Call me any, anytime

It's a scary world out there. Every day, it seems there are new things to worry about — E. coli outbreaks, avian bird flu, the HPV epidemic.

Lately I've been noticing a new affliction, one that could have just a devastating effect on our health — our emotional health.

The phone call made when the caller has only a few minutes to talk.

Ryan, a guy I dated a while back, used to do it all the time. About two minutes into a conversation with him, he'd say, "Well, I'm just pulling into my garage now so we're going to lose reception. Bye."

Sometimes Sara does it on her way to work. "Hey, Kat. I'm just about to walk into my office. We haven't spoken in soooo long. How are you?"

Well, not so good, actually, because I have a few tough things going on in my life right now. But with a minute or less to answer, I tell her something that's not quite the truth but easy to hear nonetheless: "Great!"

Even Sean, the single dad I see from time to time, does it. He often calls me as he's on his way to get his daughter from school. "Hi. I'm about to pick up Hanna. Oops, there she is. Hi sweetie! Oh, that's for her. OK, gotta go."

I know we all have busy lives, what with work and our attempts at a social life, along with managing our kids' overbooked calendars.

But with all the new technology to connect us instantaneously with others throughout the world whenever we want, it seems that we're connecting less and less.

I don't fully understand this. I mean, the only time I ever call someone when I know I only have a few minutes to talk is when it's someone who's really long-winded and with whom I have to have some sort of an excuse to get off the phone.

Oh ....