The good and bad of feedback
We are more than a week into the new year. Have you made any resolutions?
I don’t usually bother. I do, however, like to have things “in order” to start the new year. I also think it’s a good time to tweak some things that perhaps have become a little stale over time.
I’ve been writing on this page for three years now. I love the feedback I get and it often becomes fodder for my columns.
To that end, earlier this week, I asked you to tell me what you wanted to see more of on the Weather Page; it is, after all, your weather page. Results from the Twitter poll mirror those compiled from the e-mails that filled my inbox.
I’m not sure if the call-to-action led to the phone call that came to the newsroom, but let’s just say someone had a burr under his saddle.
I hesitated but decided to get to the bottom of the lengthy and somewhat hurtful message the caller left on our newsroom’s voice mail.
I caught the gentlemen off guard. I don’t think he expected a callback. We discussed everything from the “gaudy photos” to the “ridiculous maps”; at one point he made some comment about “Grandma sucking on eggs.” I let that go.
A few minutes into the call, I discovered the complainant was very interested in weather patterns and our shared interest seemed to diffuse the situation.
While I love corresponding with you, not all conversations are Hallmark moments.
A while back, I received this email from a reader. It made me chuckle and so I thought I would share it with you.
“What the deuce is a “Futurecast?” Does it have a meaning different from the forecast?
“I am not against change if it improves the status quo. This tacky improvised word improves nothing. It is longer, is three syllables instead of two, takes longer to read and speak, takes up more space on paper, therefore more trees are cut down and more bleach and other chemicals on the environment. Doesn’t fewer trees mean more CO2 in the atmosphere?
“This reminds me of my father (1904-1986). He used the term “probs” until the day he died. ‘ What are the probs for tomorrow?’ he would ask. I think I can guess the word from which “probs” is derived. Can you? I am currently passing through threequarters of a century on this terrestrial sphere (apropos of nothing).
From a faithful fan in Alexandra, P.E.I.”
Long ago, I learned that it is impossible to please everyone with a weather forecast. I only hope that you enjoy the content of the weather page and always feel that you are an important part of it.