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Archiver > NYJEFFER > 2001-06 > 0992143337


From: Allan Plucinik <>
Subject: Re: [NYJEFFER] Etiquette Question
Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2001 21:24:32 -0600
References: <5.1.0.14.0.20010609163055.00a5ab60@mail.bright.net>


Shirley,

Don't let the email bother you. I work in technical support for a major
database software company. I get this same sort of email several times a week.
At any given time I'm working on resolving software technical problems for 20
to 30 customers at once. Each one of these customers think they are the only
one I have to worry about. They can't understand why I don't have a solution
RIGHT NOW or why I am not 100% dedicated to THEIR issue. I work my butt off
every day but my customers think I'm playing solitaire all day long.

Don't take it personally. Through the impersonal avenue of email this
individual thinks of you as merely an abstract electronic being wrapped up in an
email software program. They forget you are a real person with human
limitations.

Allan Plucinik
Colorado Springs, CO


Shirley Farone wrote:
>
> I need some help, Listers:
>
> This is an genealogy etiquette question and I'm really very hurt by a note
> someone just sent me about messages which came in to my computer a week ago
> today.
>
> "I really don't like to contact you again, but I had expected some
> response to my posting of my ________ family connection. A simple thank
> you would have sufficed."
>
> I am an almost 64-yr. old working person these days -- 25 hours last week
> -- I'm NOT in good health having had heart surgery a few years back -- I
> generally come home from work and it takes me 4 hours to get rid of the
> tired feeling -- I get at least 20 messages in here a day which require
> study and research in order to properly answer. Saturday, in this case a
> week later than this message came in, is when I try to catch up with an
> answer to each of the correspondents in some fashion -- never doing as good
> a job as I'd like to do. Some of these replies take a lot of research and I
> want to be sure I don't send out erroneous information. Friday and Sunday
> are the only days I have a brain left to answer with -- and of course, I
> love to have some relaxation which is pretty much covered by spending time
> on my website.
>
> I thought this genealogy hobby was supposed to be fun. Most people are
> very, very nice, but when I get a letter like this, I want to sit right
> down and cry -- this person's simple "thank you" is not my style.
>
> Can someone tell me how to handle this person? -- I've been doing computer
> genealogy for almost six years now and this really has me upset.
>
> Now, I'll go cry. -- gotta save time for crying, too, I guess. And, oh
> yea, I am feeling sorry for myself!
>
> Shirley
>
> Shirley Farone

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