Re: Pulling my hair out (fwd)

[Karla Kitalong <kitalong -at- MTU -dot- EDU>]

Kimberley Lackey <97372509 -at- WSUVM1 -dot- CSC -dot- WSU -dot- EDU> wrote, in response
to Shelley's frustration with helping her boyfriend with
his resume,

> Comments: To: technical writers list <techwr-l -at- vm1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu>

> ... After many
> long nights of fighting with my husband over the "right" way to write things I
> have finally come to the conclusion that the only way to be happy is to give
> all the help you can and leave it up to him to use it or not.

I agree with this statement. I have worked with many computer
programmers who insisted on arguing every comma with me. I
told them that, if asked, I would give my opinion on their
memos, reports, and proposals, but unless my name was going
on the document, I did not choose to argue about the suggested
changes. They could take them or leave them. If pressed, I
would explain why I thought my suggestion was better than
what they had written, but I would not impose my will on
them unless I was ultimately accountable for the content of
the document. Whether or not their projects succeeded, I
always had plenty to do.

Of course, the outcome of Shelley's boyfriend's resume will
presumably have a direct and long-term effect on her future. :)

kk
--
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Karla Saari Kitalong              kitalong -at- mtu -dot- edu
Department of Humanities
Michigan Technological U.
1400 Townsend Drive           "One needs to study what kind of
Houghton, MI 49931             body the new society needs."
(906)487-3262                   - Foucault, _Power/Knowledge_
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