That phone rings one more goddamn time....

Tiny · Post by **Tiny** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:59 am

So.....

The election is tomorrow, and everyone at campaign HQ is getting pretty stressed, making the final push, etc.... The race for Indiana's 9th congressional district is pretty ugly, and everyone with a political stake is running around scared like chickens with thier heads removed.

I guess because I'm a register voter, whom makes it to the polls religiously each times an election rolls around; I'm on their "lets call incessantly and annoy the fuck out of them" list. We've been getting phone calls with campaign messages for about the last month, and the frequency of the calls is escalating. The last couple of days, it has been just fucking crazy.
Saturday when they called, I politely asked them to stop calling me. I let them know that I was an educated individual, who was intelligent enough to form my own opinions, and didn't need their propaganda to form my voting choices. The guy apologized for bothering me, and hung up.
Sunday, the fuckers called three times before I finally got up and answered the phone (tomorrow just happens to also be my 3rd anniversary, so I took a couple days off from the store, so I could spend some quality time with my wife and kids). I was about 30 minutes into a nice leisurely nap with the wife, when the calls started. The fourth time they called (the calls coming approximately 20 minutes apart), I answered the phone, admittedly infuriated, and not so politely told the man that they were not to call me again, that I was really trying to enjoy a FUCKING NAP, and that harassing me via the phone wasn’t a very productive way to influence me, if they wanted my vote come Tuesday.

Forward to today. Again, 2:30 in the afternoon; I'm trying to once again take a nice little nap with my wife before the kids arrive home from school (you might think that I sleep a lot, but I start my day at 4:30 AM every morning, so by 2 PM I'm ready for a little refresher). The 20 minute intervals start in: every time I start to doze off, the damn phone rings. After the 4th call, I’m wide awake, and fuming. Nap time is canceled again.
After ranting at my wife about going and finding this bastard and shoving a ballot box up his ass, the kids arrive home. 10 minutes later, the phone rings once again. On the caller ID, the number shows up as 230-000-0000. (I guess so I can't call them back, and cause them as much grief as they've caused me). I answer the phone, and Jessie starts immediately telling me how so and so is threatening our national security, and by seeking re-election, she is putting all America at risk. When I told Jessie that I could give a rat’s ass about his opinions or his script, he started yelling into the phone trying to get his monologue in before I hang up on his ass. This just fuels my temper, and a shouting match ensues over the phone.
At this point the wife comes back into the kitchen to find out what's going on, my 9 year old daughter bails to the living room, as she doesn't want to get caught in the crossfire, my two teenage step-children are sitting at their computers laughing their asses off, (mainly because I'm going off on someone else besides them this time), and my 5 1/2 month old German Shepard runs into his pen seeking protection from "dad's wrath", figuring he's been caught cherry picking from the cat's litter box again.
Finally I tell this Jessie to fuck off, and hang up the phone. My wife and two older kids all have a hearty laugh at my "frank discussion" with the campaign flunkie; and my daughter & the dog are bewildered by hearing both yelling and instant laughter at the same time. I'm left embarrassed for loosing my temper, but still angry enough to spit nails.

This is mainly a rant to vent the frustration, but has anyone else had to endure outright harassment from the respective local parties, because they live in an area where there is a tight race for several seats/offices?

Thank you for your time....I now step down from my soapbox and walk away quietly, shaking my head in disbelief.

Wolfman · Post by **Wolfman** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:15 am

two words--
Caller ID
or is that 3 words ??

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:24 am

Caller Identification.

Two words.

This isn't complex shit, wolfman.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:33 am

Tiny,

Why couldn't you have turned the ringer off during precious nap time? Don't you have a cell phone for wifey, or close relatives to call, if an "emergency" were to pop up?

PrimeX · Post by **PrimeX** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:34 am

People still have land lines?

Why?

montinelevin · Post by **montinelevin** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:38 am

PrimeX wrote:People still have land lines?

Why?

Because people are really fucking stupid... evidence

Wolfman wrote:two words--
Caller ID
or is that 3 words ??

the truth

The Seer · Post by **The Seer** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:11 am

PrimeX wrote:People still have land lines?

Why?

Extended cell phone use make great brain tumors...

Tiny · Post by **Tiny** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:14 am

Well frankly, we've got both cell phones and land lines.
It may be hard for some to imagine, but out here in the sticks the technology doesn't work as well as it does in the big city. I live in an area called "the Wabash Valley" and valleys aren't real conducive to unlimited cell coverage areas. Add in the fact that sparse population isn't real profitable reasoning for cell tower investment by the big cell companies, and you’re left with land lines as a fail safe.

I'm "on-call" at the store I manage 24-7, and considering most of my employees barely earn above minimum wage, one can't hire rocket scientists to be there when you're not. The land line isn't an option that I can opt out of at this point (Hence the failure to shut off the ringer during a quiet moment). If either my boss or the VP calls from our Corporate HQ and I'm not available, then the shit is going to hit the fan. Put all this together with a mother-in-law who is in poor health, and other personal shit that causes a need to be always reachable; and I’m left vulnerable to the mindless drones that volunteer at these party headquarters. (No offense intended to those politicos from T1B that sign up for phone detail during election time).

My beef isn't that the phone rang; I'm pissed at the bullshit from political parties that think they can call me incessantly, and harass me into going their way on Tuesday.

Trampis · Post by **Trampis** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:57 am

Tiny wrote:Well frankly, we've got both cell phones and land lines.
It may be hard for some to imagine, but out here in the sticks the technology doesn't work as well as it does in the big city. .

IN. A lot of my cell phone calls are pretty sketchy.

Trampis · Post by **Trampis** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:04 am

The only political call Ive recieved is from a local guy running for county comisioner. I think his main incentive to run is to change the land ordinances so he can split his farm up into smaller,MORe PROFITABLE sections so he can make boo koo bucks selling his land to people who want to build houses. As it stands he can only break his farm down to 20 acre plots,not what he wants obviously...I didnt vote for him(mail-in vote in my county).

Mister Bushice · Post by **Mister Bushice** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:39 am

Arnold has called me several times. Nice guy. but a lousy listener.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:46 am

I have a land line and a cell phone. I keep the land line for the DSL...which is a pretty good deal. I have people call me on the land line as much as possible to save minutes.

My machine has been getting pounded with calls from Bill Clinton, Ed Rendell, and other jackasses. Oh well, I gues s it beats the incessant calls from the Blood Bank.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:48 am

I can't get enough of this shit.

Sin,

peter dragon · Post by **peter dragon** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:30 am

as someone who works on landline telephones, I thank you!

so do my bill collectors..

Rack you all!

Mister Bushice · Post by **Mister Bushice** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:54 am

I didn't really do it for you.

sorry.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:43 pm

The Seer wrote:
PrimeX wrote:People still have land lines?

Why?

Extended cell phone use make great brain tumors...

It's not a tumah.

AJ · Post by AJ » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:11 pm

John Elway called me during the Broncos game last weekend.

Good thing he did, I wouldn't have known which gubernatorial candidate to vote for without him.

Trampis · Post by **Trampis** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:20 pm

AJ wrote:John Elway called me during the Broncos game last weekend.

Good thing he did, I wouldn't have known which gubernatorial candidate to vote for without him.

Ive been waiting all election season for Jim Zorn to call,...if your reading this JZ,please IM me as to which way to vote!

What party does John Elway work for?

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:41 pm

Trampis wrote:
What party does John Elway work for?

Duh.

AJ · Post by AJ » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:46 pm

Trampis wrote:
AJ wrote:John Elway called me during the Broncos game last weekend.

Good thing he did, I wouldn't have known which gubernatorial candidate to vote for without him.
Ive been waiting all election season for Jim Zorn to call,...if your reading this JZ,please IM me as to which way to vote!

What party does John Elway work for?

The fact that he looks like a donkey notwithstanding, he is a Republican.

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:21 pm

Would somebody answer that damn phone!

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:23 pm

I wonder if the Wisconsin GOP will use Mark Chamura to reach out to younger voters?

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:50 pm

Chumura is working the hot tub circuit, pouring drinks and getting jiggy with the girlies.

atomicdad · Post by **atomicdad** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:03 pm

Bushice wrote:Arnold has called me several times. Nice guy. but a lousy listener.

Haa, I got a call from Dick "Freaking" Cheney on Sunday afternoon.

Nishlord · Post by **Nishlord** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:11 pm

I've saved $500 on my monthly phone sex bill this week alone.

Sin,
mvscal

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:06 pm

Arnold keeps calling me and asking to speak with my mother (?)

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/arnold5.mp3

The phantorino · Post by **The phantorino** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:58 am

Don't answer the phone: there is nothing so important in anyone's life that it can't wait 10 mins for you to check messages.
Rules in the Phantorino's house.

Freedom means not being able to stop people calling you

Freedom means you are allowed to get mad at them, and they don't give a shit.

Let FREEDOM ring!!

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 1:33 pm

The phantorino wrote:Don't answer the phone: there is nothing so important in anyone's life that it can't wait 10 mins for you to check messages.

Hey, phagorino, the jerk store called, they're running out of you!

The phantorino · Post by **The phantorino** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 8:36 pm

Ah, I wondedered when we were going tlo be subjecte dto a take (sic) from

I-have-my-life-pwned-by-the-modern-day-conveniences-meant-to help-us-but-are-in-fact-just handing-gobs of-cash-over-to-the-man

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 8:48 pm

Not exactly sure what you’re trying to get at there regarding the Seinfeld reset. Oh well....

So phagorino, what exactly is your story? I thought you indicated you were in the UK. You show up daily at what would be somewhere around 9 to 10 PM there, and usually stay less than an hour.

You post like an adolescent, yet recently indicated that you’re an old fart. Are you just getting home from the pub all liquored up? Is that just your assigned time slot on the PC in some European prison?

The phantorino · Post by **The phantorino** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 10:35 pm

Goober McTuber wrote:Not exactly sure what you’re trying to get at there regarding the Seinfeld reset. Oh well....

So phagorino, what exactly is your story? I thought you indicated you were in the UK. You show up daily at what would be somewhere around 9 to 10 PM there, and usually stay less than an hour.

You post like an adolescent, yet recently indicated that you’re an old fart. Are you just getting home from the pub all liquored up? Is that just your assigned time slot on the PC in some European prison?

I'll PM you on these subjects - everyone else has a life, here, and couldn't give a shit.

But, why are you so obsessed about time spent here?

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 1:59 pm

Not obsessed. You just have a curious posting pattern. I didn’t get that PM yet, though.