Home phone....Why?

[Cail]

That's pretty much the way I feel about it. I live alone, and I'm rarely home, so what are the chances that I'm having a dire emergency in which I'm at home, can dial the phone, and can't speak?

The only time I could really see myself needing to dial 911 and not speak would be a home invasion in which I wanted to remain concealed, but the simple fact of the matter is that if my home is invaded, I'll be counting on the neighbors to call 911, assuming they can hear their phones over the sound of my gunfire.

[DukkhaWaynhim]

[as dw marks Cail's home off the master list of homes to invade ]

dw

[Menolly]

Of course, it's all about measuring the risk and then deciding how much you find acceptable in your situation.

Just how likely is it that one person would be home alone and unable to verbalize the home address in an adverse event?
[and I know this is morbid, but if you're alone and having a stroke, chances are you can't dial the phone anyway.]

I guess my points are that a) I don't think the additional risk is worth worrying about, and b) it doesn't matter what I think, because we are talking about your peace of mind, and if you don't have it, well, that's a bad thing.

Mind? What mind, dw?

Did I show any evidence of a mind in Albuquerque?

Yeah, yeah, I know. But, as much as a homebody as I am, when Beorn's in school and Hyperception is working or at UF, the majority of my days are spent alone.

And, the more I learn about strokes, the more I understand that during the first critical minutes the victim can do many things, including driving themselves (poorly) somewhere. But speech is instantly affected. So I suspect the fingers would be able to dial.

Hyperception and I need to discuss this. I desperately desire a faster internet connection (cable or satellite t.v. would be nice as well, as right now we only receive three snowy channels), but I just don't know if I could make the leap.

:::TMI warning ahead:::

Keep in mind, this comes from the woman whose younger sister is considering a double masectomy with no sign of cancer present, simply so she can stop worrying about it. My family (and me as well I gather) is so screwed up. Yes, I lost my Mom on her 50th birthday. Yes, Daddy passed when he was 57. I know my own life does not have to follow theirs. But...it's hard not to think about, especially as I near 50 myself.

[Avatar]

...I'll be counting on the neighbors to call 911, assuming they can hear their phones over the sound of my gunfire.

ROTFLMAO!

--A

[Wyldewode]

Am switching over to cable internet--along with cable phone too. *shrugs* Roommate can't seem to give up the landline. . . even though we both have cell phones. At least I was able to talk her into basic cable. Now I can watch news on local stations--allowing me to re-emerge from under this rock at last!

[balon!]

I have a home phone because.....get ready......I'm the only member of the human race of the age 19 that doesn't own a cell phone.

I dont really talk on the phone that much and have never needed one. So whatever little talking I do, I do on the land line.

[Wyldewode]

Ah, Balon. . . you and my brother are the last two holdouts. . . if you don't count my Mom and Dad!

But good on you for not getting one if you don't need it. Once you have one you feel almost obligated to keep one. You'll wonder how you ever managed without one before! Thus says the voice of experience--I've had a cell phone for 4 years now (originally got one to chat with my long-distance boyfriend on the cheap).

[balon!]

Heh. Yeah, all my friends say about the same thing. Once you start it's hard as hell to go back.

I dont plan on starting anytime soon.

[Dromond]

I only now am seeing this thread for the first time. I've been without a landline five years now, with no regrets. The (old) house we moved into has terrible static over the phone lines, the company said it was up to us to replace the wires! We just went wireless with the alarm company, switched to a cable modem and hung up on AT&T. Just don't need 'em anymore.

[DukkhaWaynhim]

I will say this about cell phones - they haven't done anything to increase the quality of conversation in the world - only the quantity.

"Hi hon, I'm on the way home."
"What do you want for dinner?"
"Oh, I don't know. What do you feel like...?"
etc., etc., etc.
How DID we manage to survive b4 cells?

dw

[Menolly]

Even though we are now a two cell phone family, Hyperception and I have not gotten to that point...

B"H!!!

[SoulBiter]

I got rid of my land line about 7 months ago. I had to switch from DSL to cable model but it was definelty worth it. I already had cable and a cell phone and wasnt using the land line.. so why not?

100 bucks for a LL + DSL = 100 dollars
cable internet = 50 bucks

Saving 50 bucks a month is GREAT!!!