HOW DO YOU END AN EMAIL THREAD . . . ?

Product Details

When someone writes “thanks” in response to my email, do I write “my pleasure” and require them to open yet another correspondence? Or do I allow the thread to end with their thanks and risk seeming rude?  I try to take into account my hierarchal position relative to my correspondent.

For instance, let’s say I’m exchanging emails with a literary agent, who has read some of my essays, and we plan to meet me for lunch to discuss publishing possibilities.

We go back and forth and I say I’ve reserved a table at LaLaLa and he writes, “See you there, thanks.”  Do I write back to say “You’re welcome?”  That may be annoying to him.  Yet, do I need to let him know I received his affirmation of the plan? No one wants to open unnecessary emails.

Apparently I am not the only one who worries about how to end an email thread. My friend Annie emailed Jeff, asking him to send her a financial document.

Jeff writes back “Sure.”

Annie replies, “Thanks.”

Jeff writes back, “Sure.”

Annie wonders whether she should again write “Thanks” or “Huh?”Product Details

As if that’s not hard enough, let’s look at the obstacles of ending a chat with one my 20-something daughters.  On video Skype, I can’t hang up first. On a voice call, ok, but there I am looking at one of my peach pies and I can’t just blank her out.  She has to be the one to disconnect.

Saying good-bye on online chats without video simply has no limit. Below is a Skype instant message conversation with one of my kids. No need to read it all, just scroll down to get the idea.

ME:

13:32:17

sure–love you

DAUGHTER:

13:32:20

hopefully i’ll get a keyboard soon, anticipating that

DAUGHTER:

13:32:29

LOVE YOUUUUUU

ME:

13:32:32

that’s so exciteing!!!!

ME:

13:32:38

love youuuuuu!!!!

ME:

13:32:42

XO!!!!

DAUGHTER:

13:32:46

love you

ME:

13:32:52

gnite

DAUGHTER:

13:32:55

promise talk to you tomorrow

DAUGHTER:

13:32:56

night

DAUGHTER:

13:32:57

love oyu

ME:

13:33:03

love uyo

DAUGHTER:

13:33:08

i’ll tel you all about my fab new years eve

DAUGHTER:

13:33:11

<3

ME:

13:33:15

YES!!!!

DAUGHTER:

13:33:16

byeee

ME:

13:33:19

byeee

DAUGHTER:

13:33:56

\(^o^)/

DAUGHTER:

13:33:57

hahahah

DAUGHTER:

13:34:00

byeeee

ME:

13:34:06

:) BYEEE

DAUGHTER:

13:34:15

(that was happy hug face)

ME:

13:34:24

awww

DAUGHTER:

13:34:27

with arms up

DAUGHTER:

13:34:28

ahhahah

It’s me again, Dear Blog Reader.  I must have been in an awful hurry because I thought I was always the last one to say byee.

Byeee :)

LOTS ABOUT MARRIAGE, RELATIONSHIPS AND MORE IN MY NEW MEMOIR . . .

Confessions of a Worrywart: Husbands, Lovers, Mothers, and Others                                                  Check it out on Amazon.com, Kindle, and Smashwords

“wit and grit”

Leave a Reply to Joan Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *