Land Lubbers

Although we don't have everything set up yet, I'm so excited about this! We are getting a "land" line!

We decided that we were not too keen on everyone we know (from doctors to (Chad's) clients) having our cell phone numbers. Also, my cell phone number is a long distance call for anyone here calling from their land line. And people see my phone number and think I'm a telemarketer. So we went to Verizon to add another cell phone to our plan ($10/mo) with a local number to become our home phone. We were all set up and ready to go when the associate asked us if anyone had told us about their new home phone. It's a little box that looks like a router. You plug it into the wall and then you can plug any phone into it. So it really is like having a home phone! It's still only $10/mo. with no set-up fee (normally $25 but I got it waived for being a "state employee"). This is much cheaper than the $80 set up fee for a real land line, and then the cheapest price we could get (in a bundle) would be $25/mo after that. We pulled out the phone we swiped from Grandma's back porch when things were being gathered up to go to D.I. and are now just waiting for our box to come in the mail.

Since the box is portable, you can bring your phone connection anywhere, as long as you have an outlet. And, yes, if you're going to do that, you might as well get a cell phone. This is probably a step back as far as the advancement of technology goes, but I'm so excited to have a home phone and an answering machine! Another perk is that it's just a Verizon number, so it won't cost us any minutes if Verizon people call our house phone.

I know, you're probably thinking "Why didn't you just change your number?" Because I don't want to. And anyone who I want to call me on my cell phone is on Verizon, so it doesn't matter if it's long-distance. I was telling Mollie that when we first got cell phones, the only people that had your number were people that you wanted to have your number. When your cell phone rang, you knew it was someone you were going to want to talk to. It'd be nice to get back to that. It's somewhat inhibiting to feel obligated to answer every phone call you ever get (without knowing who it is) because they're calling a phone you carry around in your pocket wherever you go. And this way, if we don't recognize a number and wait for the answering machine to pick up, we can still pick up when we hear who it is. Instead of waiting for them to leave a voice mail, and then having to call in and listen to the message and calling them back a few minutes after they've just called you. And having a home phone gives you an option to call when someone's not answering their cell phone because it got left on silent, or is dead.

I know, I know. My logic may not make a ton of sense, but there's some psychological relief and excitement that comes from having a home phone. I'll let you know the number when we get our box.

P.S. I just ate a peanut butter sandwich on big fluffy white bread. It was deliciously chewy.