Sunday, May 10, 2009

After These Messages

In 1993, after having recently acquired a number of friends, it was suggested that I purchase an answering machine. This would make it much easier for others to let me know what they were up to and if they wanted me to call them back. I can remember hearing my mom's surprise the first time she called me on it (she didn't have one herself). I also recall how excited I'd be coming home from work or school and seeing that I had multiple messages waiting for me; they were like aural love letters. Several people left me goofy messages, but that's par for the course. I also went out and bought a new phone, one that fit my mood at the time:



I can remember one afternoon in 1997 when my wife-to-be received a call about getting electronic voicemail; an answering machine without the machine. We quickly switched to it and I find it hard to believe that others continue to use a physical device.

In the mid '00's, the phone company changed their name to Qwest. I always got a chuckle out of how my wife referred to them as "KeyWest". I had to make sure not to laugh too obviously or she would ask what was up (I didn't want to correct her; her pronuniciation was too cute).

A few years ago, we thought about switching to a different landline company, but the greeting she has on the Qwest service is just perfect and I didn't believe that she could record it as well again. We continue to pay $58 a month for the line and VM service.

A few months ago, I heard a really funny VM that someone had on their phone. It was so good that I adopted it as my own; in a computer voice, I say (alternating my tenor a bit with each word): "Please...leave...a...message...after...the...tone".

8 comments:

Timothy Smith said...

58 a month? Yikes!

Thomas said...

Yeah, but that's for local AND long distance!

Timothy Smith said...

Vonage does local and long and every feature you can imagine for about 31-32 bucks with tax.

Qwest would be more reliable of course but you would be surprised just how reliable VOIP is if you have high speed internet.

Magic Jack is 20 bucks a year. If you have cell phones its not a bad option. It also includes local, long, voicemail etc.

While magic jack may have limitations over what you have now it might be worth considering since it would save you 3500 bucks over the next five years.

Thats some serious pocket change.

I would consider picking up a magic jack (the have a money back deal) and try it out. See if its worth saving 650 a year. I plan to do that as well and dump Vonage.

Dämmerung Anblick said...

William Shatner's on Twitter, he can do that one better than anybody. And bet he'd do it for nothin'.

Dämmerung Anblick said...

Scottie...take us...to warp....nine...!

Rocketstar said...

Cell Phone only and cut that land line and save $ unles you don't have or want a cell phone...

Dämmerung Anblick said...

yeah, i'm seriously considering going cell only as well. i mean, i practically run my business from my blackberry...

Anonymous said...

To ammerung danblick or dammerung anbl whatever:
you haven't had any job/business since you left your job in 2007 until end of may/09 when you started your painting business and as far as I know you only got 2 customers so far! why do you keep saying I have a business?