Phantom Rings in the Dark: reach out and touch someone

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

CHeck this out:
The power was out in Youngstown yesterday. It flickered on and off for a couple of hours, then while I am in the Red Room* blow-drying the plastic on the window (we better have a damn cold window after all this effort!!!) the lights went out. Image of girl standing at window in complete darkness with blowdrier in hand flashed through my mind.

• super cozy room in my apartment with comfy furniture, fireplace, ambiance and a great big red wall. love it. you love it too!

Through my window I was looking out of, all of the neighbors have holiday lights- so when the power went out, the blanket of darkness through my apartment and the Village was defined. I had a couple of candles lit in another room already, so I worked my way through the apartment by their glow. The power continued to stay off so I located my flashlight and proceeded to clean up my mess and put away cords. I knew it wouldnt be long before I began tripping over everything and try to 'flick' the power switches to their on position.

Boredom quickly set in.

Tossing a log in the fireplace and relaxing to the flames could have been a nice diversion-- but I was far from ready to settle down for the evening.

Back up:
Earlier in the day I made a run to the hardware store to buy remaining weatherstripping needed for a drafty door. I also purchased a phone cord for a regular corded phone in the event of a power outage. Weird timing, huh? My cordless phones suck (SUCK!) and I knew I had a regular phone somewhere that I had been tempted to start using (we'll see how long that lasts- keep me bound to one spot? heh). Also, cordless phones do not work when the power goes out. Cellphones not so reliable at that point either. Cellphones in Youngstown with power out even less so. Hello Canada. So I bought a 25' cord. And I made my way down to the basement where I knew I had a phone, that I bought for the basement when I first moved in three years ago. Three years, two months, 15 days.

It had been collecting dust for three years, as the phone line down stairs never worked. I concluded that that line may have been a secondary or business line (as the rooms looked like an office). I just kept it there, so I would always know where it was if I needed it. Totally logical, totally worked for me.

Well, I needed it last night. I knew where to find it. Found it. It was still plugged in. I went to pick up the phone, which it came off the receiver-- and I heard a little girl laughing. WHAT?!

ok, creepy. CREEPY!

i am in the very dark basement, by myelf, I pick up an old dusty phone from what I had pereived to have always been a *dead* line, --and I hear a little girl giggling. GUH!

goosebumps..

I think I would have lost it, if another voice hadn't appeared. Not that hearing another voice should be comforting, but anything would be better than little girl giggles among static. ick.

I put my ear to the phone and listened. The convo was extremely clear-A lady was asking a guy if he had power-- which he did. She said that Y-town has been in the dark for over an hour, etc. She was the one that made the call, and she was as clear as if I had picked up another phone in her home. He sounded further away. So what is this all about??

I am completely confused- this is not coming off of my line-

so I listen for a few more seconds until I feel a bit dirty listening in- not that what they were talking about was at all scandalous (damn my luck!). I should have said something.. so I would know if they heard me. Actually, if I had my wits about me, I would have been a bit witty and said something or made some sort of sound to mess with them (damn my scaredy cat-ness!) Maybe they heard the phone set down. Or maybe not.


Is this a live/active line? Did I just pick up a conversation or is this really someones phone line? I will try it out today.. Maybe it wont even register unless it is being actively used by someone at that time that I try. hMMmmmmm...

what is weird, is that although the other apartment and mine are very solid- sounds rarely come through, except for sound sin the basement. I think the accoustics in the basement must come up weird. We have completely separate basements- separate doors, separate everything. Mine has multiple rooms, the other one is a big open space. Both are cool- and totally live-able. Basements creep me out-- but these are ones you could live in. So anyway, the sounds that occur in the basement, regarless of what side, sometimes sound like they are right below me. OR MAYBE THEY ARE! I am a scaredy cat- I can think of these things in the day light, and I will delude myself into thinking that the noises below me are cming from the otherside. But now with this, I do not know. I have to think about that one more (while its still safe and daylight)

I had thought I had heard a phone ringing in my basement before. And I figured it to be the neighbors phone. The sound of the phone ringing is occasional. Come to think of it, I have been in my neighbors apartment, and I think he only has a cell phone.. mmmm MYSTERY!

so I have a phantom phone, or that dead line is really alive and I am about to make some international phone calls WOOOOOOO!

um, who should i call?

I really need to investigate this further-- it kinda freaks me out, though. i really hate basements. even mine. especially mine, now.

Any ideas, thoughts, comments regarding my Mystery Phone?



Continuing on the Communication theme..

Found myself suddenly "on call" this weekend and all of next week. For those who have been around me in past 'on call' weeks, I check the phone constantly (under minimal circumstance can the call reach a voice mail--expected to be answered immediately, naturally), I carry a work-binder and am generally ill at ease. over 350 families, 100 staff and anyone else could call at any time in some sort of situation.
So I don't drink, stay up late or put myself in noisy situations (the vibrate option sucks). I am "working" 24-7 for a week or more per month.

let me say, my social life bites at this point- atleast when it comes to the loud debauchary sort of social activities :)

• Damn 46 oz margaritas look fan-fuckin'-tastic (congrats on end of semester (e:brit) !)
  
• and OPM lounge sounded great too. gah! me like to dance!

I consoled myself in the knowledge that I should relax so I don't get really sick. I have been hanging delicately to the healthy me. Fortunately it has all been more in my favor- although I have felt not quite right since last friday. And I did take a day off from work to 'get better" since I had slight fever Thurs-- but it ended. Friday was fatigue and a headache and a bit sneezy-- but it is generally feeling gone again. Today I am feeling pretty great-- SO I am doing something right--i usually don't get full on sick. my immune system kicks ass! I am thinking it will pass it again, as long as I treat myself ok.

but oh, abuse in the form of 46 oz margaritas sounds sublime..

I wouldnt care if it werent for the holidays coming up!

so anyway, I was tossed the on-call phone and binder on Thursday morning, 4 days ahead of schedule. I wanted to make a comment,to freak out- but decided that nothing good would come out of my mouth and that I will be more selective in my battles. I just didn't feel like getting worked up over it, even though its 4 DAYS extra and I WASNT EVEN ASKED- not even out of politness. If I had major plans, then oh yes, everyone would hear about it. indeed. Just tossed on my work desk with a note.

Oh, the "note" left for me regarding it irked me too. tacky- gah!


and one more on the communication front:
mad-cute guy I met quite awhile back has become clingy. Phones messages are becoming sappy/whiny. He is hotty hot cute- yet there isn't much backing it up at this point, like nothing we can relate on at all, so I am bored now. ho-hum. I know better than this.

distraction over. next?


and finally:

I might just get out and do some Christmas shopping today. I do not want to leave the house-- just chill and do some apartment maintenance stuff- and read and write out christmas cards, ect.. totally digging the house projects.

I really am in the mood for christmas cards. I need your addresses so I can stalk you send a card. hehe! Seriously, leave a post it. I can't believe how mnay peeps addys I do not know, even though I have been over. I could do some super sleuth drive bys. crazy!! Some I already know, as long as I don't invert the house numbers ( (e:leetee) )- and it goes somewhere so very different, ha! Some I ofcourse know where you live, but have no idea the actual address. Until recently I didn't even know dana's adrress. and (e:ldaycroft) you'll get one sent to your parents if I don't know your address!! :)

but what is making me eager to go shopping (SHHH I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT) is that I want to see wrapped gifts under my tree. (e:pyrcedgrrl) has lots of gifts under her tree (a good percentage for ME ME ME right?!) and it looks pretty. sparkly. christmasy.

and since I am trying to get into the holiday mood-- this may actually help.

oh and I have a slew of last years gift cards to use-- so while I am buying for others, I will finally buy for me :) I have immediate tangible reinforcers built into this plan. especially since it is a saturday-- getting very close to christmas.

AND I thought while i am out, I can grab cookie making ingredients. First i need to find recipes- with pictures. (Yes i need pictures, shut up.)

anyone who wants to make cookies this evening, come on over.

or maybe I will go out anways, on call phone and binder in tow.

I do not know. gah! But I need some socializing before I start hoping for more phantom phone calls.


OOOOOH LOOK:

maybe I will do THAT. Now that might be wicked cool-- then have some hot cocoa afterwards-- sans Baileys :(

hehe, or maybe just a wee little..





b tw, new user song, The Fray- How to Save a Life.

nice sound, I am digging them at the moment.