Phone voice.

Everyone has a phone voice. It's the voice you use to talk on the phone. When the phone rings and you don't know who it is, your voice sounds deeper, more cautious.

Then when you recognize your friend on the other line your vocal chords relax. You smile and make yourself sound cheery.

I had a telephone interview last week and I wanted to sound enthusiastic. My normal voice is monotone and dull. No one would hire me based on my voice.

So I phoned Cindy and practiced talking enthusiastically and energetically. She laughed and said I sounded like a child. So then I made my voice sound less enthusiastic and she said I sounded depressed.

I can't win.

My boss has an extremely loud phone voice. He shouts when he's on the phone. I hate being forced to listen to other people's phone conversations.

I also hate talking to people on digital phones. They're about half a second too slow so you and your partner sound like you're constantly interrupting each other.

Remember rotary phones? I bet I wouldn't know how to use one. It would take me a few moments to figure it out.

Remember when touch tone came out? It was so fast.