Every time my phone rings I feel violated. Why do I feel violated you ask? I feel violated because I do not know the person who is calling me. This week I have had phone calls from all over Pennsylvania, California, Georgia, South Dakota, Florida, and Illinois to name just a few of them. I started tracking where the phone calls were coming from but gave up because there were so many of them. These “friends” do not even know who they are calling. They just have numbers in front of them to call.

I even had calls from this area from people that I do not know. I knew one of the parties so I answered the call only to find a telemarketer on the other end and not the person I was expecting to talk with. Do not get me wrong. I get calls from people I do not know all of the time. They are looking for the lady that writes in the newspaper. If you are legitimately trying to reach me leave a message. I will either return your call or pick up when I hear what you want.

One day I had five calls that were all bogus. Another day I had two legitimate calls and four bogus calls. What is wrong with the utilities that they cannot stop the adoption of numbers from this area? Why can they not prohibit those who send robo calls? It certainly is not good for their business. People just get annoyed!

I run an answering machine so people can leave me messages. I also have a device to screen my calls. I got tired of running to the phone to answer things that I did not want to answer. I would dry my hands or put something away only to find out it was one of those calls. I would extend this to all charitable calls as well as political calls. No one should be contacting me for donations. I donate to the charities that I want to. I know how to do that!

People, we have power here. Do not answer any of those calls! If they do not work, I think maybe we can get them to stop on our own. I know people get lonely and want someone to talk to, but those calls often get people in trouble. They subscribe to something they do not want or they purchase something they do not need.

Above all else — do not say “yes” to anything. They can record that response and use it for a purchase of a service.

I know of one person who was very careful with her responses. She just kept repeating what they asked her. Eventually, the party hung up since they could not get that “yes” response they were looking for.

A couple years ago I subscribed to the feature on my phone to identify the callers. The name comes up on my television screen so I can answer if it is someone I want to talk to. Although it gives the phone company more money, it has certainly been worth it. I do not believe that anyone should be able to make those anonymous calls to invade my privacy.

One of the calls we received was from the hospital. I answered since we were expecting a call from them to schedule a procedure. It was not the hospital at all. It was a telemarketer.

Lobby your congressman. Call the phone company to get them to quit doing this. While you are at it, lobby for better Internet service. During the weekdays when people are working from home or doing school work our Internet is awful! It comes and goes often booting us out of something that we want to be in.

Forget streaming a movie. That is not even possible without interruption. I have a lot of patience, but I am extremely provoked at the lack of service. I know that I am not getting even what I am signed up to receive.

A couple years ago when I traded computers I could not even get hooked up. After working with phone company people for more than four months I finally got this thing hooked up. It has just gotten worse since this pandemic. I know the whole system is loaded with people working from home. I pay the same amount for my service that they pay.

Oh, and while I am at it, I notice that Pine Grove Township is trying to change the way they assess payment for street lights. I certainly hope it was a misprint when they said they were going to assess all who pay taxes in the township to cover this cost.

Where I live there are no street lights. If I am going to pay for them, I want them by my house!

A few years back some bright township resident did not like the fees assessed for the sewer line.

He suggested that the cost be split and assessed to all residents. I happened to be at that meeting. My response was – I will gladly pay the fee when and if they run the sewer to my home. That was enough to get the resident to rescind his motion.

That would have added a tremendous burden to the system since I live far out of town.

Just a few of my pet peeves this morning. Think before you respond to something.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.