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Subject:What makes a good technical writer From:Brian Martin <martin -at- SODALIA -dot- IT> Date:Wed, 28 Apr 1999 09:37:15 +0200
Does being a good technical communicator have anything to do with the ability to eat spaghetti at a formal lunch without ruining a silk tie or blouse?
1. Grasp fork and hold nimbly betwixt the fingers.
2. Insert fork into the spagetti selecting only the amount that will likely remain on the fork after twirling and that will also fit into your mouth without messing up your face.
3. Lift spaghetti slightly examining strands for signs of excessive interweaving. (See alternate Interweaving Procedures in case of doubt.)
4. Continue lifting if strands move freely until nearly liberated from spaghetti remaining in dish.
5. Lower spaghetti into dish.
6. Twirl fork slowly maintaining minimal pressure. Avoid gathering additional strands from the spagetti not liberated in Step 4.
7. Examine twirled strands for indications that the estimations in Step 2 are true. (See alternate Argh Procedures in case of negative indications.)
8. Raise fork in horizontal position quickly and smoothly, watching for signs of slippage.
9. Insert fork in opened mouth.
10. Close mouth. It should not be necessary in most cases to bite off strands of spaghetti during this step.
11. Chew.
12. Swallow.
13. Repeat.
