Calling Mom

I don't see my family a ton as I am sure you have all figured out. I try to shoot for two visits a year (!!! Wow, writing that is so so so sad to me, but it is what it is I suppose) with the hefty flight costs and the fact that I can't get over the idea that if I am spending that much money I refuse to go for just a long weekend. On top of that limited face to face interaction....my phone skillz....well for whatever reason, they have slid way down hill. Perhaps it is that whole thing where I secretly resent cell phones (phones that take away from human interaction just about push me over the edge these days), but I have become a really bad "caller". The lovely time difference (ok ok ok, only a few hours, but STILL it is a time difference) also doesn't help my case. By the time I am wrapped up with my evening, dinner, dishes, answering work emails, etc. it is 9/10ish, which is prime dinner time for my west coast dwelling peeps. My family and I talk fairly often (I guess my definition of "often" is subjective as I have friends who talk to their parents everyday), about once every week and a half to two weeks, my friends and I...well we rely on gchat, texts and emails to keep us connected because of that pesky time difference, 20-something-jobs, and respective personal lives that really can make it hard.

However, as much as I can write all of these justifications to valid the infrequency of my interactions, I want to vow to be better.

Image via

Errrr. Or Dad, or Sister. Or Friends.

Perhaps I am feeling sentimental, or really getting homesick :), but I am craving that interaction. To not have to get the readers digest version of what has been going on with people. I want to be able to follow-up on conversations and know something is coming up with somone.

Erica is the queen of this. She remembers birthdays, anniversaries, big test days, presentations at work, interviews, dog birthdays, favorite foods, and the list goes on. About a month ago I came in to work to find an email in the morning asking me how something went. I was so touched to see that from her! I have good people in my life.

So on my list for April personal growth items: call people more.

I can't remember where I read it, but a blogger I read wrote about the 5 minute phone call. The understanding that friends and family are busy. We all are. So don't shoot for 30 minutes of uninterrupted conversation. Enjoy the five minutes, then hang up. Make it longer if you can, but if you need to cook dinner, tie a kids shoe, get the dog from the backyard, you can and there are no expectations. This is what I will focus on. Quick, but more frequent interaction.

Does anyone else find themselves making excuses for their lack of voice to voice communication with people? I also really like the idea of sending hand written notes (Erica does that as well :)!) which maybe I can also adopt, but what else to you do to stay connect with long distance family and friends?