For Whom the Bell Tolls

Sounds ominous.  Bells tolling.  Using the scary "whom" in a blogpost title.  Somehow it just seems appropriate.

I was thinking today about obligation.  To whom do I owe... anything?

See I was absent from work Thursday afternoon and Friday with a Massively Terrible Headache.


I opened my email and found 142 messages (not junk mail) to answer.  Then I listened to my 18 voice mails.

I have asked people to stop forwarding email.  It's really nice and heartwarming to read about some Christian revelation or some political joke, but I don't really have time.  I've asked people not to forward and discovered that most people find the request offensive (really? I asked nicely.).  So I've stopped asking.  Still, I don't respond to forwards.  Unless they're from my mother-in-law.  Or Joe.  Or my boss.  Or really funny.

I also unsubscribe from every email that I don't wish to continue receiving updates from.  (Whoa.  Dangler.)  Some acquiesce.  Others not so much. 

There were four messages from a salesperson at Office Max (note to self and others: if they're that desperate for new business, they're struggling).  Her messages said, "If you're interested in meeting blah blah blah."  I'm not.  If I want cheaper office supplies, I'll conduct a search.  I think we're doing well.  Subsequently, I didn't return the call and don't plan to return the call.  I wonder how many more times she'll call.

My biggest headache comes from the people I am obligated to call.  Some of those people sent multiple emails about the same issue.  Others left multiple voice mails about the same issue.  And I'm not talking about customers, either.  I'm talking about sales people and insurance agents and vendors.  Multiple messages.

Really?

So if you leave multiple emails I'll answer faster?  I'll get to an issue quicker?  Same with voice mails.  It's not like anyone tried an alternate email address or a different phone number. 

I'll admit, it annoys the living crap out of me when people do that, especially thanks to my OCD, which requires that I answer all messages chronologically.

I know I'm partially at fault; after all, I could have made an autoresponder email and changed my voice mail message.  It's so rare that I miss work, the thought didn't even occur to me.

To whom am I obligated to respond?

Thus far, I've attempted to respond to everything.  I'm no longer convinced that's the best policy. 

Do I need to lunge every time the bell rings, notifying me there's an email or a voice mail or a phone call or a text message?

I'm pondering.