To think that if someone asks you a question

[TheSecondMrsAshwell]

….in an email, you should answer it?

I’m being driven slowly banananas by people simply ignoring questions I’ve asked.

My BFF is a genius at it. I don’t mind him not replying to the kittypics emails, I understand that. For example, I asked him a question this week about his chest size – I’m trying to costume a play he’s in and found the ideal thing but I’m not sure if it’ll be too big (his weight fluctuates). I’ve asked him twice. I’ll ask him once more and if I still don’t get an answer, I shall strangle him with my tape measure. I’m not asking anything tough, like whether he would care to impregnate me. On the top of Mount Snowdon. Tomorrow afternoon.

I was trying to sort out readers for the Christmas services recently. I emailed round a list of times and one person emailed back to say that they would be available to read over Christmas, but not which service. So I asked. Silence. No answer. It was only that I bumped into them and asked directly and they said that they hadn’t answered because they weren’t sure if there was a service at 6pm Christmas Day. You couldn’t email back and ask?

I don’t care if the answer is “I don’t know” or “I haven’t made my mind up” that’s fine. Just fucking give me some sort of answer!

Rant over. Oh that feels so much better.

Ring them

Email isnt for urgent things

I second ringing them

It's weird but not a lot of people think to do that anymore. It's all emails and texts and then they get angry/frustrated when they're not replied to.

Try to anticipate questions if you're asking a favour - people don't want to waste their time on email ping pong.

Give a deadline? Did BFF get the backstory?

If you're someone who regularly sends 'kittypics' they've probably blocked your emails, so don't see the important ones needing a reply. I get really annoyed by people who send pointless messages, wasting my time in opening/reading them to check if they are important.

Kittipics - is that photos of kittens?

I have a kitten but wouldn't fancy being sent photos of other random kittens.

I didn't read the rest sorry.

YANBU - IME (!) people tend not to like taking ownership, responsibility for anything. Men or women - I only found it in the UK. Whenever I am dealing with Germany, CH, Canada, CEE... they come back, even if it is only a holding email.

I’m the opposite. Do not ring me and ask me a question you need an answer to. Inevitably I’ll be walking down a flight of stairs or trying to pay for something or answrig the door and will have to ask you to repeat it 3 times and then guess the answer.
In an email we are both clear what’s been agreed.

I like the technique of “if I haven’t heard by Tuesday at 3 I’ll assume your a 28 inch waste and want to read on Christmas Day” but then I depends on you being happy to cut of your nose to spite your face (like me).

Yes, BFF was fully aware of the background – he knows I’m doing costume for this play and why I want to know. He also wants a particular tshirt for his birthday…. At this rate, I’ll buy him the small and let him get on with it.

For those of you who say I should have phoned. Well, my BFF and I email each other pretty much on a daily basis, but he just chooses not to answer the question. Yes, I send him pictures of kitten and cats…. And he sends them to me too. Since I’ve asked the question, I’ve had several emails from him and not one word in reply to the question. That’s what’s pissing me off.

As for the person at Church, I don’t have a phone number, so email is my only option, unless I see them. I was going to leave them off the list but bumped into them the Sunday before Chrismas.

Personally I agree with Josquirrel – my DM had a genius for ringing me at just the wrong moment: when I was at the checkout in the supermarket, on the loo or just as I stepped into a deadspot.