Please take a moment to read my friend’s story: http://compass-rose.livejournal.com/326042.html
Contestant A: Birdman http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=081217184506.rbmv0xwk&show_article=1
This is what happens when a nerd procrastinates . . . it beats doing laundry.
One day the lovely Ex Mrs. Couch came home to find several drawers in the kitchen open after I had been manically searching for something critically important to whatever project I was focused on at the time. If I had to guess I would say that I was looking for a chop stick to serve as a core for an AM antenna. Or maybe a spoon for my pudding cup.
At any rate, yes, I do get absent minded from time to time a fail to close drawers, cabinets, my fly, Etc.
However, she made the hyperbolic statement of, “Every single cabinet in this house is open!”
At the time, this was not the case. However after left left for a jog and returned home, well, I know you see where this is going. Yes, I did open every single drawer, cupboard, cabinet, and closet door in the house. And left my fly open . . . but that was unintentional.
For the first several hours, she was not amused. But after time, I am sure she will look back at that and chuckle. It has been about 7 years – I expect the day is coming soon.
So where am I going with this? Well, I am in love with someone now that “gets me.” And I get her. It’s really nice.
The other day I was teasing her that, “I remember coming home to find a little love note taped to my mirror, or a sweet card left on my nightstand, but today I come home to find a used tissue on my bed. The magic is gone.”
Last night she surprised me by coming over (we don’t see each other very much during the week.) I think I know why she made the pilgrimage to north Tampa. Clearly, there was an urgent need. Could it have been the fact that she burnt some green beans on her stove and need to escape the funk. Perhaps. That was my theory. That is, until I can home at lunch today to pick up a key ring I needed.
Now I know what the pressing issue was.
In case you can not tell from the crap-cam picture, those would be “used” tissues.
I love her.
There are some buttons that just should not be pressed, except in rare occasions.
There are two of these on my Jeep: one is a manual override for the engine cooling fan – flipping this switch shuts it down if I ever find myself in really deep water so that water is not sprayed all over the sensitive bits of the engine. The down side of flipping this switch is that if it is left engaged too long the engine will explode. The other switch (will eventually) turn on incredibly bright/blinding spot lamps.
Both of these switches have a plastic cover over them which serves two vital purposes: 1. It physically prevents one from accidentally flipping the switch on and 2. makes one pause to think about the ramifications of what they are doing before flipping the switch, as you first have to move a protective cover out of the way.
I wish there was one of these covers on the “Reply To All” email button.
So here is my little PSA for the day . . . before clicking RTA . . . stop. . . . think . . . . ask, “Is my response so insightful and important that everyone needs to see it?”
Here is something I copied from another bloggers rant:
How To Look Stupid: Reply To All
October 3rd, 2007 · 33 Comments
Have you ever witnessed what happens when someone hits “Reply to all” when they clearly didn’t mean to?
It usually starts innocently enough. Someone mistakenly sends an email to hundreds of people when they intended it to only go to one person.
For example, Kathy, in Atlanta, errantly sends something like this to the entire sales force:
What time are we supposed to be on that call Friday?
She’s referring to a scheduled phone call with a local client, and she meant to ask only her coworker Steve.
John in Seattle is confused. He replies to all:
What call? I’m planning on being out of the office Friday.
Sam in New York is also confused:
Do I know you?
And Jane in Tampa accidentally makes things much worse:
I think it’s at 2:30
Unfortunately, Jane has a call scheduled at 2:30 for her regional office by coincidence. Now, many of the people who initially dismissed the emails are starting to wonder if there really is a call.
Tom in New York doubts himself:
Wait, is there really a company-wide call?
Mike in Seattle has had enough:
No, stop hitting reply to all.
Jim in Atlanta just got back from lunch:
Why am I getting all these emails?
Lisa jumps in to explain, thereby adding to the clutter:
I think the first person just accidentally hit reply to all. If there are phone calls, they are local only, so if you aren’t aware of one, don’t worry about it.
Peter in Los Angeles reads IHYJ and thinks this is hilarious. He wants it to continue:
The call Friday isn’t for everyone. If you don’t know about it, you weren’t invited.
Peter’s friend Joe in L.A. plays along:
Only people on target to hit quota were invited to the call.
Ray in Madison takes the bait:
I’m about to close a big deal. Who should I contact to see if I’m supposed to be on the call?
I think this happens about once a year in most large companies. The sporadic frequency, the varying types of emails: it is essentially an email meteor shower.
If you’re lucky enough to witness one, kick back and enjoy, my friend. There are few office phenomena as entertaining to witness in the corporate world.