Why do you answer the telephone?

Suppose that the telephone is ringing while you are wrestling with The Great Question; you can smell the epiphany, it's very near, you are within reach of The Great Answer. Why does your hand reach for the phone and not for the pen?

Or suppose that you are composing your poetic opus magnum in a terribly fragile perfect delirium (perhaps you are Mr. Coleridge, working on "Xanadu"). Why must the knocker at the door be attended?

I don't always answer the phone-if they really want me they will put a message on my answering machine; the door is a different problem, though, isn't it. There's a person out there--it might be the mailman with special delivery or a friend who's come out their way to drop by.
I suppose I attend the knocker out of courtesy and curiosity.

Mind you, if I were Mr. Coleridge, I might not have it together enough to answer the door--but then it probably wouldn't have been locked--and he didn't have to contend with the phone.

Maggie

I only answer the phone if I am expecting a call or in the mood to talk. After all, that's why God invented voicemail.

I don't know about you, but I can multi task, and I'm obviously not as important feeling as you seem to feel.

I don't attend to either. I am more dedicated to my muse and my mind than that.

I don't ever answer the phone or the door. Isn't that what the butler is for?!?

great perspective too many times great things are hindered or completely destroyed by silly little distractions... I am always expecting a call and my writings currently consist of dumb work memo's and post on this site. I think people, my self included because i am a person, (silly tangent) answer the phone because it rings louder then their passion to complete their work... when i am focused on something my phones are off... and i usually leave and don't tell anyone where i am going so that all distractions are removed except my thoughts :-)...

Because we gain wisdom from experience. Besides nobody serious sits down and says to themselves "Now I'm going to create something great!" It's up to others to decide that.

i answer coz I'm curious hihihi

why must there be a door? soemthing is wrong if you need shut your neighbour out!,

no wonder there are fewer and fewer opuses, and cathartic moments we focus incorrectly. we, as you well put it "answer the phone"!

we'll never reach that Xanadu going on as we do. good that you mention Mr C. as I'll take the lime tree bower as my prison any day!

The same reason why we answer the door.

I never answer my phone ... the only reason ppl call is because they want something ... and I'm tired of giving!!!

I only use the phone for "Outgoing" ... since I'm see who'll give after all I've given.