Sincerity in email

I exchange many emails throughout the day in my job.

When all you want to do is get a simple message across, it's a fabulous medium. If you take the time to compose a 'letter' and send it via email, it's also a great thing.

Where email is completely misused is when people use it to conversations. I'm not against using shorthand style of writing, but unless both parties understand this style, misunderstanding and frustration will develop. That confusion, along with the fact there are many stupid people in the world, makes for a very long day.

ANYWAYYYY.... What's this got to do with 'sincerity in email'? Let me give you a piece of advice:
Your Auto-Signature should include your name, title, and contact info, period. Few things make you look sillier than using a 'sign off' in your email. Most are harmless... "Thank you", "Respectfully", and so on. But some sign-offs are just plain silly. The sign-off that irks me most is "Sincerely". Just how sincere are you being when EVERY SINGLE ONE of you emails is signed-off with "Sincere"? What a hypocritical thing to do.
A sincere gesture is buying a friend lunch when they're having a bad day. Telling someone a joke to lighten a mood. Being sure to tell someone thank you after they've helped you is also a kind, sincere act. Having the word "Sincerely" automatically added to everyone one of your emails in NOT very sincere.
Why not sign-off every email with "Will you marry me?", or "Lovingly yours"? Perhaps instead of being recognised to the world as a hypocrite, you can find love with someone who's blind to the fact you've professed your love and proposed to every person you've ever exchanged emails with.
I think I'll try signing off every email with "When do you plan on paying me back that $5.00 you owe me?" Who knows, maybe I'll be a little richer by the end of the day.

Can People Outgrow Stupid?

Having something of a long day today.... nothing major, just 'one of those days'.

Ever notice that unintelligent people never become smarter? Is stupidity something you can never outgrow? When I was a much younger fellow, I used to be a bed wetter; but I outgrew bed wetting with time and effort (i.e. limiting water consumption before bed). Some people are physically unfit, but then decide to change that and after much effort and discipline they do become fit.

I suppose if you want to 'improve' something about yourself, you first need to identify your shortcoming; and sadly, most stupid people likely don't realise they are.

Pavlov and the water jug....

Just got home from my part time gig. I work as a waiter / bartender in the banquet department of a downtown hotel.

It was an ok evening; a wedding, which means most people are relaxed and not too demanding. And some are actually interested in having fun and joking around :).

This was my first shift in a while, so a couple things I've already noticed, really stood out tonight.

1st - It seems that when people notice I've got my hands full, they feel a need to offer me just one more thing to carry. Why is this? Don't people realize that if my hands are full with four dirty plates that I likely can't manage a fifth? Are they afraid that if I walk away then I will never come back?

2nd - As soon as people see me coming by with a jug of water they feel a need to chug back as much water as they can. I understand why people do this, I often can't come by when your glass happens to be empty, so you figure you'd may as well get it filled up while I'm there. That makes sense, but it is pretty funny to see from the my perspective. I walk in carrying a jug of water, and instinctively people start drinking water.

This 2nd observation could be the makings of quite an interesting psychological case study or experiment. What else can we, the waiters of the world, condition people to do when we carry jugs of water near their table?
If we brougt 8 people in to a room, sat them at the same table and let them observe all other tables get there water re-filled after they've exhibited some unique behaviour, how long until the 8 subjects begin mimicking said behaviour?
What behaviour would you like to see?

How about if people climb off their chairs and sit on the table, facing outwards with their feet on their seats? The moment they observe me walking by with with a jug of water, the stop all chewing or conversation get up, turn around, sit on the table, feet on their chair, and stare blindly ahead. I'd then walk up and fill their glass with water, at which moment they come back to life, sit back down and carry on as though everything is fine. Perhaps a little Monty Pythonesque, but still something different

How about you? Anything you'd like to see people do before their water glasses were re-filled? How about other pavlovian responses you'd like to see people conditioned to give?