Big Whopper Liar Day

Today is Big Whopper Liar Day.  Do they really need a day in which to celebrate lies?  Is deception something we should aspire to?  I don’t think so. One of my pet peeves is glorifying destructive ideas and terms.

This is one of the reasons I am so against practical jokes.  I know some say it’s all in good fun, but I’ve seen too many practical jokes gone bad with some gruesome or devastating consequences.

Why does society glorify deception?  Sometimes people respect the skill required to pull off a practical joke.  Other times it’s the ability to get out of a sticky situation.

In some cases, they are called little white lies.  In others, they are called fibs.  Most lies are not meant to harm, though they are still meant to deceive and, as such, deception often has a way of causing harm whether or not it is intentional.

Though our parents have taught us that honesty is the best policy, society continues to glorify lying and honor those who master the art of deception…often not enforcing any consequences for their actions. Many sit coms today depict the main characters getting out of a tough situation by artfully lying.  Many shows have kids lying to parents so they don’t get into trouble or even parents lying to their kids in order to keep them in line.

It’s curious to me that today’s society places such value on the skill of deception and grants such grace to the deceiver while, at the same time, almost seeking out any opportunity to take offense when clearly none was meant.

In contrast, tomorrow is National Respect Day.  That’s something I can endorse wholeheartedly!  So I say, why not skip Big Whopper Liar Day and go straight to National Respect Day.  Do not sneak past go and do not deceptively collect $200.

What say you?

 

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The Power of Underwear…& Being Direct

Much has been said about how differently men and women communicate.  But not much more has been said in such a funny way.  Wives, pay attention.  This could help you communicate with your dhs on the highest level.  I give you Jeff Allen, on the power of underwear and being direct.

By the way, I just did a post on Communication Pet Peeves and this is one I hear from husbands all over the globe.  They wish their wives were more direct.

For more fun with communication, visit Art of Eloquence.com!

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Too dumb for instructions

I’m starting another new series called Communication Pet Peeves.  I’ll put these out about once a month or so, but I just have to kvetch about this  (My Jewish heritage coming out and I hope I spelled that right).

As a member of the non techie community, I have to say one of my biggest communication pet peeves is when I am in need of some “help file” and I can’t make heads or drivel out of the online manual.  It’s usually written in Tech-ese and I’m not even conversational!  Tech manuals usually start with step 67 moving quickly to steps 68, 69 and 70 followed directly afterward by step 107!

Um…Ya lost me!  Will someone climb down the technology ladder to step one and help me up?  I think the ladder is over here…oh, sorry, that’s the staircase.  Isn’t the ladder the same things as a staircase?  No?  They look the same…they both have steps.  Where’s the ladder?  Over by the what?  Oh, the living room.  I thought I was in the living room.  Oh, that’s the family room?  Sorry, they both have couches, but, yes this room is more family like, I guess.  Where?  Over on the west side of the house.  The west side…  Am I on the west side? If I turn left, will I be on the west side?  The south?  Can you just tell me to turn left or right. I don’t know which way is west or south.  Ok, I’ve turned right now I go five paces?  How long is a pace?

Does this sound familiar?  Do you ever feel like, “Hey, Techie Man!  If I knew all this stuff, I wouldn’t NEED the manual!”   Ever get an email that’s clear as mud?  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve called web hosts like Go Daddy to ask how something works and hung up with a Tech Headache.  Go away, Daddy!

What techie people need to understand is that…wait for it…listen carefully now…

…NOT EVERYONE IS A TECHIE!

Yes, Trenton TechnoGuru, not everyone even understands the terms you use, let alone how to get to the data file or any other “flibberty jibbet.”  You need to actually tell me where that is. You may need to lead me there!  I need you to S P E L L it out for me, Tommy TechnoBabble!

Go to http://www.ThisIsTheExactPageINeedToBeOn.com and click the big, fat, red polar bear.  Click on the link in the middle of that page that says, “THIS IS THE LINK YOU NEED TO CLICK ON” and it will take you to that screen.

I have to say that my web designer/host has a fabulous way of giving instructions.  Traci sends a video showing all the screens I need to click through, one at a time!  She doesn’t design websites any more, but she does do some work for website owners.  You can check her out here!

There is a whole series of videos she made for her clients so that we Techno Ding Dongs can have the benefit her experience w/o her having to take more time or charge us for little things.  At least she thinks they are little things.  I love the way she works because she understands that non techies may not even know the right questions to ask.  She knows how to give you the information so that it makes sense.  Kudos to Traci, but she is only one of a very few techies who know how to talk to us non techie types.  She knows that the first rule of business is…”Never make your customers feel dumb.”

I’m apparently too dumb for most tech instruction manuals.  How about you?  Got any other communication pet peeves I should cover in future installments?  Speak up!  Just, please, don’t speak Tech-ese!

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What are you Twitter Pet Peeves?

It’s Twitter Week here on Communication FUNdamentals because we are celebrating my upcoming podcast, Are You a Twitter Twit on the Communication Comedy Network.  Last week was Facebook Week and I began last week much the same as I will this week with your pet peeves.  So…  What are your Twitter Pet Peeves?  Here are mine…

My three top Twitter Pet Peeves are:

1. Folks with no info in their bio

2. Folks who post things like “Get 10k followers in 15 minutes!” and have 14 followers and no other tweets.

3. Folks who post things that make no sense.

I’ll be discussing the Twitter Pet Peeves more in depth on the show. I’ll also be discussing the differences between Facebook and Twitter and give you some Twitter Tips for better communication and connections on Twitter.

For more fun with Twitter, come share your thoughts on the live show!

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The Communication Comedy Network airs each Thursday at 8am PST/11am EST.

Join us via your computer: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Or Join us via your phone: Phone Number: (724) 444-7444  Call ID: 19736

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Facebook Fever Video

All this week, I’ve been talking about social networking on Facebook.  This is a fun video about Facebook Fever.  Enjoy!

If you didn’t catch the Facebook show on the Communication Comedy Network, click here! (or Direct Link to audio)

For more fun with communication skills, visit Art of Eloquence.com!

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What are Your Facebook Pet Peeves?

This week’s Talk Talk Show topic on the Communication Comedy Network is about Facebook Faux Pas.  In preparation for the show, I’m asking Facebook users to relate their pet peeves.  Not your problems with Facebook but rather your issues with other Facebook users.

For example, does it bug you when someone whose name you don’t recognize asks you to be their Facebook friend, but gives you absolutely NO information about themselves whatsoever?  No picture, no bio, nothing on their info screen????

Does it bother you when someone asks you to become a fan of Air or… BUBBLE WRAP?

Wha’ts your Facebook Pet Peeve?  Post a comment and/or come share your thoughts on the live show!

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The Communication Comedy Network airs each Thursday at 8am PST/11am EST.

Join us via your computer: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Or Join us via your phone: Phone Number: (724) 444-7444  Call ID: 19736

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Driving Pet Peeves

Monday Q of the Wk. Here’s how it works:

Each Monday I ask a thought provoking question about life and language.  Pose the same question to your blog readers on your own blog along with your answer to the question.  Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post so we can all read everyone’s answers!  It’s been a lot of fun getting to know my readers and their readers and so on and so on.  This is a great time to connect with others but it’s also a fun way to build your writing and communication skills.   Grab your teens!

This week’s question: What does it mean to be a true friend?

This Thursday’s Talk Talk Show on the Communication Comedy Network is about communication on the road.

So I thought I’d ask everyone about their driving pet peeves.  Did you realize that you have a sort of sixth sense about what drivers might do next?  If’ you’ve been driving a while, you can tell what a driver might do just by the way he is driving.  You might be able to tell when a driver might cut you off or swerve into your lane.

Does it bug you when another driver leaves his turn signal on for six exits?  Are you frustrated when the guy next to you seems to be driving too far over toward your lane?  Do you have a conniption if the guy behind you follows too close?  Have you ever had another driver scare you in some way?  What did you do?  What should we do to avoid these driving conflicts?  These are the questions we will be addressing on the next Talk Talk Show on the Communication Comedy Network on Thursday.  Come join us and share your stories, pet peeves and ideas!

For now…

What are your driving pet peeves?

You can post your answers here or post this question on YOUR blog and come back here to link your blog post so all of us can read about you and YOUR readers’ answers!

If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences about communication while driving with my listeners, I would LOVE to have you on the show live on Thursday 8am PST/11am EST!  If you cannot make it live, you can post here and I will share your thoughts on the air with my listeners as I have time.  The show is archived as an audio directly following the live broadcast so you can listen in at your convenience.

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