I suck at email. Unless it’s something that I can answer in one sentence or less, it can take me weeks to reply to an email. Last night I got this long apologetic email from L., an acquaintance that I’m hoping becomes a friend. She is one of the few people I’ve met lately that I really hope to become friends with. Anyway, we’ve been emailing and it took her a while to reply to me, for which she was very apologetic.
I, of all people, understand how email becomes low-priority. I owe people dear to me, like my best friend from high school and my beloved cousin, emails. I very rarely answer comments in email (though I do reply in the comments section, mostly) because I SUCK at email. Before I discovered blogging, I was much better about email. But now there’s always a blog to read or write. And I LOVE to read and write blogs. So I didn’t feel L. had any reason to apologize for taking a while to reply to my email.
But (and this would be the part that embarrasses me) I was afraid that L. hadn’t replied to me because I had offended her. I was so relieved that she didn’t hate me. Even though I am notorious for taking weeks to reply to emails that require serious thought, I assume that people will reply to me in a timely fashion. And if they don’t I assume that they are upset or annoyed with me.
Clearly I am mentally ill.
And what’s worse? I haven’t replied to L. yet.
Is there a name for my emailing problem? Am I the only person afflicted?
*When I taught in the inner city, my co-workers and I used to talk about “issues”. Whether it was a guy’s commitment issues or a student’s problem with math homework, we covered a lot of ground with the word “issues.” One day my student Latisha was having a really rough day. She threw a huge temper tantrum and during it screamed what sounded like, “I got D’issues!!!!” And ever after that, whenever issues were very SERIOUS, we would call them “D’issues”.
7 responses so far ↓
feener // February 9, 2008 at 12:46 pm
i was so good at email before blogging. now i am not on it. however i am lacking in a lot of areas lately….i would be the same why though, thinking if someone didn’t email me back right away that there was something i did. mentally ill…ahh yes i am. no questions there.
Leslie // February 10, 2008 at 12:17 am
I’m not the greatest at responding to e-mail either. I’m even worse about the phone.
Aunt Becky // February 10, 2008 at 10:49 am
I’m horrifying at emailing, too. Seriously, I’m glad I’m not the only one.
imbeingheldhostage // February 11, 2008 at 4:57 am
Love your header!
I don’t return calls either. I think about these people constantly, but can’t bring myself to reply. Maybe a generic email ready to send to anyone that says, “loved your note, will email as soon as I can get my head above water” would work. Except for the people who see three-page posts on our blogs…
MammaLoves // February 11, 2008 at 10:56 am
D’issues might just be my new favorite word!
jerseygirl89 // February 11, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Feener - well, at least we’re not alone in our mental illness.
Leslie - Oh, I’ve always been terrible about the phone.
Aunt Becky - Definitely not!
I’m Being Held - I love the note idea!
MammaLoves - D’issues is one of my favorites too.
Wanna A Toke? « Dirty Little Secret // February 21, 2008 at 11:11 am
[...] second grade. My class that year was the toughest I’d ever had. I had many kids with “D’issues”. I had many parents who were very challenging. T., however, always seemed friendly, if a little [...]
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