Oh my lord. How many times can a person apologize? Good manners would dictate dropping it, once she realized it was genuinely done in error, especially in that atmosphere. Power plays anyone?
Holy crap. I love that she labeled "Importance: High", the e-mail which says:
I REALLY want to know who told you to call me that.
I used to work in politics and there is a high level of paranoia, but this takes it to another level. Also, most political staff are smart enough not to put this kind of petty stuff in writing. It would be whispered over drinks or something.
The person who called Elizabeth "Liz" should have dropped it, certainly, but at the same time I'm grateful Elizabeth stuck to her guns. I'm always amazed at the number of people who choose their own short form immediately after meeting someone with a longish first name. It's disrespectful.
Unfortunately, I know someone who would do this. I've seen her in action. God forbid someone calls her Susan instead of Sue. And she always has to have the last word when it comes to e-mails.
I met the older not to swift brother of my old college roomate who was trying to make it as an executive head hunter out of NYC. My roomate said, hey would you call Bill to see if you might be able to help him with a few contacts..I said "sure". Telephone exchange: "Hi Bill this is Eric, Mark said you would like to talk about some contacts."
Willy-wonkanator: (Louder still preturbed) "It's William"...(silence)
Me: "F*** u...Dick. Good luck with that."... With that I hung up.
Fast forward to a intimate gathering of friends for happy hour...a three sided conversation with the roomate, my girlfriend and Ex college roomate...up walks Billy...
Ex roomate: "This is my brother Bill."
Dill-dork: "William"...silence.
My girlfriend: "Oh Bill I heard all about you... Maybe you might decide whether it's more important to be called 'William' or to have people not think you're a pud."
Small people insist on these issues of control to be resolved in their favor....I love finding them and making them squirm...I know I'm bad.
Billbo didn't cut it in the head hunter game...wonder why.
Clearly, the portion of her brain that's dedicated to "Liz" and "Elizabeth" is electrically arching, shorting-out, or is a quart low on neural transmitter fluids.
OMG. What an uptight bitch. Sounds like she needs to get laid or at the very least have a nice glass of wine.
P.S. I'm "just" Beth -- not Elizabeth or Liz. In fact, all my teachers in school used to ask that very question so I eventually declared my first name as "Just" and my middle name as "Beth."
I know it's annoying to be called by a nickname you don't like, but shouldn't she be putting professionalism first? In a business that's all about relationships, you have to let the occasional unintended (and sometimes even intended) insult slide. I hope and presume that her boss has had that conversation with her by now.
Business acquaintances frequently call me Jan, for some reason. I just smile and say "It's Jane." They apologize, and I say "Don't worry, it happens all the time." Because it's no big deal; they can call me Jim if they like, as long as they are polite about it.
Okay, he probably hit her at the crossroads of bitch and shitstorm, but I still think it is beyond rude to start addressing people by any name of your own choosing. Especially in a professional situation. You start calling them Bill or Billy or Mac or Buddy when they ask you to, not because you heard a friend call them that.
My proper name is Sandra, but everyone calls me Sandy at home and at work.
After several years at the same newspaper, everyone assumed Sandy was my name. I received business cards printed with the name Sandy, my email profile said Sandy, and my magnetic name tag almost went through with the name Sandy on it.
I felt it wasn't professional enough, so each time I had them sent back and reprinted.
Wow. I would never make it if I were that wound up. No one gets "Laurel" right the first time around. Lauren, Laurie, Lori, even an occasional Loreal.
Maybe her script ran out over the weekend.
Moral of the story: Be careful what you put on the Internet. You never know when it will be circulated for the whole world to laugh at you and your neuroses.
Moral of the story: Be careful what you put on the Internet. You never know when it will be circulated for the whole world to laugh at you and your neuroses.
A joke between me and my husband is that we never do anything that would get us laughed at by the entire Internet if we died doing it. If the Fark.com headline gets tagged with the "dumbass" label, I want to make sure it's not my name on the other side of the click.
Whoa. I just got around to reading this. It makes me wonder what kind of skeletons she has in her closet to make her so prickly ... and so reactive to nicknames. Very strange. I tried googling to find out if there was a phobia for nicknames, but no luck.
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It provides for a good laugh, though.
ReplyDeleteOh my lord. How many times can a person apologize? Good manners would dictate dropping it, once she realized it was genuinely done in error, especially in that atmosphere. Power plays anyone?
ReplyDeleteIt made me laugh, but mostly in disbelief.
I'm not sure if it's what she said or that she just kept saying it! I love the conspiracy element too: "who told you to call me Liz?"
ReplyDeleteHoly crap. I love that she labeled "Importance: High", the e-mail which says:
ReplyDeleteI REALLY want to know who told you to call me that.
I used to work in politics and there is a high level of paranoia, but this takes it to another level. Also, most political staff are smart enough not to put this kind of petty stuff in writing. It would be whispered over drinks or something.
Jan, This story is incredible.
ReplyDeleteWait, you do go by "Jan," right?
The person who called Elizabeth "Liz" should have dropped it, certainly, but at the same time I'm grateful Elizabeth stuck to her guns. I'm always amazed at the number of people who choose their own short form immediately after meeting someone with a longish first name. It's disrespectful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a psycho! Should someone with that kind of paranoia be working in our government? I've met 4th graders who were more mature.
ReplyDeletetakes all kinds... still
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh! Sensitive much?! Maybe I should try pulling that every time someone gets MY name wrong!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I know someone who would do this. I've seen her in action. God forbid someone calls her Susan instead of Sue. And she always has to have the last word when it comes to e-mails.
ReplyDeleteI met the older not to swift brother of my old college roomate who was trying to make it as an executive head hunter out of NYC. My roomate said, hey would you call Bill to see if you might be able to help him with a few contacts..I said "sure". Telephone exchange: "Hi Bill this is Eric, Mark said you would like to talk about some contacts."
ReplyDeleteBillybobb: (preturbed, curt) "It's William"...(silence)
Me: huh?
Willy-wonkanator: (Louder still preturbed) "It's William"...(silence)
Me: "F*** u...Dick. Good luck with that."... With that I hung up.
Fast forward to a intimate gathering of friends for happy hour...a three sided conversation with the roomate, my girlfriend and Ex college roomate...up walks Billy...
Ex roomate: "This is my brother Bill."
Dill-dork: "William"...silence.
My girlfriend: "Oh Bill I heard all about you... Maybe you might decide whether it's more important to be called 'William' or to have people not think you're a pud."
Small people insist on these issues of control to be resolved in their favor....I love finding them and making them squirm...I know I'm bad.
Billbo didn't cut it in the head hunter game...wonder why.
Incredible. Wow! Her self-importance takes the cake. The conspiracy angle emphasizes how deep the crazy goes.
ReplyDeleteI can think of a few things to call her besides Liz. And "Unemployed" might be one that comes to mind first. Well...second!
ReplyDeleteClearly, the portion of her brain that's dedicated to "Liz" and "Elizabeth" is electrically arching, shorting-out, or is a quart low on neural transmitter fluids.
ReplyDeleteHaste yee back ;-)
XXX demonstrated the classic 'customer service' response, apologizing over and over again. That was so fun to read.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter hated being called Liz since she was a toddler. Now that Liz Lemon is on the scene, she doesn't hate it. As much...
OMG. What an uptight bitch. Sounds like she needs to get laid or at the very least have a nice glass of wine.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm "just" Beth -- not Elizabeth or Liz. In fact, all my teachers in school used to ask that very question so I eventually declared my first name as "Just" and my middle name as "Beth."
I know it's annoying to be called by a nickname you don't like, but shouldn't she be putting professionalism first? In a business that's all about relationships, you have to let the occasional unintended (and sometimes even intended) insult slide. I hope and presume that her boss has had that conversation with her by now.
ReplyDeleteBusiness acquaintances frequently call me Jan, for some reason. I just smile and say "It's Jane." They apologize, and I say "Don't worry, it happens all the time." Because it's no big deal; they can call me Jim if they like, as long as they are polite about it.
Okay, he probably hit her at the crossroads of bitch and shitstorm, but I still think it is beyond rude to start addressing people by any name of your own choosing. Especially in a professional situation.
ReplyDeleteYou start calling them Bill or Billy or Mac or Buddy when they ask you to, not because you heard a friend call them that.
By the way, my friends call me "Shauna".
My proper name is Sandra, but everyone calls me Sandy at home and at work.
ReplyDeleteAfter several years at the same newspaper, everyone assumed Sandy was my name. I received business cards printed with the name Sandy, my email profile said Sandy, and my magnetic name tag almost went through with the name Sandy on it.
I felt it wasn't professional enough, so each time I had them sent back and reprinted.
At least I was nice about it.
Wow. I would never make it if I were that wound up. No one gets "Laurel" right the first time around. Lauren, Laurie, Lori, even an occasional Loreal.
ReplyDeleteMaybe her script ran out over the weekend.
Moral of the story: Be careful what you put on the Internet. You never know when it will be circulated for the whole world to laugh at you and your neuroses.
Moral of the story: Be careful what you put on the Internet. You never know when it will be circulated for the whole world to laugh at you and your neuroses.
ReplyDeleteA joke between me and my husband is that we never do anything that would get us laughed at by the entire Internet if we died doing it. If the Fark.com headline gets tagged with the "dumbass" label, I want to make sure it's not my name on the other side of the click.
Well, now she's done it -- everyone will call her "Liz" for the rest of her life!
ReplyDeleteWhatever other choice words we might call Lizzy, I believe her name is now MUD.
ReplyDeleteI've seen worst.
ReplyDeleteThere was a woman who has SERIOUS attack issues on a blog site, and she was very public about it.
Actually, it was amusing.
Whoa. I just got around to reading this. It makes me wonder what kind of skeletons she has in her closet to make her so prickly ... and so reactive to nicknames. Very strange. I tried googling to find out if there was a phobia for nicknames, but no luck.
ReplyDelete