Funny Phone Manners

It's kind of funny that when someone calls a phone number by mistake, we answer, "I think you have the wrong number." Don't we know that it was a wrong number? It just sounds more polite than saying, "You idiot. You called the wrong number."

And when someone needs to get off the phone, you'll hear, "I'd better let you go." This gives the impression that the other person is doing you a favor, but you weren't the one trying to end the call.

An Email Title That Gets My Attention

As a card-carrying member of several employment networking groups, I get a steady stream of emails that contain job leads. Every now and then, among the listings for every job imaginable outside of my field, I see emails with this title: "Success Story." I read every one.

I'm happy for the people who have found work, and I find hope in the fact that somebody is getting hired. Being somewhat analytical (ok, very analytical), I always mine the success stories for nuggets of wisdom. How did they find the job? Did they answer an ad or did they find the position through networking? From what I can gather, people are finding jobs through all sorts of avenues -- ads, networking and even applying to work for Uncle Sam. That just means job seekers should pursue multiple paths to employment. Some paths feel more productive than others, but you never know which one will lead you to the right job.

Cloud Stampede

The wind is a sky cowboy this morning. Its invisible lasso is driving all the clouds eastward, leaving the sunlight free to graze across the blue sky.

Tomorrow's Workers

I'm trying to picture today's teens in tomorrow's workplace. I fear that they will be unable to use an office phone and that their memos will read like text messages. If the brevity of text messaging spills over into their emails, that could be a good thing. However, if they send frequent updates about what they're doing, it may be difficult for them to distinguish between what's important and what's not worth mentioning.

A Useful Skill

My high school teachers may cringe at this, but I can honestly say that typing the right way was one of the most worthwhile things I learned as a teen. When I see people typing with two fingers, I'm grateful for the typing class, which I'm fairly certain was a required one.

At the time, the class didn't seem all that important. Sure, I knew I'd have to write papers in college, but I had no idea how useful typing would be in my everyday life years later. I can't really say that about algebra or trigonometry.

Word Games

If you have a last name that doesn't look the way it sounds, you've probably had to spell it out over the phone. When I do this, I usually include "s like Sam" to make sure the listener doesn't mistake it for an "f."

I have gotten into the habit of using the same words for "s" and "v": Sam and Victor. Just to make things interesting, I should come up with a few crazy words to see if I can crack up the person on the other end of the phone. Superman and Veronica? Spaghetti and volcano? Hmmm. Maybe I'll try that one.

A poetry teacher once led a creative exercise that challenged us to use words to represent letters. I still remember her example: naughty xylophones.

If you have used any funny, interesting or unusual words to spell out your name, please post them in a comment.

A Happy Day for Writers

I've often scoffed at the crazy things that have their own dedicated day in America. Today is different. It's National Punctuation Day.

My affinity for punctuation is hardly a secret. Here's why I think you should love it too.

When used properly, every comma, period and semicolon has a purpose. Each one helps us communicate ideas to someone else by clearing a pathway through the jungle of thought. Punctuation marks are the grease that keeps words flowing smoothly. They're the bouncers who let you into the hip club of someone else's ideas. Without them, we'd still be standing on the sidewalk wondering what we were missing.