One of my pet peeves is when somebody calls me on the phone and starts right in talking like as though they are in the same room and I know who they are. I was taught to identify myself first when somebody answers a call I place to them.
The worst is when I answer a call and the person on the other end starts right off by saying, “Who’s this?”
dUH! who’d you dial?
All that to say this.
I have been getting a lot of e-mails on the side from folks here and at JLC about various topics. I know who most of you are.
But every so often, somebody sends to me without IDing themselves. Many of us have different screen names, login names, and e-mail user names. Since I have a lot of contacts with a lot of people, it can be hard to keep track of who is who. I got an unsolicited one today. I did appreciate it and enjoyed it but my finger was on the way to the delete button until I noticed that it came through Prospero. The subject was listed as “Photo of my brother…”
You can imagine which delete bin it was going into before I caught my self. I get a lot of that junk with titles like, “Barnyard photos” or “This is my sister…” or “been to the zoo lately?”
LOL
Anyway, here are some suggestions, not just for me but for sending to anyone…
ID yourself – I don’t care what your real name is, you may not know mine and I respect annonymity, but if I know you as “My favorite Martian” here from you screen name and your login name is “martymine” but your e-mail username is twoantennae, then I’ve only got the vaugest idea who wrote me an email about lets say time travel. My login name is pifin and my screenname is piffin and my email name is pfn so you might have an easier time of it.
Give a reference – Sometimes I’ll get an e-mail with a question like, “Could you please explain what you meant in that post?” I can’t possibly know what post here or at JLC so I ignore it. Including a link is best and most times, it is best to just post the Q on the thread. I generally get back to them, eventually and someone else is sure to be able to answer it. Breaktime is all of us. I’m most likely to answer it here anyway so everyone can benefit from the discussion.
Finally, please don’t be upset if I don’t respond. I’ve got a real life too, and I keep it somewhat isolated from my cyber-existence. That has proven to be wise in the recent wars of martinization.
Cheers!
Excellence is its own reward!
Replies
Waaaa...
If I can't ID an email from the sender or subject and I have a lot of email to wade through, I'll simply delete it. If it has an attachment and the sender is unknown, I'll always delete it. If I don't have much email and there is no attachment, I may open it to see what it's about.
If the sender gets too worried, they'll send another with the proper tags. The folks that I want to correspond with do it right the first time.
Best email question I got today:
"Tell me the best way to paint."
That was the email in it's enirety. No greeting, no salutation, no how's biz, no thanks for your time, no additional info, no thanks a lot.
Deleted it.
Dang !!!
And here I was counting on being able to start working as a painting contractor next week.
Well thanks a lot mr doody head.Don't bogart the Ghost
Quittin' Time
Why, if I knew it was from YOU, I would have deleted it before ever opening it!<g>
At least this time you said "thanks".
Gotta go wash my hair...
Mr. Doody Head
Count on Luka to take such a serious subject like this and make it
More
or less
serious.
;-)
Excellence is its own reward!
Edited 10/8/2002 2:16:37 AM ET by piffin
I, for one, found this very funny. Go figure.
Well, it was a unique enough email that I even called Rebecca over to look at it.
We did chuckle...in a somewhat pitiful way...then deleted it.<g>
hehehe paint me (Just Kidding Rebecca!)
So this is what goes on here at 2:30 in the am!
Luka isn't it true that you don't drink?
If so,You'll never make it as a painter!
Mr TDo not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
I've always wondered, Mr.T . . . .
Do painters paint because they drink, or do they drink because they
paint ? ?
Greg.
Greg:
My pet theory: Painters are driven to drink by biology. Ethanol itself is slightly neurotoxic, but less so than the fumes they breath. The ethanol acts as a competitive inhibitor (i.e.: binds to the sites that the bad stuff would, thus sparring the old noggin some damage). Maybe Exec Ed Andy will fund the study comparing the alcohol consumption of painters who use latex versus those who use oil based paints (Andy, I volunteer for the non-painter/ethanol consumer control group)...
Regards,
Rework
I second the motion, and volunteer my services as well !
Brian, Andy did tell you about your budget, didn't he ? Well, don't bother him - he's a busy man. They'll reimburse you, and you don't really need a purchase order number. Hell, we're regulars.
Black Russian for me, how about you, Rework ? Brian's buying.
Greg
...What is e-mail?...Newf
Think First!
"Tell me the best way to paint."
I get those kind of message in some other venues.
Depending on my mood and the time that I have I do one of 3 things
1. ignore it.
2. tell them to ask the question in the forum WITH DETAILS.
3. Give them and honest and detail response to their question. of course since they did not define BEST nor indicate what they are paint my suggestion might be to
use PaintShop Pro
remove the lid from the paint can and throught it on the walls.
And for paint floor dump the paint on the floor and then call in the dog or kids under 5 and them them roll in the paint. Make a great faux finish.
Sorry, this thread is partly my doing.. I sent the pic to Piffin, but didn't mention what it was related to or that I was from the FHB board when I sent it. In fact, he gave the subject in his post here. I really appreciate his advice on here and didn't mean to be impolite. I would've posted it here, but didn't think the links I sent should go up on the open web as they were to private photos. In part that was due to the problems piffin's had in the past. (at least I hope it's past)
Sorry, piffin.
No need to apologize. I really did enjopy your brother's picture and understand. I had a hint it was you but not certain.
But yours was just the tip of the iceberg, so don't take it all personal - I was trying to give good advice to facillitate communications for everyone. Didn't realize I would set off a small forest fire here..
Excellence is its own reward!
No need to fret, you didn't light the match. This fire has been smoldering for many years, as the subject has been posted about a half-dozen times previously over the years.
What? Me fret?
If the post office is gonna burn, I'll bring the marshmellows and weenies!.
Excellence is its own reward!
Hhey hey hey, Mongo...how do you say "Happy Groundhog Day" in French? (I don't want to bother you with an email or anything!)"I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets." --John Glenn
Hmmm...
Do the French recognize the Groundhog as a legitimate varmint? And with the propensity of the French to assign everything a gender...tables, knives, and automobile tires included...what say they regarding the he/she groundhog?
If recognized, and male: Le Jour Du Groundhog Heureux
If not recognized, and male: Jour Heureux De Groundhog
Female: Le Jour De la Groundhog Heureuse, or Jour Heureuse De Groundhog
I figure the French most likely snub the poor fellow, and with it being a varmint, it must be male, thus: Jour Heureux De Groundhog.
Bon nuit!
Back on topic re: email...something's up. I received seven requests for my concrete countertop packet betwen last night and today...and we don't even have any active threads. Hmmm...
woodchuck = groundhog = marmot
le jour du marmot, n'est pas ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Les frikin Marmots! N'est pas?.
Excellence is its own reward!
le frikin marmot--mais bien sur!
Now, can you say "A tax deductible gift for you to celebrate your victory over the IRS" ? En francais?
Or any other foreign language?
Thank you beaucoups, gennelmens."I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets." --John Glenn
OK so I'm rusty!
I try this...
Pour vous victorie du libertie, Une grand bien Mansion, avec les femmes et la vin! .
Excellence is its own reward!
Edited 10/9/2002 12:17:07 AM ET by piffin
Mai la femme n'ont aucune maladie et peuvent le vin être correctement refroidies, et mai votre maison soit accomplie avant que vous la vendiez!
OK, I'm in over my head here without a dictionary. I've been calling up from thirty four years ago in French class.
Did you say a blessing something like, "May your women not get diseased, may your wine have the right stuff, and something about my house being finished"?
OK, I've got it - My wife is sick and tired of the house not being finished so she's been ice cold abou this issue of me drinking wine.
I love a good word game!.
Excellence is its own reward!
You gave me a good laugh on that one.<g>
T'was supposed to read something like "May your woman be free of disease, may your wine be properly chilled, and may your house be completed before you sell it."
Yeah, it's tough on me too. Last had French in the 8th grade, though my daughter (7th grade) takes it now and I've been picking up tidbits from her.
It's all those different thoughts rolled into one sentence that made it hard to get context flowing in my head.
Bonne nuit! Puits de sommeil mon ami. .
Excellence is its own reward!
Bonne nuit! Puits de sommeil mon ami.
Trans. Good night! Well (as in a water well or oil well) of sleep my friend.
Maybe should be Bonne nuit! Dors bien mon ami.
Me I speek da hinglish perfect me. Absolute flooless!
It's da worstest 'ting I never saw.
Me I speek da hinglish perfect me. Absolute flooless!
It's da worstest 'ting I never saw.
...Jean Chretian???...Newf
Think First!
This is worth an acronym, even from me! LOLROFPMP...
I had six years of French and I'm relying on YOU reprobates to do my homework? I'm definitely going to copy these responses and hand them in. The perfesser would appreciate them (really).
OK, French and German. Can we go for three more furrin tongues? (If you have to say anything fresh about that, say it in Korean!)"I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets." --John Glenn
If you have to say anything fresh about that, say it in Korean!
My computer can't write Korean, so I'll run this phonetically:
Eebie sheebie kay pehck pogee dah!
Wincingly, and hoping no one understands Korean...
Mongo
Before I hit the hay. The best line I've heard from a fellow Quebecer was
"Bill 101 is da worsest bill dey never pass."
You got it is well as the automatic translators.
"May the woman do not have any disease and can the correctly cooled wine being, and May your house is accomplished before you sell it!"
http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr
Edited 10/9/2002 11:04:54 AM ET by Bill Hartmann
Yup, Bill, I figured I'd have marginally better luck asking here than Babelfish. Personal service and all."I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets." --John Glenn
Strangest thing happened...
I was helping my son with geometry, he had to look up some words in the dictionary. He looked up "tangent" and the definition was: "See piffin's thread on email etiquette."
Hmmm...
The english spelling of the pronounciation:
goovna doopaHalf of good living is staying out of bad situations.
Forget the primal scream, just Roar!
??????
"goovna doopa"
Can you translate (phonetic spelling) and I'm not saying this to you
itch ta doopa spevichbobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's cheat sheet
Ha! I can only guess.Half of good living is staying out of bad situations.
Forget the primal scream, just Roar!
Ein Zoll abziehbar Geschenk ihrem Sieg ueber dem IRS zu feiren.
If this is to continue, I'm going to have to purchase translation software. It sounds as though Piffins going to sell his diseased wife for wine money, any offers? Honestly folks, it seems to me we have enough communication truoble in Emglixh, what you douing in ze French.
Dan I will not study another language, till I can speak proper Engliss!
Try http://babelfish.altavista.com/
Fantastique!
Close, the translation would be "le jour de la marmotte", but actually they call it "La Fête de la Chandeleur". Others here would know it as "Là Fhèill Brëghde nan coinnlean" (Gaelic)
.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Aha, Phill, very good, I should have know that you would know that secret, that it's Candlemas. Thanks for both languages!"I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets." --John Glenn
"how do you say "Happy Groundhog Day" in French?"
Have a **** Happy **** Groundhog **** Day. Pardon my French. See, very easy.
Rich Beckman
"2. tell them to ask the question in the forum WITH DETAILS."
I've done that too, when I get someone asking questions about stuff by email. But once I've done that, I never hear from them again. Nothing is faster than the speed of light. To prove this to yourself, try opening the refrigerator door before the light comes on.
I delete it if I dont know who it is from,viruses and such, I dont sweat it unless I get one that says something like "Hey Teti KMWA then I might open that one.. Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
>> ... I never hear from them again.
Of course not. Writing down the details would be work. For that matter, clarifying the issues in their mind to where they could write meaningful details would be work, damn hard work for some of them. And they didn't want to work, that's why they wrote to you in the first place, so you'd do the work.
I'm probably flattering myself to think that anyone might see enough expertise in any of my posts to write and ask for advice. It certainly hasn't happened yet. But if I ever got one of these slacker letters, I'd be terribly tempted to reply with copious, clearly explained, wrong advice.
Sounds like you're a bit ornery like me...............(-:
I might to give refuse advice, but would never knowingly tell anyone something wrong. Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein. [Joe Theisman, former quarterback]
>> ... would never knowingly tell anyone something wrong.
I'm not sure I would, either, but it's a terrible struggle sometimes.
Well, I got an E-mail from Russian girl who "wants to meet me" (ya right)...writes a rather long letter describing herself to me. I told her to look me up when she gets to Phoenix.. I think I get one from Russia about 2-3 times a yr...looking for free ride to land of the freemakinsawdust
And do you, in fact, live in Phoenix?
Ed, Maybe you coulod hook her up with the Nigerian minister who has access to millions in an out of the way bank acount, for a marriage fee, of course!.
Excellence is its own reward!
Great Idea Piffin...I just got that E-mail last week makinsawdust
"I'm probably flattering myself to think that anyone might see enough expertise in any of my posts to write and ask for advice. It certainly hasn't happened yet."
I also have never received an e-mail asking advice. I flatter myself that this is because I so clearly communicate that I don't know anything.
Rich Beckman
Mr Beckman,
did u get my email? topic advicebobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's cheat sheet
Yup. I replied with the best advice I could think of which is not to take my advice.
Rich Beckman
But if your advice is to not take your advice, then he should ignore that and actually take your advice...which is to not take your advice...
So if you're telling him to not take your advice...should he take it, and not take your advice, or not take it, and take your advice?
<scratches head>
"So if you're telling him to not take your advice...should he take it, and not take your advice, or not take it, and take your advice?"
Well, if I knew the answers to those questions, I'd advise him to take my advice!
Rich Beckman
I cc'ed myself and my message ended up in my Junk mail folder.bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's cheat sheet
"I cc'ed myself and my message ended up in my Junk mail folder"
Bobl,
LOL! That makes perfect sense!
Rich Beckman
Hi Rich,
I decided to not take your advice. How can I keep it from coming? (since I can't seem to stop taking it)
Your oldest friend,
you know who (just kidding Mrs. B!)
"Tell me the best way to paint"
Well, get an eisal, a palette, some sable brushes, and begin with watercolors before moving on to oils. Still lifes at first, as portraits are real hard. Most importantly, practice, practice, practice! Leonardo Di Vinci didn't get where he was using a ladder...er, wait...
"If left is wrong, then right is the only thing left, right?"
"begin with watercolors before moving on to oils."
I disagree. Start with oils. Watercolors are much more difficult to use than oil.
But don't take any advice from me.
Rich Beckman
You are correct, Rich.
Acrylics are even easier, though.Don't bogart the Ghost
Quittin' Time
"You are correct, Rich"
Well, it has to happen occasionally. Long odds come home every day!
Rich Beckman
Acrylics will pass through the firewalls in the email system better too..
Excellence is its own reward!
firgive me but what is JLC?
thanks
lee
If it's worth doing... its worth doing right!!!
New!!! Home Remodeling forum
JLC = Journal of Light Construction
http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront
Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
Exactly...
Glad to see you're still around!.
Excellence is its own reward!
I am glad I am still around too!
Actually, this is to ALL. but anyway, my name is bob on the Breaktime Forum and I've been listening in and giving my 2 cents worth for about 6 months now. Its a great way to spend the evening after I get off the job, since the little woman works swing and we see each other weekends. I'm a framer/ trim carpenter from the Treasure Valley in Idaho. Been self-employed for so long, I'm probably unemployable now. I just wanted to introduce myself to you fine folks because I really enjoy the Forum and have learned quite a bit from it also. But everybody knows that painters drink because it only takes one hand to spray paint.
Glad ta have ya around, Bob.
Jump in the threads more often - We can always use a fresh voice around here. History never repeats itself. Historians just repeat each other.
Email etiquette simply hasn't been a problem for me since early yesterday morning.
I haven't been able to send or recieve email at all since then.Don't bogart the Ghost
Quittin' Time
Isn't it wonderful? Kind of like going on vacation and accidentally dropping your cell phone in the lake while you're out fishing.