Reply To All

The Reply To All option has a purpose.  And, in most instances it is helpful.  When you are having a conversation amongst a group of people.  Maybe it's about a business decision.  Or, maybe it's about where to go to lunch. Maybe it's about an upcoming trip and what the group wants to do while you are out of town.  Maybe it's coordinating the weekend's plans. In these instances Reply To All is the key to success at group organization!

The Reply To All button is also sometimes misused.  Occasionally I receive an email response (so does the entire office) telling me something that was really only intended for the person who sent the email.  Often, it's just annoying.  Nothing I need to worry about so I roll my eyes, shake my head while muttering 'Reply To All' and delete the email.

The worst is when someone sends out a mass email and someone replies to all with something completely inappropriate for the audience.

Case in point.

Several (many,many) years ago a co-worker sent out an announcement that they were having a baby!!  This exciting email was sent to everyone on our team, our boss, our boss's boss, our President, the receptionist.  Plus all of his family and friends. You name it they got it.  In actuality, they were adopting a dog!   I sent him a 'reply' note of congrats along with several reasons on why I love dogs.  No surprise that I went on and on about how much I cherish my pooch, Sam.

Twenty minutes later a 'reply to all' came through.  His friend wished him well and then went on to explain that often the manner in which the baby was conceived plays a huge impact on the personality of the baby.  He then proceeded to highlight that in this case it must have been...

Doggy Style.

Holy Crap!  I still can't handle it when I think about it today.  I could not believe that his friend literally just sent this to our entire office.  For me it was one of those loud, eyes-watering, stomach-hurting laughs at my desk.  For my co-worker, it was probably one of those moments when you hang your head in embarrassment, look back and wish you had sent it to your intended distro list under a BCC so Reply To All was never ever ever an option. 

I wonder how the baby dog is doing now?  And, I wonder if my former co-worker ever made that mistake again? 

Pay It Forward

I've been overwhelmingly fascinated with the Newtown tragedy.  I have been interested to learn about what happened.  How it happened.  Who was there.  Who wasn't there.  Why it happened.  I want to read about every person who is now gone.  Even if they lived a very short life, I want to know about it.  I want to hear what their parent's have to say, what their children think and what their brother or sister will miss.  And, in doing so, I will take a moment to honor them.  Even when I can't finish the article because I feel sickened with sadness, I will honor them.  I want to hear the stories of selflessness of the teachers and administrators. I want to know that the first responders have the support they need to work through what they saw.  I want the world to offer prayer, empathy and support for everyone touched by this event.

I am amazed at the outpouring of support immediately shown from people around the world.  An athlete who acknowledged his biggest fan.  A man who took his dog to offer up hugs to anyone who needed one.  A woman who donated to a local charity just because she wanted to do something to support children.  The newspaper that left out haunting images and simply and graciously listed the names of the victims on the front page.  A flash sale site that changed their daily email sale announcement to instead honor those who have been lost and provided a link so that you could donate to the United Way of Western Connecticut.  The countless people who are posting on facebook in support of all those who were lost. The sports teams that offered a moment of silence in honor before their games.  The President who shared heartfelt remarks.  The religious leaders who come together to pray for all people.  The person who hugs a child just a little tighter before sending them off to school or practice. And, I commend the woman who wrote the article about navigating through life with a son who seems to possess one too many similarities to many of the young men who have recently committed unfortunately comparable and disgusting acts of violence just so that we may better understand.

While many of these acts are simple in their nature, together they represent a community of people all over the United States and the World who are thinking of and praying for Sandy Hook and its' village of people mourning their unbelievable loss. Some of these acts are grand and others simple.  All heartfelt. 

We all can do this.  And, it doesn't have to be a an extravagant gesture.  But, take a moment, and find the good in the world and in your heart.  Once you find it, share a little bit of it with a person around you.  My kind actions may not reach the people of Newtown directly but if everyone one of us pays it forward eventually it will get there.  And, the warmth and love we feel for them now will be magnified tremendously.  And, that same love and kindness will benefit everyone around us as well.

Ghetto Phone

Last weekend, I was texting while walking and had an incident with the sidewalk grate.  You know the grates I am talking about..the city planner trys to make the sidewalk pretty so they add trees and grates to hold the trees.  But, this makes it harder for people to walk.   And, when you are walking you have to duck to dodge tree branches every 6 feet to avoid getting smacked in your pretty face.  I love urban beautification but sometimes it's annoying.  Like last Saturday night. 

Anyway, so I am texting, dodging branches, my Stuart Weitzman heel slips into the grate and I drop my phone on the ground.  And, when I picked it up, the screen had shattered.  Major shattered.  Ugh!

This was bound to happen sooner or later.  I drop my phone all of the time.  Like daily.  When I get out of the car. When texting. When answering calls.  When trying to put it back in my bag. When taking it out of my bag.  Butterfingers.

I used to have that problem in basketball with the ball.  Maybe that's why I quit playing after junior high.  Oh well, I liked cheerleading and drinking wine coolers better.  Sorry mom.

So, the phone face is way shattered.  But it still works.  I can text, talk, facebook, tweet, check email, obsess over pinterest, blog.
All good.

So, the $100 question was do I pay to have the screen repaired or hold out for my January upgrade?  Rumor has it that you can put a screen protector on the phone and still use it without the risk of finding splintered glass in your finger. Your phone just looks ghetto.  Do I care if I have a ghetto phone?  I don't know?  It works.  But, I am a bit superficial. Shocking, I know.

So brilliance descended upon me.  I'll call Verizon and beg and plead for an early upgrade.  I was ready with the story about how my ex and I had a Family Plan.  It was in his name but we broke up so I had to assume liability and I've really had this phone for 2.5 years so I should have been due for the upgrade months ago... Blah, blah, blah.  I shared my sob story hoping it would work. 

And, I won!!!

Verizon agreed to send me a new iPhone 5 now!  I don't have to wait until January!! I get this brand new piece of glory shortly!!    I am so impatient so this is great! 

What? I have to wait until they are back in stock November 16th. No!  I have to pay a $30 upgrade charge? Seriously?  I have to change my plan?  Really Verizon?  And, I have to use the ghetto phone for two more weeks.  Ugh!  I am so impatient so this is going to really stink.  Wwwwaaaahhhh

I'll just count down the days until November 16th.  Only 15 to go.  Probably 17 until I get the new phone. 

Keep Calm & Text On