[runnermi]

Here is the thing about posts, texts and email....

You cannot see facial expression and you cannot hear tone of voice. Sometimes someone is making a joke but it falls flat.

I have had managers preview my email before I send it just to ensure I am not invoking something in the tone of my replies that I had not intended. I tend to say it like it is and in office politics it isn't always the best way to handle a situation. Tact isn't always my strong suit. It is a constant battle for me, I am better than I used to be but will work at it continually until the day I die.

Sometimes we write something that comes off not as we meant and since the person is not right in front of us, we cannot explain ourselves.

Any board I have been on over the years, be it quilting, running, sewing, knitting, etc., it is just a matter of time before someone gets upset and the war of words begin. Think quilters and sewers cannot get nasty and down in the mud? Think again.

Similar to road rage, sometimes the best way to avoid it is not to engage with the person. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just ignore a snotty post. Have a fantasy dialog in your head and dang, I have some doozes! Type out your response but don't post it. Wait 24 hours and read it again. Do you really want to post that? What do you hope to accomplish with the post?

I don't believe that everything in life has to be sprinkled with pixie dust to be of benefit. I have seen some pretty heated discussions out of which a lot of good came. If we all thought alike and were alike, the world would be terribly boring.