Do Not Call

Something I had not thought about when we moved is you really need to get your new phone number(s) on the national Do Not Call List ASAP. I think the numbers need to be registered about 10 weeks before you even know what your new number will be.

I have about 10 real phone calls since I have been here and about a Gajillion telemarketing calls. Some days they start at 7am. Now to me a 7am call is an emergency call. People only call that early to tell me that something very bad like a death in the family has happened. so the first time I got a 7am telemarketing call I rushed to the phone an answered it only to hear an automated voice on the other end asking if I wanted a timeshare or new replacement windows or a new credit card or perhaps I want to become a member of AOL.

Generally we let the answering machine take all calls (so if you call here you will be screened, just keep on talking and we will get to your call as soon as possible. Your call is very important to us...) But every now and again I like to pick up the phone and talk to the sales rep. Generally I tell them for whom ever they are calling that person is dead. Once when I did this (told the caller my husband Eugene had died) the person did not skip a beat and than wanted anyone else in the house to buy their service (a credit card from MBNA. IIRC). Shameless, I hung up about 3 seconds into the conversation.

I have registered the phone number with the Do Not Call Registry but it takes months for this to kick in so I will have to put up with such calls for a while longer. perhaps I should start engaging each person that calls to sell me something in political rhetoric. Or maybe I should be selling them organic foods or CSA shares.