Comments on: I’ll Get Back to You When I Get Back To You http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/ DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:32:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Zee http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150548 Zee Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:41:14 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150548 Well said, John. Very well said. As someone else noted, the beauty of email is that it's asynchronous. You don't hvae to be around to receive it; it'll be waiting for you when you get to it. So, Mr. Michigan Psychologist: if you need a response immediately, email should NOT be your communication method of choice. Frankly, w/ all the communications options available to us these days, I'm starting to get overwhelmed. It's an introvert's worst nightmare: FOR GOD'S SAKE, PEOPLE, leave me alone for one frakking hour! ;-) I actually tried, for a couple weeks, to take an entire 24-hour period of time away from all things electronic - no tv, cell phone, computer, etc... it was refreshing and nervewracking all at once. (Hey, maybe I should try that again!) Well said, John. Very well said. As someone else noted, the beauty of email is that it’s asynchronous. You don’t hvae to be around to receive it; it’ll be waiting for you when you get to it. So, Mr. Michigan Psychologist: if you need a response immediately, email should NOT be your communication method of choice.

Frankly, w/ all the communications options available to us these days, I’m starting to get overwhelmed. It’s an introvert’s worst nightmare: FOR GOD’S SAKE, PEOPLE, leave me alone for one frakking hour! ;-)

I actually tried, for a couple weeks, to take an entire 24-hour period of time away from all things electronic – no tv, cell phone, computer, etc… it was refreshing and nervewracking all at once. (Hey, maybe I should try that again!)

]]> By: Bozo the Clone http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150176 Bozo the Clone Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:03:05 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150176 "You may be a self-absorbed twit..." Sounds like a nice meme derivative of "you might be a redneck." "If you have a personal assistant, you may be a self-absorbed twit." "If you send a broadcast email to your twitter followers, you may be a self-absorbed twit..." "If you are a member of congress, you may be a self-absorbed twit." "If you host a radio show and your name is Stern or Limbaugh, you may be a self-absorbed twit." “You may be a self-absorbed twit…”

Sounds like a nice meme derivative of “you might be a redneck.”

“If you have a personal assistant, you may be a self-absorbed twit.”

“If you send a broadcast email to your twitter followers, you may be a self-absorbed twit…”

“If you are a member of congress, you may be a self-absorbed twit.”

“If you host a radio show and your name is Stern or Limbaugh, you may be a self-absorbed twit.”

]]> By: Chris http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150154 Chris Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:13:28 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150154 <blockquote>Second: If you’re the sort of person who believes that all e-mails/texts must be responded to instantaneously or sooner, that probably means you’re ignoring something important right in front of you...</blockquote> Like me walking past your driveway while you're trying to text and back out of said driveway at the same time, about an hour ago. Dude would have ran into me if I hadn't smacked at his read window rather loudly. Apparently this scared the crap out of him, since he startled, cursed and fumbled his damned cellphone. He gave me dagger eyes as if I had suddenly materialized behind him for the sole purpose of spooking him and messing up his precious texting. Trust me, buddy, if I had mastered the art of teleportation, I'd have better places to be than behind your PT Cruiser. /grumble

Second: If you’re the sort of person who believes that all e-mails/texts must be responded to instantaneously or sooner, that probably means you’re ignoring something important right in front of you…

Like me walking past your driveway while you’re trying to text and back out of said driveway at the same time, about an hour ago.

Dude would have ran into me if I hadn’t smacked at his read window rather loudly. Apparently this scared the crap out of him, since he startled, cursed and fumbled his damned cellphone.

He gave me dagger eyes as if I had suddenly materialized behind him for the sole purpose of spooking him and messing up his precious texting. Trust me, buddy, if I had mastered the art of teleportation, I’d have better places to be than behind your PT Cruiser.

/grumble

]]> By: Joe Rybicki http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150148 Joe Rybicki Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:14:58 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150148 Alex S. @ 77: Also relevant: "the people hold the power / arise and claim your freedom" And: "your tv and your radio seek to keep you in your slumber step out into the sunlight arise arise arise" <3 JBE SO MUCH Alex S. @ 77: Also relevant: “the people hold the power /
arise and claim your freedom”

And:

“your tv and your radio
seek to keep you in your slumber
step out into the sunlight
arise arise arise”

<3 JBE SO MUCH

]]> By: Mark Evans http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150144 Mark Evans Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:33:34 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150144 This is not new. 20 years ago I used to come home and find a series of calls on my answering machine starting with "This X, call me." progressing to "It is an hour later, why haven't you called back?" and ending, usually a few messages later with "You haven't called back! You @#$%!". And this from someone who knew that I would not be home most of the day. My wife gets email at work followed by a call from the sender to find out if she got it and to ask why she has not responded at once. This is not new. 20 years ago I used to come home and find a series of calls on my answering machine starting with “This X, call me.” progressing to “It is an hour later, why haven’t you called back?” and ending, usually a few messages later with “You haven’t called back! You @#$%!”.
And this from someone who knew that I would not be home most of the day.

My wife gets email at work followed by a call from the sender to find out if she got it and to ask why she has not responded at once.

]]> By: Joyce http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150132 Joyce Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:46:10 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150132 @#45 Love your idea. I'm so stealing that if I ever have a boss that stupid. I'm sure cats have a theory of mind too, they just don't care. BTW if your car flips and your trapped under it, good luck having enough room to text per my firefighter son. @#45 Love your idea. I’m so stealing that if I ever have a boss that stupid.

I’m sure cats have a theory of mind too, they just don’t care.

BTW if your car flips and your trapped under it, good luck having enough room to text per my firefighter son.

]]> By: Connor Anderson http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150120 Connor Anderson Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:25:02 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150120 Hi John, Longtime reader, first time poster. Love the site, love your books. Re: above. As a tech professional who gets something on the order of 30 e-mails a day from actual human beings (as opposed to pseudo-spam and subscribed list udates) I can say that I usually deliberately delay responding to people even if I can right away. I just doesn't pay to set unreasonable expectations. Close personal friends and family are the only people who get instant responses, even if it is just a quick, "bz." One site suggestion: Please, consider darkening the text color. I find it too light, especially the blockquote text, to read easily. I don't have particularly bad eyesight either (actually it's terrible but corrected to 20-20). Thanks for all the great reading. Hi John,

Longtime reader, first time poster. Love the site, love your books.

Re: above. As a tech professional who gets something on the order of 30 e-mails a day from actual human beings (as opposed to pseudo-spam and subscribed list udates) I can say that I usually deliberately delay responding to people even if I can right away. I just doesn’t pay to set unreasonable expectations. Close personal friends and family are the only people who get instant responses, even if it is just a quick, “bz.”

One site suggestion: Please, consider darkening the text color. I find it too light, especially the blockquote text, to read easily. I don’t have particularly bad eyesight either (actually it’s terrible but corrected to 20-20).

Thanks for all the great reading.

]]> By: Mark Maranta http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150117 Mark Maranta Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:14:18 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150117 "If you are the sort of person who believes that all your e-mails/texts must be responded to instantaneously or sooner, you may be a self-absorbed twit." Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks you. “If you are the sort of person who believes that all your e-mails/texts must be responded to instantaneously or sooner, you may be a self-absorbed twit.”

Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks you.

]]> By: ajay http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150096 ajay Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:14:31 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150096 <i>Yes, I have a smartphone. And yes, I do in fact answer e-mails and texts with it; it’s fun to do so. But the main reason I have the phone is so that if my car flips and I’m pinned under two tons of Honda steel, I can call for help.</i> johnscalzi: HELP IM TRAPPED UNDER MY HONDA. 3 hours ago johnscalzi: Still under the Honda. Here's a picture of the view that I took with my smartphone. 3 hours ago johnscalzi: Athena and Krissie aren't in the Honda, they're at home. But thanks for everyone's concern. 3 hours ago johnscalzi: Actually, it's not so bad under here. I've managed to get a bit of work done. Fortunately I had some galleys in the passenger seat, and they've fallen within reach. 2 hours ago johnscalzi: I'm having to make corrections by holding the pen in my teeth, though, which is tricky. 2 hours ago johnscalzi: Please, no more jokes about putting bacon on the Honda. It's not funny. 2 hours ago johnscalzi: Stand by for my next Big Idea post on car safety! 2 hours ago Yes, I have a smartphone. And yes, I do in fact answer e-mails and texts with it; it’s fun to do so. But the main reason I have the phone is so that if my car flips and I’m pinned under two tons of Honda steel, I can call for help.

johnscalzi: HELP IM TRAPPED UNDER MY HONDA. 3 hours ago

johnscalzi: Still under the Honda. Here’s a picture of the view that I took with my smartphone. 3 hours ago

johnscalzi: Athena and Krissie aren’t in the Honda, they’re at home. But thanks for everyone’s concern. 3 hours ago

johnscalzi: Actually, it’s not so bad under here. I’ve managed to get a bit of work done. Fortunately I had some galleys in the passenger seat, and they’ve fallen within reach. 2 hours ago

johnscalzi: I’m having to make corrections by holding the pen in my teeth, though, which is tricky. 2 hours ago

johnscalzi: Please, no more jokes about putting bacon on the Honda. It’s not funny. 2 hours ago

johnscalzi: Stand by for my next Big Idea post on car safety! 2 hours ago

]]> By: Greg http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/06/10/ill-get-back-to-you-when-i-get-back-to-you/#comment-150095 Greg Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:12:04 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=7662#comment-150095 Wow, eviljwinter, that's uncanny. I heard exactly that commentary and had exactly that reaction, without the steering wheel pounding. Needs to be repeated: "Not too long ago, I heard a whining commentary on NPR (They’re good for that, aren’t they? Whining: It’s not just for conservative pundits anymore!) that Internet access on airplanes were infringing on the commentator’s privacy. He then addressed the argument “Well, turn off your phone, then, dammit!” “But then I’ll be seen as out-of-touch, a luddite, or just antisocial.” It’s one of those rare moments I start pounding the steering wheel screaming “YOU ARE AN IDIOT DOUCHEBAG!” Wow, eviljwinter, that’s uncanny. I heard exactly that commentary and had exactly that reaction, without the steering wheel pounding. Needs to be repeated:

“Not too long ago, I heard a whining commentary on NPR (They’re good for that, aren’t they? Whining: It’s not just for conservative pundits anymore!) that Internet access on airplanes were infringing on the commentator’s privacy. He then addressed the argument “Well, turn off your phone, then, dammit!”

“But then I’ll be seen as out-of-touch, a luddite, or just antisocial.”

It’s one of those rare moments I start pounding the steering wheel screaming “YOU ARE AN IDIOT DOUCHEBAG!”

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