All you need is...

[plumtreeblossom]

Have you ever accidentally said "Love you!" at the end of a business call? I've absent-mindedly done it a handful of times in my life and it's mortifying, even though it really should just be something humorous to laugh about.

It just now happened to a vendor who I was ordering supplies from on the phone. The conversation ended with me saying "Okay, thanks much!" and her saying "Okay, love you!" Then a brief awkward silence before she hung right up. I could just feel the ohmygod waves through the phone.

But, I guess it's nice to know that when that happens, it means the person has someone(s) in their life who they say "I love you" to often enough that it's become second nature.

Comments

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

That's awesome!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

It is, in it's own weird way. The few times I've said it accidentally, I died 1000 deaths and had to hit myself in the head to stop thinking about it, but really it's nothing dire. Not like spitting a Tourettes nugget at them or something. Just a little bit of the niceness of love overflowing.

[beowabbit]

I don’t think I’ve ever done that on the phone, but I think that’s just because I try to avoid using the phone as much as possible, except with people I actually do love. :-) But I wouldn't be surprised if the occasional “Love and hugs,” has slipped through at the bottom of work-related email; it’s something I’m constantly catching myself almost doing.

Saying “I love you” to you is still special for me, though. :-)

*Smooches!*

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Hee, that would be fun to receive a work e-mail with "love and hugs" at the end. Especially from you. :-)

Love you!

[library-sexy.livejournal.com]

Yes email is more where I need to watch for a slip up.

It helps to have a signature on the work email so I don't put the wrong salutation or a nickname for myself.

[curly-chick.livejournal.com]

Wait! I want to know what nickname you are referring to?

[library-sexy.livejournal.com]

No I do not sign my LJ name :P

[dpolicar]

nope. It's not something I tend to say without thinking.

Absolutely!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

Yes, I have done this in the past. It usually occured when talking to a third party either about a loved one, or thinking about a loved one when on the phone with the third part. It is excrutiatingly embarassing. Once, I got called on it, oh, years ago. Quick thinking, I said: "No, I said above you. I was talking to someone else. Gotta go bye!" And then I promptly hung up the phone. Not that I ahve done this maybe more than 3 times in my life, but I learned the bludgeoning myself with the receiver afterwards led to fewer incidents. YMMV.

Re: Absolutely!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Yup, it happens when I'm not paying full attention to the conversation, or my mind is wandering. The most recent time it happened to me was at the job before this one. A colleague called to tell me she had called in sick, and was just letting me know. The conversation had a lot of "oooh, hope you feel better soon" kind of content, but at the same time I was also reading e-mails. While completely distracted with the e-mail, I said "feel better, I love you." She immediately cracked up, and I didn't even bother trying to cover it up. I just laughed, agast at myself, and said "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I was totally spacing!" It gave her a good laugh on her sick day at home.

Re: Absolutely!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

Yeah, I believe spacing is the leading cause. That's pretty funny. The first incident was with a girl who (unbeknownst to me) had strong feelings for me at the time. That was my "above you" bail out, for of course she picked up on the "love you", even though I was spacing and it was totally out of context, like: "yeah, I gotta go fix the toilet. bye, love ya" Oh Lord if I ever did it to a coworker...

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I don't believe I ever have.

On the other hand, I am one of those people who's not tended to say that even intentionally. Even when I did have someone to love.

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

But, I guess it's nice to know that when that happens, it means the person has someone(s) in their life who they say "I love you" to often enough that it's become second nature.

That's a great way of thinking about it!

I said "I love you" once to a friend who was whining endlessly on the phone. I mean, I like to talk on the phone, and I like to listen sympathetically to people, so for this guy to go on long enough for me to space out, he had to be pretty over the top. :-) So I was making sympathetic noises on automatic pilot, and somehow "I love you" slipped out. "Er, I mean, I'd love for you to feel a lot better soon!"

[majes.livejournal.com]

I haven't had this happen - but I do frequently have it happen that someone will come in, having a long meeting with me, and when it is time for them to go some parts of my brain pushes forward "and now we hug them goodbye." Fortunately, I have never actually acted on this odd impulse. I think it comes from the fact that in my real life, when I depart from friends or even associates, I am a free hugger.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I've had odd impulses like that before. Its for this very reason that I never, never drink with colleagues. It doesn't take much to get me to the I-love-you-guys stage, which isn't far at all from the lets-make-out stage.

I've come close

[marius23.livejournal.com]

I've never actually said it, but have caught myself almost saying it inappropriately a couple of times.

[wellstar.livejournal.com]

YES!

I often do this when people wish me a happy birthday.

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

God, me, too. It's pretty embarrassing, for such a small mistake!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Me three!

Also, the "how are you" loop:"

MARE: So, how are you?
THEM: I'm fine, thanks! How are you?
MARE: Good, good...and how are you?
THEM: Um...

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

I've done that one as well. And yeah, I think "love you" has slipped out at the end of a phone call accidentally once or twice... and I've also had to suppress the urge to put my hands familiarly on the shoulders of someone using a computer in front of me, because I'm so used to doing that at home.

I also accidentally did it with zendzian within our first week of dating, but luckily that worked out okay.

[minkrose]

haha, MEEE TOOO!! Between working as a receptionist for a (very popular) doctor before now, and as a customer service person for a mostly mail-order business... I'm on the phone near constantly. It happens A. LOT.


I actually recited my phone number instead of the proper phone number once, but it was on someone's machine and I corrected myself. I'm sure she thought I was nuts, but when you call 70 people a day, it's bound to happen.

Good to know I'm not alone!

[wellstar.livejournal.com]

I've never done it, but it's one of my paranoias when I use my cell phone for work, and even when talking to friends on said cell phone. Having the horrible beige office phone to my ear, however, keeps me out of the personal realm. I won't even say "I love you" to loved ones when they call me on that phone. At least not without them saying it first.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I have a similar paranoia regarding text messages going to the wrong person. beowabbit and I volley text messages every day, and sometimes they can get a bit randy. I've had a few horrifying moments when I suddenly wasn't sure the person I'd send that sexual solicitation (in lolcat-speak) to was him or not.

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

HIGH-LARIOUS. :-D I would find it charmingly human if someone did that to me. But I'm unlikely to do it on autopilot myself, fortunately (I guess).

[thesynergizer.livejournal.com]

that's hilarious, embarrassing and sweet all at the same time! i have never done that (to my knowledge) but do remember calling my daycare teacher "grandma" when i was about 4. its one of the only times in my life that i've ever mixed up anyone's name. my dad accidentally called me "dear" and a number of other pet names that he used with my stepmom when they were engaged ... it annoyed me, but i never said anything. it was obvious that he wasn't doing it on purpose. it bugs him enough that no one in his family can ever get his name right on the first try. there are only two boys, but they both get called david michael or michael david or whoever you are!

[moria923.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I slip up and call someone "sweetie" or "wab" (another nickname thorbol and I use for each other) when I'm having certain kinds of (extremely nonromantic) conversations.

He's the person with whom I can be most straightforward and opinionated. So this happens sometimes when I'm really getting intensely into a discussion. It happened once when I was discussing work with a coworker who was also a good friend. It only happens when I'm really comfortable with someone.