CONFESSION: I am supposed to be a fan of the old-fashioned phone call. I should even be lamenting the sad demise of the spoken word, of real communication, and the now almost forgotten art of conversation. The phone has become the standard form of communication today. Even dating advice experts tell their female clients to expect their men to call to confirm dating plans or to ask them out. And maybe you should listen to them after all, since the only thing I’m an expert in is being single and occasionally crying about it. But I generally hate phone calls, and I’m not changing my mind any time soon.Have you ever heard an audio clip of your voice played back to you? Did you like the sound of your own voice? No, you did not. The only people who like the sound of their own voices are radio presenters and event MCs! Not me, at least. I want a woman I date to like the sound of my voice even if I don’t, but just in case she also thinks my voice is nasal and weird, then she had better only hear it when she is with me; when she can also be distracted by my physical presence. Phone calls are so inconvenient. What if I’m with friends and can’t talk? What if I’m in a “pants down” posture in a cubicle somewhere? What if I’m in the middle of exercising? The list of “what if’s” could stretch on and on. What if I’m catching the tail end of a documentary on an important historical figure? I can’t be happy to interrupt my life just to discuss which joint has good brochette or Akabenzi. And when it comes to exchanging voicemails, it gets even the more awkward. However, unlike a phone call, one can always respond to a text, while not interrupting their previously scheduled activities.Linda, who is a self-confessed texting and Tweeting addict says; “I have a very sensitive skin. Holding my cell phone to my face makes me vulnerable to many bacterial infections, but with texting, my fingertips are relatively safe.”What about those awkward silences? Sometimes I find talking on the phone even to my friends and family difficult-. Why? You can’t see their facial expressions, you both have your own background noise to compete with, etc. It’s just not the same as a face-to-face conversation, even with the people you know best.It gets even worse when it plays out in a dating environment. Imagine this person you are just getting to know, after having seen them at a party and got their number. You are calling this person up to have the first formal conversation with them. Should an awkward silence emerge during the course of your conversation, the pain of bearing it will be magnified by a thousand-fold. Lydia says that she can tell a lot more about her compatibility with a guy via text as opposed to a phone call. “Awkward silences can happen even with a guy you get along well with, but immature writing is just unacceptable,” she says. She adds; “Look, I make typos (typing errors) myself, but if I get a “r u busy? wut r you’re planz 4 tonite” message, I pretty much know we’re doomed.” So, that pretty much sums it up on the matter. Obviously, this doesn’t have to be the standard for everyone, but for me, I’m just not that into you, Phone Call.
