Me, Not Human?
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
October 4, 2017 2:38pm CST
I got this excellent message on my answering machine a week or so ago and thought about seeing if my camera would pick up the words so I could put it onto youtube, but that is so much work. So, instead, I just wrote the words down.
How often do you get those annoying messages for when you can't get to your phone? The messages I'm referring to are those not left by a human person, but rather a recording of some type. For those of us in the USA we get a lot of them when it's election time.
Most people nowadays have smartphones only and no land lines, but those of us running businesses from our homes usually have both. While people can leave a voicemail on the phone itself, I might miss those, but when it's left on the message machine I know it's there.
The message I received said this:
Sorry, you did not reveal yourself to be human, goodbye.
I think one reason I liked it so much is that I didn't have to waste my time listening to a message before deciding it was junk. It's too bad all recorded calls don't revert to that message or just disconnect when one isn't home. Or better yet, if a person can't make the call then don't even bother with a recording.
9 people like this
8 responses
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
4 Oct 17
I get all sorts of delightfully junk messages but have never heard that one lol I like yours a lot better.
3 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
4 Oct 17
Now that I have a verizon unlimited prepaid phone, we may one day decide to get rid of our land line, but all of our older customers have that number whereas they would have no way to know our smartphone numbers since they are new this year.
If we ever decide to go that route, I'd probably need to mail each previous customer or at least our regulars our new numbers.
Since that's the first time I ever heard that type of message, I don't know whether it would be common to cell phones of any type or not. It just struck my funny bone.
2 people like this
@rebelann (117218)
• El Paso, Texas
5 Oct 17
Did you know you could get a prepaid phone with your old phone number on it @MarshaMusselman ? Just ask @daddyevil cuz he could better explain it, I use Straighttalk and I know I can choose my own phone numbers or transfer my current # to it, if I had a different service.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174335)
• United States
5 Oct 17
@MarshaMusselman Ann is quite correct. You could have your landline number re-assigned to a cell phone, if you wanted to keep it when you decide to discard the landline. (Possibly not to the cell phone you have now, since it already has a number, unless you change out the SIM card. Verizon and AT&T have some odd rules about landline phone numbers.)
If you are interested in doing that, let me know. I will help you with that.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189838)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Oct 17
The direct or auto dialer that is used a lot of the time doesn't discriminate.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189838)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Oct 17
@MarshaMusselman .......I just look at my caller ID. If it a number I know I answer it, if not I don't. I figure if it is anyone who needs me they will leave a message.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
5 Oct 17
I'm guessing you mean it doesn't discriminate between a live person on the other end or a recording? I realize that. I've begun to screen calls in a different manner after noticing someone else do that last year. And that is, I will pick up the phone but not say a word. When it's a telemarketer type of call they will just hang up. That has helped me eliminate to delete messages not needed.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
6 Oct 17
@celticeagle We run a business, so I answer a few more than most will, but I normally don't answer unless it's in our area. With more and more cell phones in use, though, it's harder to know who is calling.
I also noticed recently that the generic 'your credit cards are fine, but we'd like to offer you a discount', or however that goes is now being sent to cell phones using the first three digits of the person's number.
My caller ID only works until I answer a call or until the person leaves a message. Once either party begins to speak I can't look back to see who called or get their number. I wasn't home when I got the robotic sounding message.
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
5 Oct 17
Haha that's brilliant. I have a land line but the only automated messages I get is the payment reminder for the line and Internet from my ISP.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174335)
• United States
5 Oct 17
Yes, I've always loved the way convenience seems to work when it comes to making/receiving phone calls/voice messages. It is never meant to be convenient for the person receiving the call, just for the person (or machine) making the call.
I don't answer any automated calls. My phone is set to discard them instead of ringing. The only way my phone will ring is if whoever is calling is already listed in my phone's address book. That means everyone's first "call" to me is a text message asking me to add them to my phone's directory.
I frequently don't reveal that I am human... 
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174335)
• United States
7 Oct 17
@rebelann Somehow, I am sure that is not the first bubble I have caused to burst for you, Ann
! Hopefully, all the other bubbles were as harmless as this one was!
Somehow, I am sure that is not the first bubble I have caused to burst for you, Ann! Hopefully, all the other bubbles were as harmless as this one was!2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
15 Oct 17
That would be so nice if they all did that! We were getting around 10 calls per day of people trying to sell us stuff. We finally started blocking the numbers. Quite a bit of it is Keith's fault. He kept signing up for the "free cruise" or things such as that. Even after telling the people calling to take us off of thir call list, they still called.
Robocalls are aggravating and a waste of time.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
20 Nov 17
@MarshaMusselman Right now we get Robo calls from Blue Cross and Blue Shield about health insurance. Someone keeps calling about a credit card for someone that we don't know, the list goes on and on.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
15 Oct 17
Once we/you agree for info they can call or email till the end of the world. Unfortunately.
I still get calls to start an amazon business and its been at least three years since I agreed to more info
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
9 Oct 17
Ha ha...You mean they won't talk to machines....
I got one today selling pearls at excellent prices...I cut it off midway
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Oct 17
How the recording even knew they were listening to a machine is a mystery to me.
1 person likes this
