Can someone please explain to me why, in 2006, I need to RSVP to a shower invite with a phone call?Typically, I do not even know the person throwing the shower. For example, let's say that I have a male cousin who got married and now they're having a baby. I've never met his wife. The baby shower is being thrown by someone in his wife's family. I have to call this person, who will have absolutely no idea who I am, just to say that I have no intention of coming to the shower.
Doesn't anyone else find this to be awkward? Why insist on a phone call? I, personally, am prejudiced against phone calls in general. When calling someone, you have no idea what they're doing or what their plans are. Unless I'm very close to a person, I'll never call and expect him or her to chat for longer than 5 or 10 minutes. I guard my time very closely, and figure that others do the same; unexpected phone calls can be seriously detrimental to accomplishment of my perpetual list.
So I don't tend to call people very often. Now I'm forced by a lack of contact information (no mailing address or e-mail address) to call a complete stranger about a complete stranger to say "thanks for the invite, but you people really aren't that important to me and I'll have to pass." But of course, you can't just say that—even tactfully. You have to make small talk. Will I have to talk about the house, Cleveland, Keith? Will I get to hear about the first ultrasound and the games they plan on playing at the shower I will not be attending? It's completely unknown ... and a complete waste of time because I never intend to talk to this person again.
At this point, the best I can hope for is an answering machine. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. And I expect that the next shower invite I get from one of my (5) loyal readers has an e-mail address, too.
6 comments:
The phone RSVP doesn't bother me. Based on showers I've thrown, you have your checklist of names anyway and don't care about who they are, just whether they are coming.
The shower I'm going to on Saturday gave a RSVP contact for each side. (Can you believe that I'm old enough to witness the wedding of someone I babysat? Me neither.)
I wanted to do the same thing for my sis's baby shower, but since BIL's mom was throwing it and wanted ALL of the credit, the the family and friends from our side had to call her LONG DISTANCE in Sandusky when everyone else is in Cleveland, including the shower.
try a computer generated voice. you can type in what you want it to say and just dial:
http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php
-Todd
try typing in this:
yo, this is megan. I had my vocal cords ripped out in a freak wire whisk accident while making a cake. don't make me come to your stinkin party, jackass.
Oh, it must be shower season. Can you believe that I got three shower invites for the same day?!? Two of them have only phone numbers for the RSVP and the other one has only an email. I agree than giving the invitee the option is best. I'll pass on our opinions to my mom and other shower-throwers to make sure you have the option to email!
-Andrea
You know, Todd's suggested message is awesomely hi-larious and made me snort coffee, but if you actually go to the site and enter the text, it's even funnier.
RSVP via website or email is the way to go. Its the wave of the future, yo!
I dont mind calling complete stragners to RSVP. Its actually better than calling some of the people I know because I know that I wont get trapped on the phone with them.
Welcome back, Andy! It's been a while.
After Cathy first shot me down, I was heartened to get some reinforcement from Andrea and Andy. And, of course, Todd's helpful advice.
On the flipside, for our wedding we designed a website and had a form for people to RSVP online. I'd say maybe 5 people took us up on it, and that's being generous.
Andrea, I've decided to reply to your shower invite by crop circle. Keep an eye out!;)
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