Call me!

Earlier this year I updated my cell phone. I am now able to download ringtones and assign a particular ringtone to an incoming caller. Given how much I enjoy music, you can imagine I have had a lot of fun with this particular feature. For instance, if I hear this, I know it's The Huz. If it's Aviva calling? She wants me to hear this because it's her favorite song. (No, I don't know why. I was as suprised by that as anyone. Believe me.)

If Sarah is hunting me down to find out if I am going to Wegmans, get ready to join her in the chorus of "Shout At The Devil." I have one friend who requested his ringtone be "Crazy Bitch" because not only was that CD released on my birthday, he thought it would be funny as hell for me to have to answer that call in the middle of a meeting. I offered that he should download the song for when I call him because his meetings are way more stuffy than mine. He's a corporate attorney. 'nuff said. He's also full of himself humble, and it comes as no surprise to me his second choice was Dollyrots' "Because I'm Awesome." (Yes G,I know you're awesome and now the whole world does too. Just how you want it.)

I grew up during a time when everyone I knew watched Channel 13. Each week our eyes could be found glued to Upstairs, Downstairs. My mother, Alistair Cooke and I spent a lot of time together, and while Alistair is no longer with us, my mother has filled that void presenting dramas to me on a regular basis, I have assigned her the theme from Masterpiece Theatre.

But no other ringtone gets more of a reaction from people than Laurel's. Laurel is quite the karaoke queen and "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." belongs to Her Royal Highness. HRH even persuaded me to sing it with her dressed up like crawfish on stage at The Cats Meow during Mardi Gras. (I sang back-up.Sock-it-to-me-sock-it-to-me-sock-it-to-me...) When Laurel calls me, not only does everyone listen, but they respond. Some of my favorites are:

As I was walking Son Two into the rec center for daycamp, Laurel called my cell and the man next to me got busy. I don't mean he was tapping his foot, he was getting down with his dad self while walking his daughter into the building. He gave me a huge grin and said, "That made my day!"

Laurel called my cell while we were having the final construction meeting for our kitchen renovation. There were about 6 people in our house going over the plans and making final measurements and one of the guys exclaims, "Whoever is calling you is a person who knows how to have a good time! If it's a single gal, I want her number!"

Walking down Massachusetts Avenue on my way to a meeting Laurel calls me. Three other people smile at me, giggle and introduce new category of ambulation "Dance Walking." It was as if everyone around me was suddenly channeling Ellen Degeneres.

I am still trying to figure out which ringtones to download for:

My father

Son One

Son Two

and I need a ringtone for when anyone calls me from our home phone.

Got any suggestions? And if you call me, what would you want your ringtone to be?

crossposted at DC Metro Moms