Touching Our Clients

I work part time at a web design company. About 90% of our clients are in the Real Estate industry. In addition to designing and building their sites, I oftentimes end up writing or, more-often, rewriting their copy* since what they’ve submitted is a) a grammatical mess or b) makes absolutely no sense and makes them sound like a mentally challenged third grader. An example:

“Whoever we touch we will do so in a professional manner, completely open and accountable to our client to serve their needs in the manner they deserve.”

It should be noted that the man who wrote this not only went to business school, but has also been very successful; he started a $60 million dollar textile company with 200 employees.

I feel like this is the only way to adequately express how this makes me feel:

* The one exception to this rule is Matt Sweeney of Rich Kids Real Estate. He is one of the few real estate agents I’ve met who can form a coherent sentence, has some idea how the internet works, and seems like a genuinely good guy. If you’re in the market for real estate in the LA area, I’d definitely recommend checking out his website and then giving him a call.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom

My mother just sent this email to me and my sister:

From: Judy Goater
Subject: interesting opportunity
Date: March 15, 2009 10:47:55 AM PDT
To: shannon morr, kelly morr

Liz told me about this school and I thought I’d pass it on to you two or any of your friends that may be interested. It’s a high-end watch repair school – graduates typically earn $80,000 full time, but careers and locations are very flexible – easy to get part-time positions while you pursue other interests/vocations. And best yet – if you’re accepted Rolex pays all tuition!

Why I hate “private” Facebook gifts

This is one of those things I hate myself for hating, but I just felt the need to rant. I think “private” Facebook gifts are evil!

For those not “in the know,” on Facebook you have the option of sending your friends “gifts” which post to their profiles. Each gift costs somewhere between zero and $1 and shows a cute little icon of your choosing and a personalized message. When you send a gift, you have the option of sending it as a public, private, or anonymous message.

Public messages can be seen by everyone and show the senders name next to the gift, anonymous gifts are, well, anonymous, and private gifts show up on the user’s profile as “private” - the recipient knows who sent it but no one else does, nor can they see the message.

Private gifts just irk me because they’re basically a way of saying “I have something I want to say to a person, and I want you to know that I have something to say to them, but you can’t know what it is.” I imagine these gifts smiling evil little grins then turning their backs on me to gossip with their other little mean gifty friends. Grr.

And, yes, I am quite aware of the stupidity of my hatred. And even more aware that this is something that really only bothers me because there is a specific person who has the power to make me very jealous and upset by doing something so minute and silly. But it still bothers me.

If you have something private to say, send an email or make a phone call or drop a note in the old tree trunk over on McGilacutty’s farm, but don’t send a Facebook gift!

I’ve decided that private fb gifts are silly and amateurish and below me. Well, they are now at least… not like I’ve ever sent one privately with the express knowledge that it would likely bother someone else…

At any rate, I’ve decided to grow up and have made the exceedingly adult decision to only send public Facebook gifts from here on out. I know, I am such a better person for it. This is a magnanimous huge step forward for man kind. Won’t you join me in my selfish and pointless protest?