Update: I ended up not using the phone and eventually lent it to a friend whose phone suddenly went kaput so she could contact her family and friends while driving home late at night. If I decide to get another phone I’ll let people know but as of now, email is really the best way to reach me. obviously the phone thing was a failed experiment, sigh.
I have a work phone now. If you’ve seen me, you have my google voice number but it’s generally for texting and I don’t want it published on the Internet. As of last week, however, I decided to take the plunge and get a burner phone. The number is (206)295-9138 and it is a dumb phone so texting is cumbersome.
I’ve decided that this is how I will manage it: Phone calls from numbers I haven’t saved into the phone will go to voicemail. You leave a message letting me know who you are and, if I know you already, I’ll save your number and will answer phone calls or text messages. If I don’t know you, you leave a voicemail and let me know when I can call you back. I’ll call back and we can do the whole who are you, who are your references, etc thing and go from there. After we’ve met, I can save your number into my phone and you can call or text to book in the future. I hope that makes as much sense to you as to me.
If you choose the phone option, please make sure you have a burner phone or at least a proxy such as Google voice, etc. While discretion is the first line of defense, digital security is the second line of defense and a burner phone is both easy and cheap to get. Go to the drug store and buy one in cash and call it your emergency car phone. Google voice has an app you can bury in a folder on your smart phone or forward the number to your regular phone.
I still prefer email but I know sometimes a phone call is easier and if I have your number saved, then I’ll never forget that you’re awesome and I want you back 😉
Thank you for your patience with my changing options.