Friday, March 14, 2003

Friday Five   Well, since I missed out on doing this week's Monday Mission, I figured I'd give the Friday Five a shot:   1. Do you like talking on the phone? Why or why not?   It depends on whom I’m talking to. If it’s at work it’s either a client or another attorney. If it’s another attorney the calls are usually not that pleasant. I find that more and more I am communicating by email or at my family’s website. I don’t use the phone that often for personal calls, unless I’m away from my computer and have to use my cell phone.   2. Who is the last person you talked to on the phone?   I just got off the phone with another attorney who happens to be the biggest jerk I’ve had to deal with in a long time.   3. About how many telephones do you have at home?   4 cordless, one “hard-wired”, one combination fax machine/telephone and 3 cellular phones (one each for me, my wife and my son).   4. Have you encountered anyone who has really bad phone manners? What happened?   It happens all the time. Usually, the phone rings and I answer and the person who called says, “who’s this?” My response is “who did you call?” Another favorite of mine are telemarketers. I usually respond by telling them to give me their home phone number so I can call them back at a more convenient time. (What? You don’t like to be bothered at home?). Another is when I get a call at work from someone whose ego is larger than the swollen end of his spinal cord that passes for a brain. I pick up the phone and get a “please hold for Mr. Big Shot.” Just once I would like to get my secretary on the line fast enough so that when Mr. Big Shot picks up the line he gets “please hold for Mr. Aurelius.” Finally, I hate being put on the speakerphone when it is obvious that I’m only talking to one person at the other end. I think it’s rude and a sign that this person considers himself to busy to pay full attention to my call. Of course, there are exceptions to that last one.   5. Would you rather pick up the phone and call someone or write them an e-mail or a letter? Why or why not?   At work I think important news, especially if it’s bad news, should be communicated personally so email and letters are out. Certain things must be confirmed in writing, however. I also think that letter writing has become a lost art. I think of how much knowledge of the past would be lost if various famous people had not been copious letter writers. 7:28:00 PM    Go Ahead, make my day  []

Thought For Today Now take notes kids as this will be on the bluebook exam at the end of the semester: “I spent a long time trying to come to grips with my doubts, when suddenly I realized I had better come to grips with what I believe. I have since moved from the agony of questions that I cannot answer, to the reality of answers that I cannot escape...and it's a great relief.”                                                             Tom Skinner   8:17:37 AM    Go Ahead, make my day  []