't.

Check it once or twice a day, and if
you don't want to respond to an e-mail- don't.

Unfortunately, I have a few Repub relatives that
are trying to "convert" me.
I get all this RW crap in e-mails, which I delete
and don't respond to.
One of them isn't getting the message, so I continue
to delete and not respond.

Take a break, turn off the computer and cell phone
for a while.

Get caller ID so you know who's calling you at home.

Good luck.

:hi:

[Kajsa]

30. Don't.

Check it once or twice a day, and if
you don't want to respond to an e-mail- don't.

Unfortunately, I have a few Repub relatives that
are trying to "convert" me.
I get all this RW crap in e-mails, which I delete
and don't respond to.
One of them isn't getting the message, so I continue
to delete and not respond.

Take a break, turn off the computer and cell phone
for a while.

Get caller ID so you know who's calling you at home.

Good luck.

:hi:

[soothsayer]

31. I can't wait until I can start receiving email that scrolls directly over my corneas.

[spanone]

32. then don't.

[AX10]

33. I understand.