Winnie the Pooh: [laughs] My tummy rumbled. Now then – come on, let’s go home.
Piglet: But Pooh, do you know the way?
Winnie the Pooh: No, Piglet, but I’ve got twelve pots of honey in my cupboard, and they’ve been calling to my tummy.
Piglet: They have?
Winnie the Pooh: Yes, Piglet. I couldn’t hear them before because Rabbit would talk. I think I know where they’re calling from, so come on. We’ll just follow my tummy.
From “The House at Pooh Corner”
“I couldn’t hear them before because Rabbit would talk.”
I know I’m not the only one, but over the last few weeks I’ve started getting emails from businesses and companies that I haven’t heard from in weeks, months or years. For some reason all these people feel the need to “say something.” Sure, for businesses it might be a winery saying that they were closing their tasting room, or the grocery store announcing shortened hours. But if that’s all there is, that’s all they need to say! But instead of “We’re Closed” they have to say something like “we care about our customers and understand that in this difficult time blah blah blah.”
I get that a crisis provides a good opportunity to remind customers that they are still around, but I don’t think an email from a spice shop in Blowing Rock that I’m not even sure I’ve been to is going to make me say, “honey, let’s drive up to that cute little spice shop in Blowing Rock and stock up on some of that Adobo seasoning we like.” On the other hand, there isn’t anything else to do….
It just seems to me like a little bit of piling on. If you want to send me an email when you open, that would be great, thanks! But, if you happen to be having trouble with your X-Rite software, we sympathize. If you happen to be driving through Sanibel, Florida, stop by, even though we’re only doing take out. But no one is offering to bring me toilet paper….
I feel better now, thanks! 🙂
Oh, the photo is a series of “tree portraits” that I took in Hilton Head a few years ago. The tree was just outside our condo, and I took multiple photos of it over the course of a week. These 5 are printed on individual pieces of wood and hang in our bedroom. My only “installation.” 😉
Yes, I’ve seen the emails, also. This past summer when I attended the workshop in Colorado Springs I found quaint coffee shop and have been getting emails letting me know they are still making coffees but no sitting arrangements. An Southwest Airlines has bugged me almost everyday the past 2 weeks. Actually offering some good prices but I ain’t interested at this time. And, like you no offers to give away toilet paper.
I think one of the emails I got was from a place in Fort Collins. Might have been Mugs but I forget.
I am looking forward to those cheap airfares when the time comes, but I’m not holding my breath.
Pooh, my all time favourite philosopher
I don’t give out my email to stores so other than my insurance company and my pool guy I have been fortunate in avoiding such emails. My wife on the other hand, well, let’s just say she’s getting a daily dose
Great idea with the tree photographs Tom. I imagine they must look great printer on wood.
I’ve been weeding them out as they come, but I thought I had done a pretty good job until this latest influx.
The photos do look really nice. The wood grain comes through and they give a bit of texture and warmth to the photos. It’s more decor that way but looks good and – most importantly to my wife/decorator – goes with the furniture. 😉