Exactly.<p>I have a strong aversion to intruding on someone else's consciousness -- breaking their concentration, or interrupting a task in progress with non-critical communication.  Over the phone, I have no way to see what you're doing, so I cannot determine the degree to which I am intruding in your intellectual space.  Hence I view the phone as an inherently high priority medium and use it sparingly.  I will only call you if I have something so important to say that I would have been willing to interrupt whatever you might be doing.  And I will be brief.<p>This behavior is forced on me by my notions of courtesy.  But I am aware that it sends all kinds of incorrect signals to my mother . . .