Monthly Archives: November 2010

about-me, fears

My dumbest phobia

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Telephone phobia (telephonophobia, telephobia) is reluctance or fear of making or taking phone calls, literally, “fear of telephone”. (From Wikipedia)

Yup. That’s me. You’d be surprised how hard I have to psych myself up to make a phone call. I am not as bad about taking phone calls, but there’s that issue, too. I have to REALLY know the person on the other end of the line to be okay with talking on the phone in general.

I did a Google search for “fear of making a phone call” figuring I wouldn’t find anything. Much to my surprise, there are a lot of web-sites out there about it! Even some self-help sites to help people get over it. Suddenly, I don’t feel so weird to be like this.

The invention of the Internet and text messaging was made for someone like me. In fact I wonder if the inventors of the Internet were fellow telephonophobics. And text messaging is like a blessing. I’m never without my cell phone specifically because text messaging rocks so hard. I wish I could text for everything. I imagine some things would go like this:

Me to doctors office: “Hey, I need an appointment. What do you have?”
Doc: “How is Friday at 11. Be here by 10:45.”
Me: “Cool. I’m there. Thanks!”

Or maybe:

Me to restaurant: “What are your hours?”
Restaurant: “11am to 2 pm”
Me: “I need a reservation for 4 at 6 pm. Name, Musicians Widow.”
Restaurant: “Gotcha! See you then!”

Yeah… you can give your cell number to vendors and let them text you specials, etc. That’s not the kind of thing I am talking about (and its also something I steadfastly refuse to do). No, I mean the things that are two minute conversations and not a big deal…

…BUT ARE A BIG DEAL TO ME.

The last time I had a doctor’s appointment, it took me ten minutes to talk myself into dialing the number. That is not a lie or exaggeration! If I make a call and my husband or my parents are around, I’ll quiz them for a long time after I hang up as to, “Did I do okay?”

Like I said, I don’t let my “phobia” hold me back (much), but its definitely something I want to work on and totally rid myself of having. Or, if I don’t rid myself of it, I was to at least take my psych-up-time down to 30 seconds versus 10 minutes.

Any words of wisdom out there? Anyone have any advise? Or… better yet… does anyone else deal with this, too? Talk to me! (Just don’t call me… ha!)

nashville

A time of rebirth in Nashville

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Opryland Hotel, Christmas 2008
Opryland Hotel at Christmas in 2008

This weekend has been a time of rebirth in Nashville. At least to a degree.

In case you missed it, last night, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (link takes you to the episode on Hulu) was the episode about rebuilding the Lighthouse Christian Pre-School. The same one that floated down I-24 on national television. The same one that told everyone that May’s flooding was a lot worse than any of us could have ever fathomed.

I did not have a dry eye the entire episode. They portrayed the very best of Nashville. They portrayed the way the community came together to help one another. WE ARE NASHVILLE they proclaimed at one point… the phrase that became every Nashvillian’s battle cry in the days and weeks following the flood.

Today, Opryland Hotel reopens. Just in time for Christmas. I could NOT be happier to see those lights lit. It’s become a tradition to go see the lights the last five years, and I have no doubt we’ll make our way over there again this year. Especially given the flood and its reopening.

It’s been so strange to go over to that area and see all the parking lots empty. Opry Mills Mall, quite frankly, probably won’t reopen. Oh there’s no official word on that. That’s just me speculating, and I do hope I am wrong. Or I at least hope SOMETHING comes in over there soon. It’s like that last piece of town that so clearly shows the devastation of May. It’s the last little “black eye” left from that fight. It’s the last thing holding the city back any at all. Hopefully something will happen there soon.

In my gut, I feel a renewal coming my way as well, though. I’ve had a lot of my stuff lately being respected and acknowledged. Photos, writing and design stuff. Oh, none of it has made me any money (LOL!), but its still satisfying to receive the recognition. And it feeds into my feeling that there’s change in the air.

I told my husband today that I have the urge to rearrange the office. Just, move the desks around. Maybe hang a couple of the posters I’ve designed in place of photographs in there. Something.

We’re entering the holiday season, and there’s good things in the air. Watching this little rebirth within Nashville has given me hope. It’s like a light is starting to shine, even if only a little bit, at the end of a long tunnel.