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OT - Emails that attack my sanity

boaphile Dec 07, 2008 03:52 PM

Does this drive anyone else nuts?

I get email. I get a lot of email. I get email from people asking about tons of stuff. Animals, cages, other Boa breeders, genetics… it just goes on and on. What never ceases to amaze me is the number of people who send an email, sometimes a lengthy email that would require a lot of my time to completely answer. Emails with questions. Questions such as:

- Questions about health issues they are having with animals they bought from someone else.
- Questions about genetics regarding animals they bought from someone else.
- Questions about husbandry regarding animals they bought from someone else.
- Questions about breeding animals they bought from someone else.

It’s proper to call your supplier for questions about products you bought from them. You bought a Ford from the Ford dealer? Do you ask the Doge guy to fix your Ford or answer you Ford questions? Of course not, but herpers buy whatever from wherever and then expect to get answers from somebody they didn’t take their business too. But! That isn’t what drives me crazier than anything else….

They email me. People do not have the slightest idea how to write a letter. None. A letter starts out with some sort of greeting. Sometimes that greeting is as simple as just the person’s name that you are sending the email to. Simple enough right? Apparently not. Then you have the letter itself. Everyone seems to be able to do that, even if sometimes there is a complete lack of any punctuation. Then there are those that have decided it’s better to capitalize everything rather than have the agony of a capital letter here or there. It’s really a bother to many folks. But! Is that what drives me crazier than anything else? No. I’m not going to complain about grammar because anyone that ever reads my dribble knows that I have more than enough trouble with my own grammar. I didn’t mention speeling either. Were it not for spell check, I’d reveal myself to be the imbecile I really am.

The one thing that drives me crazier than anything else is this; Where is your signature? Or for those who have no idea what that word means; Who are you, letter writer?

Why is that so complicated? I have never ever in my life ever written anything to anyone where I did not include my name on it. OK, I text my daughter without signing it “Daddy” each time. But she knows a text from me is from me. Her phone has my name on each of my messages.

I don’t know who everyone in the planet is based on their email address. I get emails from people. Sometimes people who I know, that don’t sign their email. They think I know who they are based on the email address. I do if the email address has their name in it, but it seems that most people have decided not to include this tiny detail. But it seems that the majority of people do not include their name in email. I don’t get that. I’ll never get that. There just is absolutely no reason not to complete an email with your name at the end. None. Zero nadda.

For the life of me, I’ll never understand how someone will send an email who is trying to negotiate some transaction that involves their hard earned money. Sometimes a great deal of money, and yet, they do not include their name! No wonder my hair all fell out!

And one last thing. Your name, unless you are named Uriah, and I only know one Uriah, your correspondence should not be signed, “Tom”. It should be “Tom Jones” or “Jeff Ronne”, or “Mortimer Snerd” for Pete’s sake. (No Pete in particular by they way.)

It’s simple really. Just include your name with your correspondence. It’s just considerate to the person you are emailing. Plus think of the sanity of the recipient of your email. You need to consider the frail line they walk and they try to maintain some semblance of sanity.

Thank you,

Jeff Ronne Sr.
Yes, 100% Jeff Ronne Sr
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Replies (23)

KevMadden Dec 07, 2008 04:01 PM

Jeff - don't with hold stuff. Try telling us how you really feel.

Take care,

Kevin

sun_king Dec 07, 2008 04:06 PM

Shouldn't your signature bar read 100% het Jeff Ronne Sr.....
Just kidding. That is a very good post you have there. I agree with 99.9% of it.

Joe

LarM Dec 07, 2008 04:36 PM

Not to mention the title should have some clue as to the meaning of the correspondence. I'm not very good at setting spam filters so trying to sort through E-mails I might actually care about is much easier when the title line gives you a clue. Plus the replies that do not entail at least some of the prior correspondence can leave me wondering what the heck they are talking about sometimes.LOL
I'm certain I get a very small fraction of the E-mail you receive Jeff.
I'm not genetically predisposed to loose my hair.
Although in your shoes Jeff I might loose it.
. . . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

raybueno Dec 07, 2008 04:42 PM

It must be rough having to read peoples emails asking you for your opinion on boas.
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Ray & Dustin Bueno
Bueno Brothers Reptiles
www.buenobros.com

boaphile Dec 07, 2008 04:58 PM

By the way, this writing, like most everything I write, is written with my tongue firmly planted in my right cheek. sigh...
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remreps Dec 07, 2008 06:05 PM

Dear Mr. Boaphile,

I haven't bought any cages from you because they are too expensive. And the same goes for your boas. Way too much! Plus, the last time I tried to get one from you, you wouldn't let me have it. But I do have lots of questions for you. Thanks in advance.

Jim (one of many)

boaphile Dec 07, 2008 08:44 PM

Just in case anybody cares. This is the first post by Mr. "G", my main cage cleaner guy who I am always encouraging to post his wisdom. Finally today he has diced to do so with none of the wisdom I have come to respect from him.

Just to be clear, Mr. "G" has his room full of my cages and why buy any Boas when you can sneak off with all you want for free!?

Right Jimmy "G"?

By the way, Mr. "G" bought his first Boa before I was even born! Back in the 50's before most anyone reading this post was born. Probably before many of your parents were born!

Still Mr."G" is the best Boa butt wiper I have and a harder worker you will NEVER find!

Thanks Mr. "G"!

Jeff Ronne Sr. 66%
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remreps Dec 08, 2008 07:14 AM

Dear Mr. Boaphile.

Thanks for the kind words. I will offer you, and you only, a special deal on some "picks of the litters". At least from those that I got to first. Some days I ran out of pockets!

Mr. "G"

reticguy2 Dec 08, 2008 08:51 AM

Well I'd say you have to do something to justify that long commute Mr "G" so I don't blame you one bit.

Sunshines2day Dec 07, 2008 06:40 PM

Now everyone knows you read them!

Since you have their email addies....send them a consultation fee bill.

Linda
(you don't know me)

jscrick Dec 07, 2008 09:34 PM

Real good Jeff.
That's just the way it is at the top, I guess...putting up with all the groupies, stalkers, paparazzi, crazed fans.
You have my sympathy. I'll do my best to change my ways.
jsc
John Crickmer
Austin, TX
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

charmer Dec 07, 2008 09:42 PM

I wasn't one of those folks whose neck you wanted to wring! LOL! I emailed you once to ask if you had heard of a certain morph cross, being that I knew you traveled the right circles to have most likely heard if there were any of that type. I think I signed it properly though! That said and apologized for I would love to own one of your boas, or many someday, and be able to harrass you day and night about every nuance of their activities throughout their lives because I'd be in love with them and you know how love makes you do crazy things!
I can only imagine how much time and effort goes into those emails, at least you know your opinion is respected in our hobby right?
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Steph S.
Boas...
1.1 Albino boas (Loki & Hope)
1.4 07 Het. albino boas (Petty & Lady,Sierra,Madeline,Lola)
0.1 Reverse stripe poss. het albino (Cookie)
0.1 Salmon/hypo (Scarlet)
0.1 Anery poss. het snow (Missy)
1.0 Anery (Reno)
1.0 Probable Super Salmontine(Kahn)
0.1 Salmontine (Sonya)
1.1 DH Sunglow (Gabrielle and Bonnie)
0.0.1 Hypo het anery
1.1 07 Hypo pos. triple hets (Rico Suave & Pumpkin)
1.0.1 Het. Anery (Guy & ?)
0.3 Normals (Ophelia, Sasha, & Lulu)
1.0 Surinames (Solomon & Surreal(deceased)
1.3 Hog Isles (Mr.Orange & Peaches, Tang, Isis)
0.0.1 Central American (Sassy)
1.0 ATB (Satan... seriously!)
Pythons...
2.1 GTPs (B., Monty & Jewel)
0.0.3 BPs (MJ, Precious, Houdini)
1.2 Carpet Pythons (Jackson, Charlotte, & Cassandra)
0.1 Blood python (Akaia)
1.2 Children's Pythons
Misc.
1.1 Mandarin Ratsnakes (Jack & Jill)
1.0 Boxer/Pitt Mutt (Tyson)

Joel_Thomas Dec 08, 2008 11:01 AM

I am sure it is quite a bother.

You have created this aweful nuisance, shame on you brother Jeff Ha!!

Seriously it never stops amazing me how inconsiderate people can be, It seems as if the whole world revolves around this person called "me".

Joel

tcdrover Dec 08, 2008 12:23 PM

boaphile Dec 08, 2008 01:09 PM

That, tcdover, is what you call the definitive response to my post.
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tcdrover Dec 08, 2008 01:36 PM

Cheers mate...

Jonathan_Brady Dec 08, 2008 02:07 PM

Hey Jeff,
You had mentioned that you'd be more than willing to help those who were customers and something just popped in my head. You've authored articles for books and magazines. Therefore, for the folks who bought those, technically they're a customer in a very liberal sense of the word.

Honestly though, I DO understand what you're saying and I totally agree with the philosophy. I believe good will to the hobby comes AFTER your family and work obligations. And that's what helping people with various boa problems comes down to; good will.

Hey, no one ever told you that superstardom had its downside, did they??

All the best and may you enjoy continued success!

jb
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Jonathan Brady
*You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.*

rainbowsrus Dec 08, 2008 02:29 PM

you are THE Boaphile!!! Not one of many, not one of only a few, youi are the one and only Boaphile!!

I know I've come to you many times over the years and very much appreciate all the help you've given me. But then again, I do have several of your cages and boas so am a valued customer!!!!

I get ya on the lack of courtesy in emailing. I see emails with all the lacking info you mentioned (although I'm sure it's not even 1% of your volume) and yeah, it's irratating to have nothing other than an email address to address a person by.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

foxexotics Dec 08, 2008 06:01 PM

I can relate. I get many emails each day about exotic animals, primarily foxes and corvids asking me how to keep them, problems they are having with them (purchased from other breeders), etc. etc. I always try to at least respond with a quick 'I'm sorry I cannot help you with this, please contact your vet or breeder' but I feel bad for the people. To an extent... Not so much the people, I suppose as the animals.
Part of the cost of buying an animal from a breeder is the customer service you receive! The cheapest deal may not be cheap in the end, and part of what you pay for is the experience/advice/etc. of the breeder. I'm still looking for a really quick, tactful way of dealing with these sorts of emails that is non-offensive but also not eating away at the precious little time I do have to respond to emails in general.
Maybe just have in your auto-response a link to your boa care info and say that husbandry inquiries from non-customers will not be responded to? If you put the info online for people to read (which you have already) you can just point and be done with it. :>
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Fox Exotics

Craig K. Dec 10, 2008 03:10 PM

I have recently purchased some goodyear gt radial tires one of them has a fly stuck to the bottom. What should I do. Thanks for your immediate response, my number is 555-1234 guess the area code. J.

Seriously though, thanks for that package I just received. Dr. Craig A. Kade, dr. of boa insanity.

boaphile Dec 10, 2008 05:55 PM

Does the fly have a human head on it or is it a true fly as in a 100% fly vs. a possible fly/human hybrid?

Jeff-A-Roonie (100% Moron)
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Craig K. Dec 11, 2008 07:18 AM

hard to tell now, like I said it was stuck to the bottom.

lateralis Dec 12, 2008 12:24 PM

I get those too, not nearly as many as you I am sure. If I know them or they at least ask kindly I will reply. If they just fire off quick shopping questions with no name attached it goes in the vertical file. I just dont have time to deal with that nonesense and it is rude IMO to not sign ones correspondence, hence they get put in the trash. I dont make money off of my animals per se, its mostly fun for me to see them reproduce and I end up giving alot of them to friends etc...but when I do have some animals for sale, it is the serious, polite, emails that get a reply.

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Cheers
Lateralis
"I would rather be precisely wrong than approximately right"
Marion "Doc" Ford

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