BUSY BUSY BUSY

[carolynjane]

I am so frustrated! Is anybody else really tired of hearing people talk about how busy they are? It seems whenever I call someone they spend the first five minutes telling me how busy they are!

And the result is that no one is paying attention. I have sent two emails in the past hour to different people. Both responded without having read the email all the way through - so they provided incomplete or incorrect information.

It seems like people used to want everyone to know they were efficient, competent, knowledgeable, etc. Now BUSY is all that matters!

Sorry for spouting off - as I said I am SO frustrated!

 

[Kathy02]

YES, thank you! I'm trying to get ready for my sons b-day party, and I have had to call half the people to see if they are coming. I asked my DH why no one is RSVPing, and he said he read an article about the RSVP going out of style with the thank you note because people are just too buisy. Give me a break, pick up the d*mn phone and say yes or no, that's all you have to do! Ok, I'm off my soap box now. I am just annoyed, does it show?

Kathy

 

[bethmeira]

I know what you mean. What does "being busy" really mean anyway? I think if people who say they are busy really thought about how much time they sat on the couch in front of the tv, they'd find the time to return phone calls and take care of themselves.

Beth

 

[mogambo]

"Being busy" in America today means you are a good person. If you have "too much time on your hands" then you should get busy!!

In the spirit of troublemaking that I have entered today, here is something you might like to read:

http://www.newdream.org/thedream/fivethings.html

 

[Gayle]

I think sometimes people try to use "being busy" as an excuse for being rude (i.e. the RSVP).

 

[lesliew]

I think sometimes that people who are "too busy" are just "too lazy"!

 

[lesliew]

I should add that I've been guilty of that myself!

 

[maxwells]

Carolyn --

I agree with most of what everyone here has already said. It does seem that "being busy" is the "in" thing nowadays ;-)

I don't go around saying I'm busy to everyone who will listen, but I have learned that people generally accept "being busy" as a generic excuse. For example, sometimes I don't want to talk to anyone on a Thursday night in the middle of Friends. Yet, people will call me then. I actually hate talking on the phone -- so I put off returning phone calls for as long as possible, especially if it is someone I know will require a good hour of my time. So I use the "been busy" excuse and everyone is okay with it.

Now...the email thing is another story. That happens to me all the time too and I can't seem to figure out why people can't answer all the questions in a given email. How hard is it to re-read the original email and make sure you've answered all the questions? I don't think it is a busy thing. I think it is a lazy thing or, in some cases, they just don't want to answer the questions.

Just my .02,
Shonie

 

[carolynjane]

It's great to hear everyone's thoughts on this subject - glad it's something others have noticed too! I LOVE the link on FIVE THINGS. I think I'll read it every day!

 

[eminenz2]

Oh my god, the only thing WORSE than hearing about how busy someone is, is hearing how TIRED they are!

I have a friend, and whenever I talk to her, I'll be damned if one of the first three sentences out of her mouth isn't, "OH! I'm so tired and I don't know why!"

Augh!!, could you just kill me now and tell me later?

Susan L.G.

 

[lwseymour]

I read a really great book a few months ago called "The Power of a Positive Mom". It's great for any moms out there in need of encouragement. Anyway, one whole chapter is about the "women's pity party", and NOT accepting the invitation. The author talks about how women are constantly competing with each other to prove they are the busiest person on earth. Like it's gonna earn them some big reward down the road if they prove they are the busiest and the most tired. I've even left gatherings with women feeling like a loser because I only have one kid, one full time office job, one house and husband to take care of, etc.

I read that part in the book and decided that day TO NOT ACCEPT the invitation to the pity party. (Sometimes I get sloppy but most of the time I remember NOT to participate). Something about our society makes us think we have to be busy 110% of the time, never sleep, only weigh 95 lbs and never have a hair out of place. Forget that!