Telephonephobia

I'm downright terrible at talking on the phone. Maybe it's because I talk to sources for stories almost exclusively and when I am not at work I don't want to think about it. There are so many times I've been interrupted by a work call in the middle of something recreational (usually from Dave Williams) that I had to change my incoming call ring because I developed a negative Pavlovian response to my old ringtone.

Jon Lauder, one of my good friends of similar temperment, and I spoke in 2007 about all sorts of things, but at one point I gave up and asked if I could just e-mail him. I can think of no reason why I'd rather e-mail my friend than talk on the phone besides that I am just bad with the phone.

Gillian Bernard and I used to schedule a block of time on Thursdays to talk about business. I couldn't fathom it now, but put us in a room and we can talk all day. Even my dad, the Rocket, don't talk too long, as much as I love him. Just getting the call and a voice mail is enough for me. I'd much rather hang out with him and watch a golf tournament in the middle of winter when the golfers are somewhere much warmer.

It's a fair bit troubling, but I know that in person things are fine with all of these people.

I can keep up a phone conversation with the following people:

Nate Wildfire

Sara Eckleberry

Tom Slosky

Melissa Wilf

Tim Aldinger

Julie Hufnagel

Anyway, I did a 2:30 on/2:30 off fartlek with 10 minutes warmup and cooling down at the end, averaging 6:20 pace for 8 miles on the Pimmet 8, simply extending with two loops of the Haycock half and an out-and-around loop in Pimmet Hills. Felt good.