Sitting at the lunch table with my 12 year old, we suddenly got a call from National Geographic. I didn't answer it. The name and number came up and I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to speak to the person on the other line. Long ago I remember ... having just 2 phones (1 upstairs and 1 downstairs) phones with long curly cords rotary phone phones with BIG number buttons phones withOUT answering machines phones and separate cassette answering machines phones that didn't have call waiting phones without caller id annoying dinner time calls from GALLUP poll. Back then you ALWAYS answered the phone. Nowadays, not so much. I have a landline home phone, but hardly anyone ever calls on it EXCEPT for the "annoying" ones. I'm connected to my cell phone so is my husband so is daughter's #1 and #2. What a difference 30 years makes.