DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’d be most grateful in case you may present steerage on learn how to graciously deal with two frequent issues with e-mail.
1. The response, “I never check that account.”
What will we do when our correspondence goes right into a black gap? Quite a few folks have claimed that the message I despatched went to an account that they by no means examine. However they don’t supply a more moderen or higher deal with.
2. Social correspondents writing from their work accounts.
I’ve been shocked by buddies who will learn my e-mail, which was despatched to their private accounts, after which reply from their work deal with. This features a lawyer, who will reply to social messages and even gossipy chitchat from their work account.
Mild prompts from me to modify accounts appear to fall on deaf ears.
GENTLE READER: To deal with your considerations so as:
1. “Oh! That’s the last email address you gave me. Is there a better one to use?”
2. “You don’t worry about your work having access to your personal emails? Maybe I’m paranoid, but I never put anything I wouldn’t want used against me in writing — much less on the corporate account.”
The effectiveness of both, Miss Manners can not promise. However in case you suspect that these buddies who declare they’re “just not good at correspondence” are purposely utilizing decoy accounts once they refuse to observe up with a greater choice, they might not be the chums you thought they have been.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Now we have two nieces who’re single, of their 30s and dwelling collectively in a small house that one in all them owns.
They are going to typically announce to relations that they’re planning a particular get together, then sit again and await a relative with a much bigger home to supply to host the get together for them. This dumps the entire duty, time and value on the brand new host.
How can we cease this manipulation?
GENTLE READER: By not taking the bait.
Miss Manners suggests that you just and the remainder of the household follow saying, “That sounds lovely. What time should we be there?”
DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are in our early 60s and are each retired. We’re nonetheless in comparatively good well being, so we wish to journey whereas we will.
At any time when my husband has urged locations to go, I’ve gone together with it, despite the fact that these locations may not be my desire.
Nevertheless, after I recommend locations I wish to go, my husband doesn’t present a lot enthusiasm, even when I’d do all of the planning and all he must do is pack and go. He normally simply says he’ll give it some thought, and that’s it. No rejection, however he additionally doesn’t say sure.
We have been supplied a superb deal for a cruise that I actually needed to go on. However he acted the identical approach once more — saying he would give it some thought, then giving me no reply till the promotion expired.
I’m attending to the purpose the place I simply wish to go forward and e-book all the things earlier than he says sure or no. I thought of discovering one other journey accomplice, however most of my buddies are both nonetheless working or don’t wish to journey.
Any recommendation?
GENTLE READER: That you just take the absence of rejection as validation and e-book the tickets.
Please ship your inquiries to Miss Manners at her web site, www.missmanners.com; to her e-mail, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or via postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas Metropolis, MO 64106.
