10 February 2010
I guess I just don’t quite grok Craig’s List ettiquette sometimes. I put my wife’s old cell phone up for sale on Craig’s List a few days ago and have since recieved several emails from interested parties. One guy wanted to know why we were getting rid of the phone; a lady wrote to ask if the phone came with an adaptor plug. Another lady wrote to me several times: does the phone work, how old is the phone, am I firm on the price, would I be willing to mail it to her…stuff like that.
Then, just yesterday, another woman emailed and said she would like to buy the phone. She asked if I’d be willing to meet her at such-and-such a location the next day. So that’s what I did.
The next time I checked my email, this message was waiting:
i guess u sold the phone too huh?
…It was a message from the woman who had asked me all those questions, above. She had emailed me last night asking if I could supply a picture of the phone (wasn’t the picture on Craig’s List sufficient?). I didn’t respond to that email, as I was waiting to see if the phone would sell to the other woman, but once it did, I didn’t see any reason to keep responding to this lady’s endless questioning.
I wrote:
Oh, yes, sorry, I should’ve said something. Someone emailed me yesterday and asked if she could just come pick it up. Thanks.
Then she wrote:
thanks alot!!!!!!!!! i asked u 1st and then u go sell the f phone on me!!! how rude!!!!!!!!!
So I wrote:
Sorry, I can understand the frustration. You were not the first person to express interest in the phone, however, and you had not committed to purchasing it yet, so I was still responding to other people, too.
Which prompted this response:
i thought i asked u about shipping it to me
So I said:
Yes, you asked about shipping, but other people asked about things, too…does it come with a charger, am I willing to go down in price, why am I getting rid of it…stuff like that. None of that means the person is definitely going to buy it, it just means the person would like more info before deciding on the purchase.
Again, I’m sorry for the confusion, and next time I will immediately send out an email to all who had previously shown any sort of interest in the item to inform them the item is no longer available.
She hasn’t written back. Yet.
Yes, yes, I know…I could’ve just deleted her emails, but I didn’t want to just avoid her simply because I didn’t like the questions she was asking. If I wanted to shun people for asking questions, I’d be one of…
11 Febraury 2010
Jehovah’s Witnesses. Is there no limit to their hypocrisy?
I spoke to my friend Ryan today, and he told me another tale of religious woe.
See, his younger brother & sister are in a band – a band with a measure of local popularity. They’re releasing a new album soon. This kind of thing really excites Ryan because, well, he loves music and he’s the one who drew his younger siblings into the craft of making music. Ryan has only good things to say about their band, called “The Akai.” He’s a big fan.
But the thing is, his siblings (and everyone else in the band) are Witnesses. That means that they shun Ryan because Ryan is a former Witness.
So what does that have to do with their music? Well, it shouldn’t have anything to do with their music. When the Akai plays in public venues, Ryan should be free to attend, just as Muslims, ex-convicts, Catholics, drug-users, homosexuals, and people who have had blood transfusions, abortions, and birthday parties are also allowed to attend. And, in fact, Ryan has attended their concerts, even bringing others with him to assist in growing a fanbase for the Akai.
But the last time Ryan went to one of their concerts, his brother Reed sent him an email requesting that Ryan not show up. Reed said that seeing his brother in the audience “ruined the night” for him. That’s right, an independent, local, struggling band – that has courted fans online and on the radio – specifically requested that one person not be their fan. And today, Ryan went to their website (this one) and tried to sign up to get email updates as to when and where the band is playing. But guess what, Reed had specifically preempted Ryan’s loyalty by setting up the website to specifically block Ryan as a user.
Ryan blogged about it HERE
Beyond the obvious craziness of we-shun-you-if-you-leave cult mentality, this is insane for three reasons:
1. The band obviously wants fans. I mean, if they didn’t want fans, they wouldn’t play on stage, or sell albums, or appear in local papers and on local radio shows to advertize. The idea of excluding a fan – one that is blood-related – is stupid. Besides, Ryan loves the Akai so much, he could be a great catalyst for generating more fans (e.g., had his blog discussed his excitement for attending the upcoming show, that would attract other people to go to the show, too).
2. The Witness policy is to not ‘associate’ with ex-Witnesses. Okay, fine. But Reed, and the rest of the Akai are not associating with Ryan by having him in their audience. Does Reed plan to check everyone who attends their shows: “Are you a former member of the Watchtower Society? Yes? Okay, then you’ll have to turn around right now.” And why does it matter if Ryan is included on mass emails regarding upcoming shows and album releases? Does Reed think his god will smite him if Ryan buys an album? For that matter, how many Witness waiters have served food to ex-Witnesses? How many ex-Witnesses did I sell eyeglass to when I worked in the optical industry?
3. Finally, Witnesses assert that one of the key factors in identifying themselves as the One True Religion is that they are loving.
Oops. Maybe…not so much.