How do you usually answer your phone?

I love how everyone has their own way of picking up the phone (and signing off, too). How you answer?

(And it’s funny–I remember before the days of cell phones when it would be “Smith’s residence.” It’s been ages since I’ve head such things. That, and the number of people I call who answer “Hi, Siona,” thanks to the miracles of cell-technology, seems to keep growing…)

I’m plain vanilla, “HellothisisSiona,” usually all crammed into one breath.  :)

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

I actually enjoy answering my phone sometimes and just saying “This is Matt.  Leave a message.” and then hitting a button on my phone.  Most people actually start to leave a message.  Then call them back a minute later and say the same thing when they answer.  At that point most people catch on, but its extremely funny when they still don't and hang up on you.

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

Thanks to caller ID [and sometimes more subtle ways!] I usually know who's calling so I answer with my personalized way of starting a conversation with that particular person.

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

Oh, fiendish, Matt! :) Meenakshi, intrigued to know the subtle ways you know who's calling without caller ID! 

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

I tend to end up trying to say 'yeah' and 'hello' at the same time so that it swirls together to make a word that sounds a lot like I'm saying 'yello'

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

” hellogooddayjagadishspeaking “  
….all crammed into one breath like what Siona does !  :)

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

how i answer the phone depends on who's house i am at. and who is calling. at my mom's house, sometimes i answer the phone and say “city morgue!” (i did that one time, and it was a person from a college on the other end of the phone calling for my sister, and we nearly died laughing) and everyone gets a kick out of that. or i'll make my voice sound weird.

at my other house, if it's my friends or siblings calling for me, i sometimes say things like “I KNOW NOTHING OF YOUR CUPCAKES!!!!”, “IT WASN'T ME!!!”, “WHAT DO YOU WANT :P ?!?!?”, or, again, make my voice sound weird :D

Re: How do you usually answer your phone?

I usually know who it is and answer “HEY” then air time. My sister and I have always signed off with   “MMMBYE” and I'm gone.  It serves as a “yeah to all that goodbye, see ya later, love you” stuff they are still saying.
Nice to be a newbie here. Jody