1-800-Connection
If you've been following my work for a while, you've probably heard me mention that phone calls are one of my favorite ways to talk. I'm talking about plain, analog, voice-only phone calls — NOT Facetime, not video calls.
Video calls are a professional necessity but otherwise the bane of my existence. They demand that I stay stationary and performative in a consistently well-lit setting. On the flip side, voice-only calls are spacious, easy, flexible, and free from the pressure of an unblinking webcam. I find that audio-only calls also frequently lead to the most unfiltered expression of what I have to say. This is why most of my podcast recordings are done via an audio-only conversation.
So you know I'm gonna be heart-eyes for phone-call-based projects about connection, self-reflection, and joy. Here are a few you can dial into this week, for reflection on lonely times, for making anonymous confessions, for getting encouragement from little kids, and more. Just pick up your phone and call these numbers.
Pep Talk Hotline
(707) 873-7862
“Will I have to speak to someone?” No, you make a selection then lean back and listen.
Need an encouraging message? Call Pep Talks, a public art project from the students of Westside School. If you're feeling mad, frustrated, or nervous, press 1. If you need words of encouragement and life advice, press 2. If you need a pep talk from kindergarteners, press 3. If you need to hear kids laughing with delight, press 4. For encouragement in Spanish, press 5. To hear how awesome you look, press 6. For bonus pep talks, press 7. To support this project with a donation, press 0.
Dial Up
Get calls via the app at dialup.com
“Will I have to speak to someone?” Yes, that’s the whole point.
Dialup connects people in one-on-one phone calls all over the world. Get recurring calls with people you want to meet. Whether it's discussing what book you're reading, what you're making for breakfast, sci-fi movies, or the full moon—Dialup will ring your phone on an automated schedule and pair you randomly in a one-on-one conversation with someone else on planet earth. They use custom caller IDs instead of phone numbers, so your real number stays private. During my favorite Dial Up conversation, I got matched with a young woman in Italy and it was wonderful to feel like I had stuff in common with someone on the other side of the planet. We had a great conversation about our creative hobbies and how we were handling the pandemic.
Mundane Times: Stories of Connection Through a Lonely Year
(510) 859-3037
“Will I have to speak to someone?” No, you just lean back and listen.
Mundane Times celebrates the connections we had to each other and to our communities throughout the pandemic. As these memories fade, let this glimpse in the rear-view mirror serve as a time capsule for unprecedented times. Each week, one story from the print edition of The Mundane Times will be read aloud on their hotline. Call in any time to hear a story.
Suicide Prevention / Crisis Lifeline
(800) 273-8255
Si hablas español, llama a 1-888-628-9454. Lifeline ofrece 24/7, gratuito servicios en español.
“Will I have to speak to someone?” Yes, that’s the whole point.
Lifeline provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for anyone of any age — including non-English speakers. From a full overview on Buzzfeed about what happens when you call a crisis line: “Crisis workers are trained to talk comfortably and calmly, use active listening, assess risk, and determine if a person is in danger. “They are able to listen to you and your emotions in a way that's non-judgmental and comforting so callers feel like they can trust the person on the other end of the line,” Sinwelski said. They will answer with a greeting, but the worker won't immediately ask you a specific set of questions. You can start the conversation however you want.
Emotional Listening Support Help Line 24/7
(800) 932-4616
”Will I have to speak to someone?” Yes, that’s the whole point.
Feeling lost or alone? Confused or unsure about how to meet your needs? Calling the Emotional Listening Support Help Line will put you in touch with a volunteer, who will listen confidentially and without judgment to your concerns. Volunteers are not counselors, and won't give advice, but have been highly trained in active listening. Calls generally last about 10 minutes since they are not counselors, but you are invited to call back if you want additional listening support.
The Right Number (Anonymous Confessional)
(503) 673-6267
“Will I have to speak to someone?” No, you leave a voice message answering the prompt.
The Right Number is a gentle, noncommercial space where your only job is to be yourself. It’s a project by my buddy Lucy Bellwood, a professional Adventure Cartoonist. After dialing in, you'll be connected to a voicemail box and Lucy will explain the week’s prompt. You’ll then have up to three minutes to answer however you'd like. All recordings go to a single voicemail box and remain strictly confidential — only Lucy will hear them. (If there comes a time when Lucy wants to do another project that would involve sharing messages left at The Right Number, she promises to practice clear verbal consent; you'll be asked to say something like “You can use this” if you're okay with audio from your call being shared. Your number will never be disclosed.) When you call The Right Number, you get to disclose your thoughts and feelings to an incredibly thoughtful, heartful, tender, creative human being who will hear anything you want to say. If you’re grateful for it, you can support Lucy’s work on Patreon.
Callin' Oates
(719) 266-2837
”Will I have to speak to someone?” No, but after you hear this, you will definitely want to tell other people about it.
Welcome to your emergency Hall & Oates helpline. You're welcome. :)