Voicemail

A new book, "How Not to Act Old," by Pamela Redmond Satran is climbing the ranks of the Amazon humor section. I've read it and like most humor, there's a lot of truth behind its snarky advice and tips for middled aged folks who are starting to feel like they "just don't get those young people." Satran dissects and contrasts the habits of the old (basically, anyone over 40) with those of their children (or those young enough to be their children) decoding everything from the way different groups use technology (old people leave voicemails; young people assume people will see a missed call and return it), to the way they use language (old people smoke pot; young people call it weed); and even attitudes towards bikini waxing (fodder for a whole mini chapter).

As someone who has been working long enough to remember wearing pantyhose to my first two jobs as a lawyer (yes, I'm that old) and who now wonders whether I can get away with wearing leggings to a professional event, I appreciated Satran's take on how not to act old at work.

I asked her for some customized tips for readers who want to appear a little younger in their use of technology in their careers. Here's what she had to say Read More »

For those of us who still use a telephone for talking—as opposed to strictly texting—leaving the perfect voice mail message requires one part tact and two parts tone. A misplaced punctuation mark can mean the difference between desperation, "Call me back!" and a simple direction, "Call me back."

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