Ode to E-mail

"Come on!  It's an emergency!" Kramer shouts at me whenever an e-mail appears in my Inbox.  Usually I am annoyed with the sounds on my PC, but his message reminds me that everyone - everyone - believes that their e-mail is high priority and requires a prompt response. 

 

So when I clicked over to my Inbox and found an e-mail from the guy in the office right next door to mine, I figured it had something to do with a report or a project and it was important (of course). 

 

Instead I read:

"Hey babe, check this website out and see if you can find anything good."

 

I read it again, and burst into laughter. 

 

Um... I don't think this was meant for me (I responded)

 

Ah, the joy of e-mail and outlook's repopulating address feature.

 

Have you experienced the e-mail miss fire?

 

As entertaining as this incident was, I can understand the problems that can be caused when such things occur. 

 

During the final editing phase of my thesis (all 200 pages), I had a run in with my committee chair.  Frustrated, I vented in an e-mail and hit send. 

 

Only the e-mail went to my committee chair rather than the friend to whom I intended to send it. 

 

Oops! 

 

I learned a lesson quickly, always checking outlook after that to ensure that the recipient field was correct. 

 

That was until last year when I wrote a very honest (is there another kind) and heart felt e-mail to a guy friend in Sweden.  The problem was, it went to the office behind mine rather than to Sweden!  The man who received it was very nice about it, just a good guy.  I, however, was happy that I don't work with him - but then there was nothing really personal in there anyway.

 

Lesson learned, once again.  I am back to checking Outlook and usually wishing it just wouldn't repopulate that field for me.

 

The Diva's teacher used to send me blank e-mail.  Blank.  She said that the e-mail would send before she was ready.  I know what she means, but I don't know that mine ever go out blank. 

 

I type fast and often my fingers are a tad out of rhythm.  I mistype "have" more often than I type it correctly - one finger is just that much faster than the other.  So, I have my Outlook set to open spell check prior to sending.  Only sometimes I figure out a way to send it without the spell check.  Usually this is an accident because I am not mentally engaged, but it does happen.  And when it happens, I want to hide beneath my desk and wish the world away.  

 

One time I sent out an e-mail to the entire department located in three states (this was years ago) in which I meant to type the word cooperation and instead sent the e-mail with the word constipation.  I wanted to die when one of the older men commented.  (Yes, that degree on my wall is real and not mail order!)

 

  The one thing I can tell you that I have never done via e-mail  (and let me tell you, I have done a lot) is the "reply to all" when I mean only to reply to one. 

 

To be frank, I have no idea how people do this just as I don't understand why the original sender doesn't use the BCC field to keep it from happening.  I suppose people get into the habit of protecting themselves by replying to all and don't think about it when it isn't necessary.  It is automatic.  What is more bothersome is that one will do it followed by at least ten others - apparently the next don't learn from the mistake of the first.  *sigh*  This is followed by the flood of e-mail asking people not to hit "reply to all!"

 

Thankfully, that has never been me!

 

I love e-mail.  It has made my life so much easier and honestly more fun.  I love receiving little notes from all over the world through the day.  I love the one liners that come across my desk and leave smiles on my face.  Banter via e-mail has become a favorite pastime.  I suppose that e-mail is my modern cigarette break!  Of course, there are always the glitches but, they are entertaining at best and only slightly frustrating at worse.  What, I ask, would life be without e-mail?