I am so sorry, Karl.

"unwrap the kimono" sounds both sexist and rascist, even if it isn't. How about unwrap the HoHo or something? I love to unwrap my Ho Hos and eat each layer separately.

Still haven't seen Blonde...

But I'm not giving my fancard back.

Well, now I want a HoHo.

ita, you don't have to see all of Blonde! Even just the kimono scene is enough.

Karl, I am very sorry for your loss.

I don't think being a telemarketer means you should be treated badly, but I also don't think it means I have to listen.

This. After two polite no-thank-yous from me, if they keep pushing, I say, "Good-bye," and hang up.

I pretty much interrupt their initial spiel, say "No, thank you" politely, and hang up. Not to be a dick, but because I figure it's their job, and I'm clearly not going to make them a sale, so the faster they can move on to another call that might make them a sale, the more odds they have of succeeding.

I pretty much interrupt their initial spiel, say "No, thank you" politely, and hang up. Not to be a dick, but because I figure it's their job, and I'm clearly not going to make them a sale, so the faster they can move on to another call that might make them a sale, the more odds they have of succeeding.

This is my reasoning as well. Though I'll admit hanging up on people is less satisfying now that I have a touchscreen phone.

That's my reasoning, and I've been a telemarketer. It's only embarrassing on that side because you don't know they've hung up half the time, so you keep going in your spiel. So I say "I'm going to hang up now, thanks" first.

I recall getting a telemarketer call several years ago where the person was obviously reading a script with my first name peppered throughout. He mispronounced my first name something like 30 times during his fast-paced spiel. I do not have a name that is difficult to pronounce. 2 syllables (3 if I want to be fancy). I have never had anyone mispronounce it unless they were not a native English speaker or were really small children. It would be like mispronouncing Heather or Melissa.

Not this guy. I actually listened to his whole spiel because by the 5th different mispronunciation, I had to hear the rest. I was openly laughing 30 seconds in.

For ita (don't know if you've seen this yet): [link]

I need networking advice. My sister is applying for a job (administrative assistant at a magazine). A friend of mine from high school is art director of a sister magazine and used to work on this magazine.

It seems obvious that I should get in touch with the high school friend - but what do I ask her for?

damn Polgara. where can I get one?