Walking away is not an option... dialogue must prevail.

"A good listener tries to understand what the other person is saying. In the end he may disagree sharply, but because he disagrees, he wants to know exactly what it is he is disagreeing with."
- Kenneth A. Wells

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace."
- Helen Keller

Monday, September 29, 2008

regaining my sanity

Have you ever felt like you’re being watched?


Like there’s whispering going on?

I do. Kind of conspicuous but hey... it is what it is. *wink*


In other news...




As of tomorrow, millions of Canadians will be able to resume enjoying uninterrupted the sacred bastion of family together time - the dinner hour, with the advent of the long awaited (wipe away the cobwebs) Do Not Call Registry. CLICK HERE FOR THE REGISTRY (was that in bold enough print?) or you can call 1-866-580-DNCL to register (I hear they're closed during dinner time...).




No more SPAM calls with sollicitors informing (ha! yeah right!) you that:


"Madam, may I speak to the man of the house?" (notice they don't apologize for calling you during dinner time - strike one, although at least this one is polite)

*sound of pages ruffling*

"Oh..."

*more ruffling and a few coughs*

"You make the household decisions?" (I know... shocking, isn't it? - strike two)


*mumbling can be heard in the background - the voice cracks - "We didn't go over this in training!!!"*

"I see..."

*you can hear drops of water running down the caller's neck*
*resumes reading from the script*

"Well then, you've been pre-selected to receive a free evaluation of...

Insert the "Pitchus interruptus" here, a very tricky move, but highly effective...

"Oh... You're not a homeowner?" (and gullible - strike three)


*click*


Can you hear the angels singing? That's the Allelujah Chorus!
Can you hear the phone ringing?

No?

Ain't it grand! *wink*

22 comments:

Slyde said...

ive been signed up with the registry for years... and every year or so i re-sign up just to be safe..

i still get the occasional annoying call tho..

Anonymous said...

I once told a telemarketer to call back when my wife was home and he said....

"Why? Do you need permission from your wife?"

I sat there and silently said "I know he just didn't say that!"

I said a few choice words and hung up on them.

Fortune Cookies said...

we've had the do not call registry for a few years here, in the states. the beauty of it is that you can even register your cell phone. It really does work, for the most part. Very very rarely do any slip by the registry, and if you tell the ones that do slip by that you are on the do not call registry, you can rest assured, they will not be calling you back again, they do not like the fines.
Cheers! to Canada getting this wonderful relief!

Meribah said...

Wooooooooooooooooo! **Does the happy happy joy joy dance and heads on over to that site** :P

Lu' said...

The don't call registry worked for us. It hasn't stopped the political calls though.

Anndi said...

Slyde: I heard we have to renew every three years but I fugre I'll do the yearly just to be on the safe side too!

Slick: Oh no he didn't!!!

Fortune cookies: We've been waiting for the CRTC to get off it's massive butt to get this implemented. They said on the news that companies that make the liskate of calling more than once will indeed get fines. I'll do my best as a citizen to see to it that those regs are followed! hehehe

Meribah: **Dances right on along with the puppy while throwing Scooby snacks and confetti up in the air**

Lu: The registry won't apply to charitable organizations, polls and political parties. But they don't bother me as much. I hate having my privacy invaded by telemarketers, SPAMmers and a loaded mailbox of useless junkmail. Oh happy day!!!

Travis Cody said...

I had an automated call service leave a message on my voice mail the other day.

Desert Songbird said...

I've been getting lots of annoying calls lately, and I just signed up again. Whassup wid dat?

Mimi Lenox said...

Even when you're on the Registry you still get calls and even more on my cell phone than the landline. Go figure. I must admit I have no patience and just say things like "Go away." Click.

Works for me.

Charles Gramlich said...

Unfortunately, the "do not call registery" has not been perfect for those of us down here.

Schmoop said...

Ha. Love the first picture. Enjoy your peace and quiet. Cheers Anndi!!

Anndi said...

Travis: And those are long aren't they? Annoying!

Songbird: They tell us it may take 30 days for it to take effect... maybe that's the issue. But when one of them calls, take down what company it is, remind them you're on the registry and if they bother you again, blow the whistle on them.

Mims: FC sid you can sign up your cell phone. Just remind them you're registered and kick butt if they continue.
Or.. tell them to go away.. works for me too!

Charles: Nothing is perfect when annoying marketing companies are concerned. Good luck.

Matty: What about the second one? It came from surveillance around your place ya know... hehehe. Thanks buddy!

Brian o vretanos said...

I really ought to register with ours. I don't get too many of the calls, thankfully. The magic word "tenant" usually does the trick ;-)

Anonymous said...

having caller id is also a big help...anything i don't recognize doesn't get answered...
another thought...and I have so much trouble convincing my housemates of this...the phone is there for MY convenience, not the callers...just because it rings doesn't mean I have to answer it...especially during dinner...that's why there are answering machines...and if it's really critical - they'll call back..

Unknown said...

The best one is when they call up offering windows. Because nobody has windows! And if they get broken, you know, we won't ring a glazer, just sit there gloomily saying "Why don't they call?"

Liz Hill said...

It's a wonderful thing! I need to re-sign up because I left the old phone number and my new one gets more than a few of those calls. I do like to mess with them.

Akelamalu said...

I HATE COLD CALLERS WITH A VENGENCE! Sorry for shouting honey. x

steenky bee said...

Whenever the telemarketers call about a phone service offer my husband tells them we're not interested because we don't own a phone. It kind of stops them dead. Also, there is a US comic named Tom Mabe who makes a living off the jokes he plays on telemarketers. He waits for the to call then puts them in awkward positions. You should look him up. Mostly on audio CDs. It's sweet revenge!

Ron said...

OMG, Anndi...the photo of the squirrel is so PRECIOUS!!!

I LOVE squirrels!!!

And I'm SO BAD with sollicitors. I hang up on them before they even say two words. They drive me insane!!!

Actually, because of caller ID, I never even pick up the phone if I don't recognize the number. But that doesn't stop them from leaving me voice mails.

I don't have a cell phone, but my friends that do, tell me that they get sollicitors calls all the time! And that was something that NEVER happened.

Damn them!!!

Meg said...

Wonderful! Now what can we do about those annoying audio ads that come on at the gas pump?

Enjoy your quiet.

Jean Knee said...

we have that here and it works pretty well. a few slip by somehow.

Haven't heard the audio ads at the gas pump yet

Anndi said...

Brian: Yes... it does. It's the perfect "pitchus interruptus".

Coop: I too subscribe to it as much as I can. But the phone still rings and that annoys me.

Chris: They're never there when you really need them, are they?
I think if their company and their product is such hot shit and I decide I need their services, I'll find them. That's what the internet and the yellow pages are for.

Turnbaby: Yeah, but I have many people I can mess with at my own convenience *giggle*.
Go sign up woman!

Akelamalu: No apologies needed... the direct harassers seem to have that effect don't they?

Jen: I shall do that LOL. I like your hubby! I figured he was smart for marrying you... but that cemented it.

Ron: Squirrels offer hours of entertainment!
Sometimes I just put the phone on the counter and let them talk amongst themselves ;) It's my revenge for those endless messages left on my answering service.
OR the ULTIMATE insult: when they call you and have you on hold until an agent is available. I hate those systems that call automatically. ARGH!

Meg: Adds at the gas pump? NOOOOOO!

Jean Knee: Neither have I, thankfully.