Yes, I'm Still an Email Guy: Communicate How People Want to Be Communicated With
Sunday Scaries? How About the Holiday Scaries?
I'm about to take two days 'off' from work, perfectly timed when everyone else is returning after their ‘long winter’s nap’—otherwise known as Rot Week.
Rot Week is the best! I’d never heard it called that before, but it’s spot on. For years, I worked at the Mighty Mighty BossTones' Hometown Throwdown (RIP) between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It was the perfect gig—paid just about what I had budgeted for Christmas presents, plus I got to visit and work with some of my closest friends in the holiday spirit. Good times! If you find yourself in moments like these, savor them because before you know it, they’ll be gone!
House of Blues Boston, 2015. Dresses as Mitch from The Rat. Photo by JR of Less Than Jake (Santa)
I used to be a victim of the Sunday Scaries. That dreaded time when knowledge workers brace for the stress of what's to come. It’s not about the moment in front of you—ideally, that’s a premium HBO series like The Penguin or The Sopranos. No, this suffering is far from Zen-like. Instead, it's a looming dread: What fresh hell will hit you at 8:00 AM Monday morning? Who will hijack the weekly standup with bad news? What urgent "emergency" will wrench your carefully curated schedule, turning your time blocks into an impossible Jenga tower?
How did I escape this panic room? It's probably a balance of stoicism and The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F. Though I wish I could say that’s the whole truth. I work seven days a week as a freelancer, so there are no actual "days off." But this agreed-upon Rot Week has been a welcome break. I’m even playing video games. My gaming knowledge is stuck in my adolescence, and despite dropping a premium on the G.I. Joe Playstation game, I never managed to finish it. I’m a Tetris guy at heart, but it's Monopoly Go! lately (friend me - MGO9458SVA8J) and some mindless half-gambling Solitaire game on my phone that’s helping me unwind.
Something tells me this more recent game is more my speed…
I’ll admit I’m also feeling a bit anxious about my upcoming surgery. After dealing with a lingering pandemic-related health issue, I finally get new teeth on Monday! So this week, my Sunday Scaries have been overtaken by the anticipation of a major dental procedure. I think that’s justified, right? On doctor’s orders, I’ll be staying offline until Wednesday—looks like I'm introducing a new concept: Tuesday Scaries!
Everyone has their preferred way of communicating. Some production managers prefer text messages for critical show info, while others like Facebook Messenger for formal booking inquiries. They not like us.
After more than two decades in the business of life, email is still the reigning champion. Maybe you’re reading this Substack in your inbox—well done! You get it! Sure, I’ll connect with people on Messenger to catch up or ask how they’re doing, but beyond that, if you want to reach me, email is the way to go. I promise I’ll see it. As for those other methods? I might not see your message, or it could be too late by the time I do. My monkey brain is trained to check email once an hour—even when I’m not technically "working." Thanks to my filters and UNROLL (link), I can quickly sift through the noise and understand what matters.
When the DMs turn to business talk because I have a lot of friends who are friends in real life and people I do business with. I say: ‘Let’s take this to email’ and send mine over - (claynferno@gmail.com).
Email: My preferred manner of communication. Searchable, discoverable, and always on (during my working hours).
Instant Messaging & SMS: Most of my messaging apps are on Do Not Disturb. I’ll get back to you when I can. Unless we meet outside the movie theatre or for some pizza, and one of us gets there first.
Tone: The Key & Peele sketch below is one of my favorites! No one knows what is going on in other people’s lives. Remember, EMPATHIZE, EMBRACE THE EXPERIENCE, WE ARE ALL FLOATING IN SPACE.
I mostly text and instant message with peers my age, so I take a simple “Thanks.” as genuine gratitude, not a passive-aggressive jab. (For those looking quizzically, check out one of the many articles about context, punctuation, capitalization, and Generational Texting.
Recently, I was scrolling through some hilarious emoji-filled Venmo comments while sending my niece money for her birthday. Let me tell you, I died laughing on the drive home from NH that night. I'd share some of the transaction history that had me in stitches, but hey—this is a family show! Let’s just say the digital native generation has truly mastered turning Venmo’s little-known comment section into a comedic goldmine. The emoji and text combination rivals the absurdity and sentence structure of Gorey and Dr. Seuss.
And remember, no matter what day of the week it is, some things are scary.
Edward Gorey - Some Things Are Scary. I hope I don’t get such colorful teeth!
Here are some of my famous signoffs. One of them was one I learned on a tour bus from the singer for one of the biggest bands out of Boston, The Dropkick Murphys.
“Thanks so much,”
“All the best,”
“Looking forward to it,”
and, of course,
“Sorry and Ashamed,”
Clay N. Ferno
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Clay Fernald / Clay N. Ferno, Boston MA
m: +1 (617) 233-8324
claynferno.com | Social: @claynferno
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