Comments for The Minimal List

Comment on Skin by Olga Cabrero Vall

Olga Cabrero Vall — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:28:00 +0000

I love this book. It also left a mark on me. The way Atticus parents it’s the same he serves his profession, it’s a reflection of his life.

Comment on Caring by Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:59:00 +0000

We’re off to see the Wizard…..do you think he could help!?

Maybe it helps that arts organisations aren’t huge corporations. Though @mistergough would probably say that even in huge corporations it’s possible to have great customer service. Wizard of Oz sounds fab. We are, as it happens, planning a journey of self discovery. We’re selling up and disappearing in a camper van

Comment on Caring by Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:50:00 +0000

Hi Teri. Thanks for your help. I guess what I’m wishing for is a world in which I don’t have to jump through all those hoops to get the help I want. I just want to ring and speak to someone who can fix the problem. Simple! Or not…I imagine in reality I’ll be doing exactly what you describe!

Comment on Caring by Julian Davies

Julian Davies — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:14:00 +0000

I understand the feelings and pent up rage completely. However, we have just had the opposite experience. Having bought theatre tickets for us and our grand daughter to see The Wizard of Oz at the Palladium as a Christmas Present we discovered 3 days before the proposed trip that the tickets delivered were for December 8 (already passed) not January 8.

Two helpful and understanding phone calls later our unused tickets were posted back and an email confirmation arrived as promised (in fact it was promised after 1 pm on the day that the tickets were received – but it was through by 11.50) to say that we had comparable seats on the January 8.

No fuss 100% customer care of the kind that we have always attempted to offer in all our business activities, two relieved grandparents and a very very happy granddaughter..

Perhaps the difference is in the sector – the arts industry is perhaps more human or attracts workers – even in customer care – who enjoy dealing with other people. Who knows, there must be research into this area?

Anyway, after all that The Wizard of Oz was spectacular – set, costumes and actors all magnificent – And perhaps the pursuit of a simple solution to a problem (like yours with the phone company) is in truth a journey of self discovery – lets hope so anyway (oh Toto…….)

Comment on Caring by Teri Pittman

Teri Pittman — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:15:00 +0000

Most call centers don’t allow outgoing calls. And many companies outsource customer service, so the person you talked to doesn’t have a vested interest in what happens.

Call back and insist on talking to a supervisor. Be very polite and firm but insist on it. Let them know that you’ve made multiple calls and the issue is not being resolved. When you get the supervisor, give her your number and tell her you want to be called back if the call drops. Supervisors can usually do that. If the supervisor doesn’t resolve it, ask to speak to the next person up.

Comment on Myths by Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:08:00 +0000

Hi Jules. Looking back at this post I did worry that it was a bit of a rant so thanks for commenting! “Personal choice” is a good way to put it.

Comment on Myths by Jules

Jules — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:25:00 +0000

I completely agree…it’s sad that there are so many people who feel the need to cause issues around how people choose to live their lives. I’m not someone who did well at living alone but I know plenty of wonderful people who are ace at it….I’m pretty good at co-habiting as it turns out as are many other lovely folks I know…..it’s all personal choice at the end of the day and people need to maybe remember the “personal” part of that….it’s nowt to do with anyone else!

Comment on Layers by theminimallist

theminimallist — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:01:46 +0000

We're not talking about anything of significant historical interest!

Comment on Trust by theminimallist

theminimallist — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:24:01 +0000

Hi. It's so interesting how things are done in different cultures. I think we westerners are quite unusual on a global scale in putting our children in separate beds and especially in separate rooms. I did in fact give up more often than not and have my first daughter in bed with us but the struggle to do otherwise was what was stressful and the feeling I was doing the wrong thing by giving in. It's interesting that western men married to Japanese women often insist on following their culture and not the one they are living in!

I've only ever met about three others Naomis here my whole life!

Thanks for reading.

Comment on Trust by Brit in Japan

Brit in Japan — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:57:09 +0000

Interesting post. I'm a British man married to a Japanese lady and have been living in Japan for a long time—we have a young daughter, and attitudes to raising children are of course rather different from the UK. The kids sleeping with the parents until they are about 6 is the norm, and to force them to sleep in a different room at such a young age is considered cruel. So it is interesting—for me—to sometimes question my own cultural beliefs, and to see how deep they run. Among the western men married to Japanese women, maybe half insist that their kids sleep separately from birth, and the other half (myself included) do things the way they are done here in Japan, although our daughter decided she wanted to sleep on her own when she turned 4. At the end of the day, you have to trust your own judgement, even when surrounded by numerous dissenting opinions. Incidentally, “Naomi” is a very Japanese name…