Writing Boots

On communication, professional and otherwise.

The dangerous double d’s: desperate, and disengaged

by // 5 Comments

A friend forwards me an e-mail sent by his company's office manager:

Hey everyone. So Thursday, November 27th (Thanksgiving) and Friday, November 28th are company holidays, therefore you are not required to work. That being said, we have a [crucial customer event] on November 29th so I know that there will be people who will be working. If you intend to work in the office on Friday, November 28th please let me know. I will collect the information and pass it on to those who may need office support that day. For the record, I will not be working. Thanks, Nancy

Yes, Nancy is shirking on Nov. 28th, but she's making arrangements three weeks in advance, by God.

During these lean times, we all have to watch to make sure we're not sending the message that we're simultaneously disengaged and desperate. (Times being what they are, it would be hard not to be some combination of these things; but—again, times being what they are—it's important not to let anyone know.)

I'm beginning a list that I hope we'll all contribute to:

How know you might be coming off as disengaged or desperate or—dangerously—both:

• In e-mails, you start wishing people a good weekend on Wednesday afternoon, hoping they'll stop bothering you with new work requests until next week.

• You've been wishing people "happy holidays" since Halloween, hoping they'll stop bothering you with new work requests until January.

• Every time you talk to your boss, you find some way to mention your kids. Sometimes you slip up and actually refer to them by name: "Mouth to Feed Number One," "Mouth to Feed Number Two," and so on.

The news in Chicago this morning is mixed

by // 12 Comments

Today's Sun-Times brings alarming news:

Mayor Daley said Wednesday he’s been warned by a parade of corporate
CEOs that a blizzard of job cuts are about to bury the souring Chicago
economy. “Huge layoffs are coming in November and December. And next
year, there’s going to be [even more] huge layoffs. All the corporation
CEOs have come in to tell me. That’s just the beginning,” Daley told
reporters.

Meanwhile, Scout's singing Christmas carols through her toothbrush, with strange new lyrics:

Then all the reindeer loved him,
And they shouted out with glee (Yipee!)
Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer,
You’ll go down in history! (Barack Obama!)

On the verge of the Next Great Depression …

by // 17 Comments

… my wife and I just got a list of items to be auctioned off at a "gala" fundraiser at Scout's private Montessori school. (Cristie and I don't go, but we contribute to what I call the "Cinderella fund," which allows the fucking teachers to go.)

The list is breathtaking, but this item takes the cake.

Prince/Princess Package

Turn your child(ren) into a superstar for a day. Have a special A&E styled documentary made about your child courtesy of Moxie Post. Once the film is complete, invite your closest friends to join you for the red carpet premier in the Theater Building Chicago!  Dress your child in style thanks to Bullfrogs and Butterflies.  This package also includes a special "Academy Styled" birthday party to be hosted by Zia Fosca, Ms. Lisa and Ms. Amina, as well as a special photography session with Audrey Woulard!

Kristen Ridley, you don't need to respond; I think I can write your response to this in advance. But I'd like some confirmation of the others that I'm not crazy, these assholes are.