Wednesday, Midday Reflections
As the digital hand of my office clock inches closer to noon, I pause to reflect on a week that has been, for lack of a better term, a roller coaster. It’s a story of emails, misunderstandings, and a nagging sense of unease.
Friday – Of Emails and Unsettling Tones
The day began promisingly. But by evening, the tranquillity of the morning was shattered by a tumultuous email chain. The catalyst? A seemingly benign interaction with an external vendor. As my responsibility for both technology and communication, I queried them, only to receive an unwelcome “tone” in their response. Was it prescriptive? Dictatorial? Call it what you will, but it wasn’t amicable.
As I left work, a defense from the vendor’s vice-president pinged into my inbox, suggesting he’d like a word with my superiors. Naturally, this wasn’t the send-off to my cottage weekend I was hoping for.
Friday Evening – The Forest Misunderstanding
Amid this, a close friend messaged, sparking an unforeseen chain of events. My state of mind was gloomy, my spirits low. I replied about going “off the grid to wander the forest” – a simple cottage retreat. However, by the time I regained cellular reception, my phone was flooded with messages from a concerned friend fearing the worst. It left me pondering: “Do others perceive me this way?”
Saturday – The Electrical Odyssey
Come Saturday, tasks awaited me. But a trip to the hardware store turned into an unexpected journey, costing me hours. By the time I finally began, the sun was setting both outside and within me.
Monday – Back to Work
The new week dawned, and with it, an attempt to rectify Friday’s debacle. I immersed myself in the unfamiliar territory of PHP and SQL, trying to navigate my way through its complexities.
Tuesday – A Collision of Emotions
Exhausted from a demanding day, my short respite at home turned turbulent. A missed meal, a brief disagreement with my 19-year-old, and the still-hovering cloud of depression made for a heavy evening.
Wednesday – The Tone Returns
This morning, an email awaited from my boss. For the most part, it was reassuring. But a cryptic comment about “everyone having a bad day, even Jeff” left me puzzled and slightly irked. Was this another veiled tone? It’s ironic, in our many discussions about the impossibility of discerning tone from an email, here we are, still discussing it.
Midweek Musings
As I type these words on a Wednesday afternoon, I hope to find solace. Perhaps sharing my feelings, these intricate patterns of highs and lows, will serve as a therapeutic release.
But one thing is clear – “tone” is a tricky beast. In emails, in interactions, it remains elusive yet ever-present. And sometimes, all one needs is a genuine conversation to clear the air.
In the end, here’s to understanding, to looking out for each other, and to not letting the tones (or the perceived lack thereof) dictate our lives.
End of Entry