Email PTSD

PTSD email

Send that Email! Take it back!

One part of almost every job I have has included me sending out mass emails. This is something that happened at almost every job I have had. There was always a big back and forth with my boss (or bosses) about when an email was ready. This is the origin of this PTSD.

  • Me: Can I send out the email?
  • Boss: Please go ahead!

Then I would go back to my desk to send out the message. Five to ten minutes later, my boss/es would rush in — Did that email go out? I found a problem! Don’t send it!

Eventually, the conversation turned into:

  • Me: Can I send this email?
  • Boss: Go ahead.
  • Me: Are you sure?
  • Boss: Send it!
  • Me: Are you really sure
  • Boss: Yes! Send it! NOW!
  • Me: Are you totally sure? The last time(s) you found something later. I don’t want to send it because you can’t get it back.
  • Boss: But (coworker) says we can unsend them!
  • Me: We can’t. We have to be sure when we send it!
  • Boss: SEND IT!

The PTSD of mass emails made me miss snail mail

Sometimes, even after that conversation, I would be asked to unsend a mass email. This got to me after a while and I used to even miss mass snail mail. None of my bosses ever expected me to chase down the mailperson to get back the letters we were sending. NOT ONE!

Today, I was working on a mass email for No Business with Genocide. To save a draft, I have to save and send myself a test. When I saw that, I thought I had already sent it and nearly had a stroke. The good news is that the person who proofs and okays my emails has NEVER freaked out and demanded messages be unsent.

Will I ever get over this strange problem? I guess if Jada Pinkett Smith can survive being married ot Will Smith, I will survive this!

If you missed my missive on the English language…

You can always get it here. Every day, my heart breaks time and time again when I see typos and grammar errors. Do these people know they are making these mistakes? Is it just because the medium they are using makes it way too easy to commit one too many language faux pas? Maybe but there are also a lot of intelligent people who don’t know if you have two cats, you do not have two cat’s.

So, if you have anything written that you want to look great, contact me! I LOVE copy editing! Let me help you put your best foot forward!