The communication thing.
Oct. 7th, 2009 01:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
boxofdelights[In which I am talking to my husband about my reaction to the latest communication from the housepainter.]
Me: "Fine! Here's your money! And keep an eye out for my essay, 'How to turn a disappointed customer into a customer who is VIBRATING WITH RAGE, in five easy emails, each with its own special fauxpology!'"
Hugh: Is that what you wrote back?
Me: ...No. I'm not going to waste a line like that on him. He wouldn't enjoy it.
I should write that essay for you, dear readers, because you would enjoy it, but it'll have to wait until I can look back on it and laugh, because with me, VIBRATING WITH RAGE is more like vomiting with rage, and I would prefer not to.
Earlier, I told Hugh, "The human communication thing. I suck at it. I should stop."
He said, "You can't stop. Well, there's one way you could stop."
I said, "OKAY FINE. I should MINIMIZE my exposure to it."
Not seriously. Except for the fact that I suck at it.
Hugh reads my public LJ posts, and sometimes reads the comments. He is impressed by my kind and helpful friendslist. When I write about a problem and get reams of kind and helpful advice, he is incredulous. "Why don't you respond to them?" he asks. I say, "...."
It's the communication thing. I have some deficiencies there. After I write, I am spent. There is a significant refractory period before I can compose anything new.
Terrible metaphor.
Are you offended, disappointed, or hurt when I don't respond to your comments? Would it help at all if I said something perfunctory like 'Thank you'? Can you suggest anything that would help?
I do appreciate you. I do wish to become better at expressing it.
Me: "Fine! Here's your money! And keep an eye out for my essay, 'How to turn a disappointed customer into a customer who is VIBRATING WITH RAGE, in five easy emails, each with its own special fauxpology!'"
Hugh: Is that what you wrote back?
Me: ...No. I'm not going to waste a line like that on him. He wouldn't enjoy it.
I should write that essay for you, dear readers, because you would enjoy it, but it'll have to wait until I can look back on it and laugh, because with me, VIBRATING WITH RAGE is more like vomiting with rage, and I would prefer not to.
Earlier, I told Hugh, "The human communication thing. I suck at it. I should stop."
He said, "You can't stop. Well, there's one way you could stop."
I said, "OKAY FINE. I should MINIMIZE my exposure to it."
Not seriously. Except for the fact that I suck at it.
Hugh reads my public LJ posts, and sometimes reads the comments. He is impressed by my kind and helpful friendslist. When I write about a problem and get reams of kind and helpful advice, he is incredulous. "Why don't you respond to them?" he asks. I say, "...."
It's the communication thing. I have some deficiencies there. After I write, I am spent. There is a significant refractory period before I can compose anything new.
Terrible metaphor.
Are you offended, disappointed, or hurt when I don't respond to your comments? Would it help at all if I said something perfunctory like 'Thank you'? Can you suggest anything that would help?
I do appreciate you. I do wish to become better at expressing it.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-09 06:38 am (UTC)There's the guy who says "I'm sorry," and then there's the guy who says "I'm sorry you feel that way."
There's the guy who says "Yes, I should have made sure that the numbers I had written down corresponded to the colors whose names you read," and then there's the guy who says "Yes, I have lots of experience. Unfortunately, this time, that didn't help either of us."
There's the guy who says "I take pride in my work" and means "If you're not satisfied when I'm done, I'll work with you to get you satisfied," and then there's the guy who says "I take pride in my work" and means "If you're not satisfied when I'm done, you are insulting me. You are disappointing me. You are threatening my livelihood."
That second guy, I don't want him touching anything I care about.
I subtracted the $600 he estimated it would cost to repaint the trim and sent him the rest.