Every Day Is Special: January 30 – National Inane Answering Message Day

January 30 – National Inane Answering Message Day

Posted on January 30, 2020

I thought I was soooooo against this "holiday." For the simple reason that I hate confusing and/or looooonnnnnng answering messages when people are trying to be funny.

Like, "I have nothing to say to you. So leave a message."

[I'm all, "Wait! Did I reach the right person? Should I leave a message? Yikes!]

Or, "Hi, this is Debra. Leave a message and I'll try to get back to you after my kid - Ouch! - stops - Ouch! - hitting me with his - OMG, I'm going to have to kill him! - hockey stick! - Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!!!!"

[I don't find this sort of thing funny, but also, I really, really, really don't want to have to listen to such a long speech to get to the Beep and leave my message, especially not the second or third time I get this message!]

If you're going to be funny, also be short.
And don't forget to state your name!!!

I'm also not all the fond of fumbled answering messages that give you zero information.

"Hi, um, this, oh - wait - never mind, leave a message."

[You guessed it, I'm back to the "Is this Tom's phone? I wish he'd said his name! Oh dear!"]

So I am way not into celebrating inane answering messages today!

But - as it turns out - the holiday was especially created to call attention to the terribleness of such messages and is designed to stomp out such trends. And I have to admit, most answering messages are short and to the point: "Hi, you've reached Maria Rodriguez; please leave me a message."

Obviously, this odd holiday, which was created back in 2001, is working.

LOL.

Actually, very few of us have landlines and answering machines, anymore, and voice mail messages are generally set; plus most of us use text messages even more often than calling!