GeekForce

E-mail’s the primary communication pardigm today, and it was reserved exclusively, for business and workplace communication exclusively upon its exaulted entry into the World after the military finally unclinched it from its grips. 

(MIT, among others, worked out the original ‘ready to go’ technology as military contractors; it was e-mail that actually was the ‘FIBER OPTIC LINE’ that our ‘press pool’ Lt (2-star)Army General announced to the World that justified our ‘bunker busting’ bombs (2) that incinerated Iraqi civilians in the Kuwaitt City shelter that allowed teenagers, wives, and lovers to ‘e-chat’ with Republican Guard fathers/lovers until the lights abruptly got turned off.  In 1989, the American public had no clue what such a mysterious f/o line was.  They do now, but most have scant, if any, comprehension of the correlation between the e-tool and the horrific event.

(war, as they say, is pure hell)

In interpersonal (SCREW workplace here) communication, e’s commonly used as:

announcements of events/invitations, jokes, spiritual crapola (the quadruple madona, ‘prayers’, glistening java-script images of St. Alfonzo, etc.), chit-chat, advice of all matters of romance, full reporting of (back seat) enamorations….

…and happy proclamations of expecting children or granchildren.   These emails deserve and get honorary distiction and deserved lights, color, background shading, and each and all visual tools in the book.  These announcements are, after all, happy news to rejoice and share…

…but I wasn’t ready for the cold reception (read: non-reply = colder n’ ice).  What a way to learn!  Geez. 

ok, try again, then.  As a test.  Give the normal, 2-3 line follow up “test e” a whirl, say, for a ’send and wait a few days for reply’ trial baloon. An honest shot at revealing my standing.  For measure and to account for vacations and stuff, I want ten (10) days. 

Oh.  Toss the notion that we’re all ‘too busy’.  Recruits in boot camp are too busy.  Private sector employees aren’t, and government workers aren’t ever, except for the month-or-so prior to the (automatic) salary increase reviews.

 Vanna (or whoever-I’m too young to remember): The envelope please: …….. uh oh,  gee whiz, and ohmyGOD!!!  The survey showed blistering-ly harrowing results.

End actions for me?  1. briefly get (very) mad at myself for beliving that which isn’t and wasn’t true; and 2) scrub, scrub, scrub-a-dub my addy book down to a workable size…

…I culled the rather long list.  Some were olden-day business people.  Most, though, were my fond acquaintences and friends.  THIS was a drag.  Some I refuse to delete, most were punishing. 

Be sensitive about your drastically shortened email address book.  Realistically absorb your true status amidst your ‘mates.  Rid your yearning for the 19th Century affinity for regular correspondence, and most of all….

..mourn.