I’m a big advice column fan–that’s why I started writing one. My sister is as well and we were chatting about how we both read Dear Abby every day even though we both think she’s not all that bright. I confessed, “Most of the time I just read the questions and skip her answers.”
And then it occurred to me that some of you might enjoy the questions here more than the answers. (Although, you should enjoy the answers more than the questions because they are written by meeeeee!!!!!) Anyway, I frequently get questions that I reply to quickly with one or two lines and don’t turn into a full fledged post for whatever reason.
I thought that from time to time I’d post some of these “short response” questions and answers. Feel free to give the question writer your opinion as well. My next post will be a couple or more of these short answers.
Hmm… Most of the time, I skip the question and just read the answer.
(In blogs like yours, I mean. I don't read any paper publications that contain advice columns)
This is an interesting idea. For the past two weeks, I've been experimenting with trying to answer every email I get, even if it's just a sentence or two (whereas normally I mainly answer a small portion of the ones I'm not using for publication, simply for lack of time). I have learned that (a) it is exhausting and (b) it feels really good to do.
Henning Markham, you've just made my day.
AAM–new picture! And I've been noticing how much posting you're doing. That's what inspired me to go ahead and do the idea. I have to keep up with you.
I love it! I also very rarely read Abby's answers – unless the letter pisses me off so much, that I have to check what stupid answer Abby gave, because I know it's going to be different than mine.
"Markham"???
Oh curses, I can't copy from three lines up! I usually use copy and paste when I direct a comment to someone, but I originally just wrote Henning and then thought that I should use your whole name so I typed what I thought it was rather than what it was.
A thousand pardons. I hope you'll forgive me.
*EHRL hangs her head in shame*
For the past two weeks, I've been experimenting with trying to answer every email I get, even if it's just a sentence or two
I can imagine Alison's outbox: "Thanks for the pre-approval, but I'm not looking to borrow money just now." — "Sorry, but I buy exclusively from real brick-and-mortar pharmacies." — "Deeply sorry about your uncle. Can't you find a deserving charity in your own country to donate the funds to instead?"
Ha! I haven't become quite that generous yet.
I like to read the answers on the same page as the questions. I was so sad when you switched to linking to your other column. That column isn't always you, so I can't bookmark that instead. Post the answers here!
Anon–I do have my own URL now: http://www.bnet.com/blog/evil-hr-lady
This is good because I really disliked sharing.
I can't post the answers here because I don't own the copyright on them–BNET does.
I wish they would do an RSS feed with the whole column, but they won't.
Sorry about the clicking through.