No one gives me grief directly, so I can't really say anyone gives me grief. I give myself grief over the lack of flow in my telephone conversations, which usually stems from the opener. When calling someone it's pretty easy because I know the point in mind, but when someone is calling me I rarely know what the point of them calling me was, so I am very short, not because I'm trying to be rude, I just know they have a reason and until we get to it I feel like I'm being short, and so I create grief for myself.
Have you ever considered that some people maybe calling you for simply the common purpose of social contact and thus have no underlying motive or reason other than that for calling?
With my friends (who know me very well), I'll pull out an awkward movie quote. i.e. Friend Matt calls, I answer phone, "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"
With people I don't know, I professionally speak, "This is <My name here>, may I ask who is calling?"
With people I barely know, "Hey/Hello"
Telemarketers: Varies between 'A dis ris Chinese Restaurant emproy-ee' and 'Man, you jus' called me in da moment of an illegal drug deal. So where's mah fresh at man? I don' play games. This is real-talk.'
I'm that imaginary number in the parabola of life.
"Hello?", isn't that all you're supposed to say? Am I missing something?
when i don't know who's calling: hello
at work: [name of work] this is [my name]
when i have caller ID and it's someone i like: hey [blank] how are you?
when i have caller ID and it's someone i disllke: <diverts to voicemail>
