Will people leave me the hell alone???

[Fritzo]

Why is it people always call ME??? I never make outgoing calls- everyone I've ever talked to for more than 5 minutes has no problem calling me on my cell or at him asking for favors, advice, whatever. I literally average 8 calls a day from people asking how to fix something...if I can come over to look at something...if I can tell them the best doo-dad to buy...it's getting to the point where I'm getting short with my wife and kids when they come up asking me for help!

I jump whenever the phone rings at home, I have to screen my calls, I get repeat calls asking why I haven't called back. These are people that I can't really say "go screw yourself" to either for one reason or another.

I call maybe one person a week at home...sometimes not even that. I hate people. Freakin' leaches :|

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

<poke>

 

[imported_bum]

Haha, that's why I never offer to help people with computers anymore.

 

[swtethan]

poke chain!

 

[Platypus]

but DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!

 

[IronWing]

Never pick up the phone, ever. That is what answering machines are for. And do blow people off. Eventually they will seek their own wisdom.

 

[wetcat007]

Set distinctive ringers for people you want to answer the phone with. Set no ringer to everyone else, they can leave a voicemail, and you can decide whether to call them or not.

 

[JulesMaximus]

<--Pokes frizto with a stick

 

[AnyMal]

Let me guess. You're working in Human Resources?

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: AnyMal
Let me guess. You're working in Human Resources?

I'm a supervisor and Network analyst for a national ISP. I have a lot of internal knowledge of DSL line provisioning, and I also write a column about electronics for our customers (similar to Gizmodo). I think it's that column that's doing me in...it makes me too public. If people can read my writing I become their friend. I think I'm going to have to end that.

 

[skim milk]

and when people never call you, you're going to make another thread crying about how you have no friends, right?

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
These are people that I can't really say "go screw yourself" to either for one reason or another.

there are very few such people

 

[aidanjm]

isn't helping people a form of charity or volunteer work? doesn't everyone benefit from helping others including yourself? (you can learn how to be patient with morons, etc.) you could learn to be a little bit more gracious.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: aidanjm
isn't helping people a form of charity or volunteer work? doesn't everyone benefit from helping others including yourself? (you can learn how to be patient with morons, etc.) you could learn to be a little bit more gracious.

Problem is I'm doing all the helping. I'm one of those people that could go a whole week without talking to anyone and I'd be fine. I also never seem to need anything from anyone as I find ways to manage just about any situation myself. I'm an anti-social person that's being forced into socializing

 

[RossMAN]

Fritzo, will you be my friend?

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Fritzo, will you be my friend?

Don't do it... it's a trick.

:laugh:

 

[3NF]

Don't post, and people will leave you alone.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I'm an anti-social person that's being forced into socializing

Well that's a good thing. If you get forced enough, eventually you'll come around. Then you'll begin to look forward to socializing. The only discomfort you'll experience will be during the transition, and once you're "fixed" you'll realize the irritation was worth it -- like the temporary itching and soreness that accompanies laser eye surgery.

Reminds me of the scene in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where the mice offer to replace Arthur's brain with a computer programmed to make him think he's happy. If he'd just accepted the minor discomfort of the anticipation of his cerebroectomy, he could have spent the rest of his life in constant bliss.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I'm an anti-social person that's being forced into socializing

Well that's a good thing. If you get forced enough, eventually you'll come around. Then you'll begin to look forward to socializing. The only discomfort you'll experience will be during the transition, and once you're "fixed" you'll realize the irritation was worth it -- like the temporary itching and soreness that accompanies laser eye surgery.

Reminds me of the scene in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where the mice offer to replace Arthur's brain with a computer programmed to make him think he's happy. If he'd just accepted the minor discomfort of the anticipation of his cerebroectomy, he could have spent the rest of his life in constant bliss.

Been 10 years now...I'm hating it more. I wonder how much desert islands cost these days.

 

[Accipiter22]

I bet he's a support technician or something. lol

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Fritzo, will you be my friend?

Only if you're smart enought figure stuff out on your own.

 

[mrrman]

start to charge them

 

[Inspector Jihad]

give the people you dont want calling you some crappy advice. after a few times they'll stop calling without you having to do anything.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: mrrman
start to charge them

That's right. Ugly chicks need lovin' too, but they gotta pay.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

It sucks - especially when it it's people you don't care about. There are tons of people I know that come to me for help or a favor, but that's the only reason I'll get a call/request from them, they won't really ever be helpful in return. These aren't friends and so not worth caring about - just don't answer their call. Wait till they leave a message, and then call them back the next day or just some time at your own leisure and say you were away from your phone. Sometimes you just really have to ignore it.

With some people, I won't answer unless they've already left a voicemail that I've heard. If they have, I can either call back, or choose to say I was busy at the time.

If they really need something, they'll leave a message and wait for you to get back to them, or they'll find another way to have it answered. This morning I ignored 4 calls before noon, some people wanted a ride back to Purdue, but damn people, this is the only reason you'll call me. If we were friends and they invited me over every now and then or whatever, or just returned a favor in some way, I wouldn't bother. What's worse is when you take them, and they fall asleep during a one hour drive.

I don't want it to sound like I keep track of every little thing either - I just want to see that it isn't me helping them out 5-6 times in a semester and never getting anything in return. This "return" can be as frickin small as offering to pay a little for gas - if I drove you for a good 50-60 miles 6 times per semester, I'd like to think I'm not doing it just so you'll say hi to me.

To the AT'ers I know in person: Issue isn't you guys, it's the other douchebags I've told you about.

Fritzo: You didn't give specifics, but let's say it's people always asking which computer system to buy, monitor, MP3 player, whatever. When I get questions like this, depending on the person I will either point them to AT or AVSForum.com, or I will say, "I'm not really sure, been too busy to think about that, I'd try _______________ and __________" where the blanks are stores in the area. If they want to do more research but can't really search a whole lot on forums and find information, I'll point them to Cnet reviews, those have videos and are pretty easy to follow.