Rant Rant Rant

I'm sick, hear me rant. I have 2 topics: dropping the ball and giving flowers as an apology.

Dropping the Ball

Today seems to be the day that everyone who said they would do something for me gets to inform me that they screwed up. Forgot. Never got around to it. So I've had lots of interesting things happen like Internet services shut off, employees not paid, vendors calling me with nasty "pay me" messages. Gotta love that customer service. I'm feeling warm and fuzzy, how about you? So after I shoveled off a few fires from my desk, and put out the last of the burning bits from the nasty vendors, I started informing people of the level of service I expected. Not mean, just direct. Sure, I'm just a admin on the bottom of the totem pole, but I know what keeps people off my back, and I know lack of service from my vendors reflects badly on me. Enough already, I can be nice but rather firm...

Flowers as Apology

I read about a few incidents where folks are giving flowers as an apology. Now, I'm rather opinionated on the use of flowers. I like, no wait, adore flowers! I really really like them. Because my cat tips them over and makes a mess, I only get them for myself rarely. Flowers are for celebration and happiness in my book. Truly. Not for reminding someone of the crappy thing you did every time they look at the flowers.

First example - Mel Gibson. Supposedly he sent a massive $300 bouquet of flowers to the female arresting officer during his little drunk driving incident. While I think the sentiment is a good start, I'd think a well written apology would go a lot further. Hopefully the flowers came with a note, but at the same time, I would have sent something else. Something that isn't a visual reminder of the fact that he got arrested and turned into an anti-Semitic, drunken slurring embarrassment. Free airplane voucher? Massage certificate? Something that fits neatly in an envelope with above mentioned statement of how sorry one is for the situation. I'm just saying.

Second example - Rosie O'Donnell. Apparently her inappropriate use of flowers was for an apology for her blog whining about her new job at The View. She sent the flowers after Barbara Walters was upset by the blog. After reading a snippet in the news, I can see why. Not only is it whinny, but there's an utter lack of spelling, punctuation, or full words. As a fellow journalist, I can feel her pain in hiring someone who can't express their innermost feelings with out using the number 2 as a word. All political and social topics aside, my minimum for getting into the door on a job is at least a showing that you can properly write the English language. Consistently. What you put in your private diary is your own deal, what you publish on a blog is a public representation of who you are. Additional flag on the play for complaining about a job most of us would die to have. Let's see, you sit on a couch for a few hours a day and talk about current social trends and interview celebrities. Gee, rough life. Thanks for sharing. I know it's tough actually having a boss, but yet again, a huge chunk of us have that issue every day and seem to do just fine with it. Flowers? I'm thinking you needed to send something that again, doesn't remind Barbara of your inane lack of grammar skills. Mani-pedi certificate? Massage? Gift cert to a shi-shi store?

If it's a true apology, there's a price involved. Something that says "I'm sorry I've caused you grief, here's something to bring a bit of relaxation into your universe". Flowers are a celebration - are you celebrating your stupidity? Lack of good judgment? The fact that that person is willing to accept something from you at all? While you can get a word in edgewise, better make it actual words. Back to that written apology again. And stay out of flower land. Lameness flag, 10 yard penalty, 1st down. Get creative and think about the person would really enjoy. If flowers say apology to them, go for it. Just remember that on Valentine's Day and their birthday and other special occasions when you really do want the flowers to say something celebratory.