how to live happily...

Seth Godin has a very good article (How to live happily with a great designer) - here

If you own a business, work with creatives or are a creative - take a look at his take... good stuff! I printed it out and hung it in my cube (and no, I'm not a designer, really).

fun with spammers - farmers insurance

Part 1 - Unsolicited "Career" Emails from Farmers Insurance

Here's the correspondence - after the SEVENTH email of this type I've recieved from someone at Farmers over the past 2 months - I replied with my standard Farmers Spam response.

From Farmers Agent to Me:

Dear Applicant,

We have reviewed your resume obtained from Monster.com. We offer the opportunity for you to be in business for yourself with the Nation's third largest Auto, Home, Life, Financial Services and Business insurer. Farmers will help license, train, and put you in your own Multi-Line Insurance Agency.

You may continue your present job and earn full income while training. If you would like the independence of self-employment with a major company backing you, if you desire unlimited earning potential and the ability to earn what you are worth, this could be what you have been looking for. Our standards are high but the rewards are well worth it.

Advantages of Farmers Agency Management Program:
May continue your present job while training
Complete Career Training Program
Financial assistance your first two years
Unlimited earning potential
Independence of self-employment

If you would like more information on Agency opportunities in Dallas and surrounding areas, please call, fax, or e-mail our Agency Development Center.

Sincerely,
Donny Jones
District Manager
Farmers Insurance Group
(972) 283-2996 phone
(972) 283-2006 fax
jonesfarmersins@sbcglobal.net

My standard response to Donny Jones (if that's his real name):

Eventually someone's going to turn you guys in for your bullshit spamming.

Remove me from your lists. I am now contacting Farmers Corporate office to report this, the SEVENTH email, I've gotten, unsolicited - I am also reporting you to all known agencies who deal with SPAM and CAN-SPAM laws.

Donny then responds to me:

It's not good to use profanity.

Me, to Donny "Fucktard" Jones:

It's not good to break the law and to send unsolicited email - fucktard.

"Fucktard" Jones to me:

Be sure to include a copy of this one when you contact our corporate office... I'm sure they'll be interested in your professional demeanor.

Me to Donny "Dickface" Jones:

Dear Dickface,

My email to you was neither unsolicited, nor was it in violation of any laws - US or otherwise.

So, for the last time, don't email me, you donkey raping shit eater. Further emails will be considered harassment and dealt with as such.

Thank you,
A Loyal GEICO Customer

emo jane strikes again...

Gah! Vacation was WONDERFUL! Not only was Springfield, Illinois charming - the company was even more WONDERFUL! I left Texas knowing I was about to spend the weekend with 2 dear friends, and returned with 2 best friends. That's truly heaven - not because of my gain of deeper friendships, but the giving of my friendship.

Buried a hatchet today, too. It's funny how anger and hurt can cloud your vision of what's truly important. And in that the simple sending of an email (though hard to write) - and getting one in return - a door to a dark, dank, scary place is now closed. It's replaced now with something more like a window - letting in a fresh, cool breeze. Satisfied not because I got to speak my peace, but because I now have peace.

Work is good - my last job, if you left for even a half-day, things just went CRAZY. Too many external influences... but getting back to my desk today, it was nice to find that everything was in it's place - that I had managed my responsiblities so well that nothing went nuts when I was gone. Real delight - not from knowing that I fixed things, but from knowing capabilities lied in the premeditation and planning of good projects.

I got 2 hours of comedy writing in today. I have about 5 new bits to try out with the comedy buddies on Saturday. And I have to just buckle down and DO this. NO MORE EXCUSES!!! NO MORE LAZINESS!!! I WILL GET UP THERE @ THE BACKDOOR ON THURSDAY NEXT WEEK!!! NO EXCUSES!!! I want to be gratified by my persistence to not give up - that seems better than being instantly satisfied by the lazy way out.

Better than happiness at anyone else's expense is knowing that I'm growing content in the good situations, and changing those that aren't.