communication

Unnecessary apology #2

I don’t know if there is a term for this, but I probably have to apologize to someone, somewhere for it. Maybe the apology is owed to the young for being patronizing or maybe it is to the older folks for stooping so low as to “not act my age.”

So, today, I apologize to whomever needs to hear it – young or old.

I am sorry for talking like a baby (or very small child) to a baby.

Again, I have to admit it, but it comes as a rather natural reaction to revert back to this way of communication when someone small is involved. I just can’t help myself. The “goo-goo, ga-ga’s” just kind of fall out of my head. Is baby talk natural? It must be because we all tend to do it…and I don’t even really like babies all that much.

I find that I hate myself a little more after having regressed back to infantile language skills, but for whatever reason it seems to work in my meager attempt at communication to elicit a smile from the newly present humans.

So, please, small human, accept this unnecessary apology.

Posted on August 6, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

As a former teacher, and someone who still works in education, let me say this plainly to all the parents out there of school aged children:

IF YOUR CHILD’S (CHILDREN’S) DISTRICT, SCHOOL, OR TEACHER IS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU, STOP TREATING IT LIKE IT IS SPAM OR A NUISANCE.

Listen, they are doing the best they can in the worst of circumstances. They don’t wanna be doing school this way. No one does. So, stop complaining and get on board!

Also, any time someone from the district or school is trying to communicate with you about your student(s), pay attention! They aren’t out there to waste your time”just because.” They are trying to make sure the most important person(s) in your life gets the best education possible.

Pay attention.

Engage.

Participate.

Take responsibility for what you can do on your end.

Hold your student accountable – for everything! That means grades, participation, attendance, homework, communication, learning, exploring, etc.

Most of all, hold yourself accountable too! When you participate in your student’s education, your students will be better off in the long run.

Want your student, your child, to have a better life than you had?

Stop making excuses for everything and make sure they get an education.

Group texts

Posted on February 18, 2020 by backuphill

photo of man in white dress shirt holding phone near window

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I bet you cringed when you read the headline. I know I do. Or, maybe your eyes rolled violently to the back of your head. I know mine do.

I think it is safe to say group texts are the bane of texting. A necessary evil, if you will.

I am sure you can see where this is heading…I hate group texts! I really really really do.

So much so, that my family knows not to include me in a group texts unless it is absolutely necessary – like getting bad news to a large group of people quickly necessary.

The problem is, I keep getting included in groups I really don’t need to be a part of. Actually, I probably do need to be a part of them but the group then gets abused by people talking about other things I don’t need or want to know about. Suddenly the conversation goes from necessary to drivel and my phone is exploding for no good reason other than people like to hear themselves talk.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a good way to remove yourself from the group text (like an actual text conversation) unless it is through some kind of social media app. You are stuck…listening to your text alert go off endlessly…as people have a conversation about nothing….until finally you BEG the person who added you to the conversation to please remove you from it.

Not to be rude or anything, but would you please delete my contact info from your phone…forever?

Other than scolding everyone to stop using the group text message for side conversations and everyone finally agreeing to stop, how do you curb this extreme annoyance?

What do other people think? Should group texts be outlawed? When are they acceptable?

Teams

Posted on December 20, 2019 by backuphill

top view photo of people near wooden table

Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

Transition is hard. Lots of people hate change and resist it when it happens. I am not really one for change for change’s sake and I don’t really fear it, but sometimes change just isn’t necessary. – especially when you have something that serves the purpose fine the way it is.

Software changes should make your life better (either more convenient, streamlined, or all encompassing). At the very least, it should make your life less complicated right off the top. At work, we are going in the wrong direction for ease and internal communication.

We are switching from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. Never heard of it? Yeah, me neither until now.

I am just learning about this new software and how to use it, but so far I am not all that impressed. It seems to have taken the social media approach to business communication. Teams doesn’t integrate Outlook with it, so not only do I have to have Teams open but I also have to have a separate program open for my calendar and email. How is that really streamlining things? It’s not. At least not yet.

Guess you could say I am not feeling much like a Teams player…

**Thank you, thank you…I’ll be here all week…**

False hope

Posted on October 24, 2019 by backuphill

Photo by Myicahel Tamburini on Pexels.com

Hopes up.

Get them up. Higher. Higher!

Hopes crushed.

Don’t you hate it when people tell you they will do something and then they don’t?

Even worse, they tell you they will do it by “X” (a certain time they determined) and then they don’t get it done. They don’t come through. They just plain don’t make it happen.

Then, they don’t even have the courtesy to tell you it won’t happen and ignore you when you ask what happened. Or, worse still, they just blow you off like it didn’t really matter in the first place.

(see how this is progressing? Irritating isn’t it.)

Integrity.

It takes integrity to actually do what you say you will do, when you say you’ll do it.

It takes integrity to admit and communicate that you can’t get it done when you say you will and then make adjustments (maybe even at personal cost) to get it done in a timely manner to deliver as best as possible upon your word.

Integrity is something we don’t see much of these days. What used to be a standard has now become very rare.

It.Sucks.

Ever been promised something and then not have it delivered? My guess is you have and my guess is it frustrated you just as much as it does me. Tell me about your experience in the comments!

Communication busted

Posted on May 15, 2019 by backuphill

Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com

Things around here are just not working.

Have you ever had a hard time talking with someone because you just don’t have anything to talk about? Or, had a hard time just because every time a conversation starts it ends up in a disagreement?

Not only do we live in a society that seems to have a hard time having a conversation, but often we find the same thing happening in our personal relationships too. There is just no way to break down the walls and just no way to carry on without conflict. So, everyone does their own thing and then nothing gets any better. Really, it just gets worse. The next time you try to engage someone the meltdown just comes that much more quickly.

What’s left is perpetual egg shell walking and no real relationships, just shallow surface existence.

The death of conversation is upon us.

Work Email Syndrome

Posted on January 3, 2019 by backuphill

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán on Pexels.com

I bet after describing this you’ll know you have it too. It should be a real affliction, if it isn’t already. I don’t know. I didn’t look. All I know is that I have it.

I don’t know about your place of employment, but mine uses all sorts of forms of communication. Skype, Zoom, Outlook, video chat, messenger, paper, notes, etc etc. But one thing that I really dislike is going back to work…wait, I almost stopped there. Because, I mean, really, who likes going to work?

But I digress. Anyway, going back to work because of all the email that has filled up my inbox. I mean really!! Do we need to send this much email in ONE DAY? I don’t like being sick because I get back to work and have 300 emails to wade through. It takes me days to catch up!

So, I fear going back to work simply because of email. That’s a syndrome, right? It has to be. I probably need a counselor for this. Maybe I need a doctor’s note to take more time off. Maybe I’ll sue my managers and the company for emotional distress related to email. It’s overwhelming.

I think I better start a support group.

“Hi, my name is _______________ and I suffer from WES.”

Hmmm, why don’t I feel better yet? Oh wait, because I have to work and have 314 emails to go through. DANG IT! If I close my eyes and wait a few seconds, will they be gone?