Other People's Ringtones

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Guten Abend Zeitgeisters,

I work in an open plan office (it’s a loft or mezzanine style of thing) and it is a common occurrence to hear other people's mobile phones going off. Graeme downstairs has a “My Sharona” ringtone and Liz, with whom I share my office, has a Madonna ringtone.

Like any other oft-heard sound, these cut into my brain like brick-saw into concrete. To be fair, my own ringtone is just as bad. If you have a Nokia 3120, then you can sample the twittering cacophony that is “Urgency”. Imagine the sound of a finch caught on a length of razor wire, then amplify it.

What I love is the reaction when anyone hears it for the first time. “Is that your ringtone?” they ask, as though I might have programmed it by accident. I have very purposely chosen a high, “top-endy” sound so it cuts through the background noise.

I propose a new piece of cell phone etiquette. Much in the same way that one doesn’t comment on how other people raise their children – especially not to the parents of those children - I think the same advice goes for ringtones. Everyone else’s ringtone will get on one’s wick. So say nothing.

So in a blanket answer to those of you who ask THAT question; Yes – that is my ringtone – and I love it.

Elevate the Insignificant,

Mr Trivia

p.s. German visitors click the Nokia link above!

Comments

bdodgey said…
You seriously need to invest in a new ringtone - those nokia ones are rank!
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7:22 pm
Lucy Lee said…
Interesting your comment re ringtones. I wrote an article about this very topic. Guess what the most annoying ringtone I ever heard was? You know it. You could never forget it.
4:00 am
Mr Trivia said…
Oh yeah, I know the ringtone you mean. You, me and maybe four other people who are in Western Australia have a clue what we're talking about here (good use of the world wide web, huh?). But some things are better hinted at, then said right out.

What was the premise and conclusion of your article, Mrs Moz?
10:20 pm
Mr Trivia said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
10:20 pm
Lucy Lee said…
The premise was that there is an inherent contradiction in the fact that we all have a rationale behind why we choose the ringtones we do and most of us (due to the rationale we have in place) feel justified in our choice of ringtones. However this does not stop us from being pissed off with other people's ringtones, even though they have a rationale too. What it means when it comes to ringtones is we want to have our cake and eat it and not share with anyone else!
5:26 am
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