shishnit.org

Today I had to write a paper about bad email etiquette and give an example of a bad email I received at work.
Hello.  I work for a college.  As hard as it is to believe, no one I work with writes poorly constructed emails.
I had to make something up.  This means I spent the time writing a bad email just to correct my own bad email.  *sigh*
That was the first ever assignment I really wanted to skip.  It was for a Business Writing college course.  I can see the need for such an assignment.  I just don’t need it myself.  I work for a company that has great email manners.

For the same course I also had to write a formal business letter.  Who does this anymore?  With the onslaught of technology there are programs set up just to sent out mass letters to customers, etc.  I stopped writing letters on actual paper about 7 years ago in my working life.  I seriously just found a template for block letters and filled in the appropriate information.  Again….lame assignment.

Next week I have to write a “Negative” letter and a “Persuasive” letter.  Can you sense my utter excitement?

I am currently taking a Business Writing Course so I am keenly aware of my business writing at work.  A lot of what I do is motivational speaking types of emails.  I am tasked with trying to motivate 50 people to perform.  It’s not always easy.  We’re currently running a carwash competition between teams.  I wrote the following creative email all by myself.

From: Kristy

Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 5:15 PM

To: Team

Subject: Got Dirty Car?

Are you ready for a free car wash?  Are you saving up the grime on your carriage for someone else’s soapy sponge? Some of you will earn clean cars, while other’s will want to locate a clean water source and get ready to scrub your opponents grime ridden wheels now.  I know I’m not going to be washing my car while I await the outcome.  I will be reviewing our reporting methods with our fearless leader, so if you find discrepancy with my reporting methods please be patient as we work out the kinks. 

After sending it I received an email from a party of my team as follows:

From: Danna

Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 5:32 PM

To: Kristy

Subject: RE: Got Dirty Car?

You should write a book, because you have a way with words!

I never tire of commentary that encourages my writing abilities, be they business or otherwise.  Since I haven’t had much time for the otherwise type of writing….it’s doubly nice.  At least I’m honing my business writing skills while I wait for time to do the “fun” writing more often again.

Sometimes I want to write a ton of interesting and angst ridden things about raising a teenager and yet I can’t do it.  Instead I’ll tell you about my rather amazing weekend with my husband.

We didn’t do anything spectacular.  We didn’t travel anywhere nor did we really even eat any normal meals together.  I did my thing, (write papers for school) and he did his (play poker at the local dog track).  But, somehow over the weekend we connected.  Physical connection, but then again the physical so helps the mental and emotional, no?

Either way this morning on my way to work I called my husband and it went something close to this

Him: Hi

Me: are you on speaker phone?  I want to say something to you and if you’re not alone I don’t want to say it on speaker.

Him: ok not anymore, go ahead

Me: this morning in the shower I realized I’m happy.  Just happy.  I wanted
to call you and thank you for making me happy.

Him: I’m happy too

And in the simplicity of our lives, there are amazing moments.  Moments that I treasure.

Shortly thereafter I had a conversation with my ex-husband about my son.  Life.  As soon as you get one portion of it fixed, another unravels.  It’s like endlessly trying to knit a blanket while the moths eat the yarn for dinner.

do you wonder if 

it’s real 

really there in the feel 

the feel of my hair 

on your clothes 

static 

an electricity 

movement 

explicitly 

do you ever forget, love? 

come here 

want to? 

go lay down? 

I’ll remember you