I'm writing a story 140 words at a time and posting the results here
daily. Can I sustain interest? Will I lose the narrative thread? Find
out in this next installment of Bullets Ain't Cheap
Sorry this installment is late, I've been busy.
poured me my first two fingers of Scotch. A good bartender knew when to shut up, and Scully was a hundred different kinds of good.
I drained another one dry and set it carefully on the bar. In my other hand I held the thumb drive Kelly had slipped me, turning it over and over. It was a talisman, holding secrets I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
I couldn’t go back to my place, Telrik had it wired like a switchboard, and since it had been dark for a while I was pretty sure the public library was closed
“Hey Scully,” I called out, my slurred words surprising me. I was pretty hammered after all. “You got a computer around here?”
I blinked, and tried to focus on the screen. Scully kept his computer in his office, as dark
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Small Business Advice
Don't mode shift your communications.
What's 'mode shifting?' That's when someone contacts you via one method, and you reply via a different method. For instance, if I leave you a voice mail message, you should call me back. Don't shift the mode to e-mail. Or, God forbid, a text. Mode shifting is an unprofessional - as well as infuriating - violation of expectations.
There is one acceptable way to mode-shift, and that is by mutual agreement. We've all had elevator conversations that have the potential to turn into real work. It's perfectly acceptable to say to the other person 'how about I e-mail you with all the details?' If that person agrees, you're good to go with changing communication modes from speaking to e-mails. Both sides know what to expect.
I would also say, generally speaking, voice mails and e-mails are the professional way to go for any agreements, as they leave a record of what the parties discussed. Avoid texting, it's far too informal to conduct business with.
Let me give you a real-world example of why you shouldn't try to conduct business via text. I know a property manager who communicates via text almost exclusively. In one instance he texted a property owner for details of how long to extend a lease to a tenant. The owner came back with '6 mths.' The property manager executed a lease extension for six months, starting the first of the next month. As is proper and normal. The owner assumed six months including the month she sent the text, which was only five months. So when she wanted to move back in to her house, the tenant still had 31 days to go on the lease. The owner had to make other living arrangements for a month, the property manager was out money, and there was headache and hassle for everyone but the tenant, who had a legal document giving him the right to stay for a month longer than the owner intended. All that could have been avoided if the property manager and owner had actually talked, or even sent verification e-mails outlining what the terms of the extension were. The take away? Texting is for kids and lovers, not for business.
What's 'mode shifting?' That's when someone contacts you via one method, and you reply via a different method. For instance, if I leave you a voice mail message, you should call me back. Don't shift the mode to e-mail. Or, God forbid, a text. Mode shifting is an unprofessional - as well as infuriating - violation of expectations.
There is one acceptable way to mode-shift, and that is by mutual agreement. We've all had elevator conversations that have the potential to turn into real work. It's perfectly acceptable to say to the other person 'how about I e-mail you with all the details?' If that person agrees, you're good to go with changing communication modes from speaking to e-mails. Both sides know what to expect.
I would also say, generally speaking, voice mails and e-mails are the professional way to go for any agreements, as they leave a record of what the parties discussed. Avoid texting, it's far too informal to conduct business with.
Let me give you a real-world example of why you shouldn't try to conduct business via text. I know a property manager who communicates via text almost exclusively. In one instance he texted a property owner for details of how long to extend a lease to a tenant. The owner came back with '6 mths.' The property manager executed a lease extension for six months, starting the first of the next month. As is proper and normal. The owner assumed six months including the month she sent the text, which was only five months. So when she wanted to move back in to her house, the tenant still had 31 days to go on the lease. The owner had to make other living arrangements for a month, the property manager was out money, and there was headache and hassle for everyone but the tenant, who had a legal document giving him the right to stay for a month longer than the owner intended. All that could have been avoided if the property manager and owner had actually talked, or even sent verification e-mails outlining what the terms of the extension were. The take away? Texting is for kids and lovers, not for business.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
140Story - Day 60
I'm writing a story 140 words at a time and posting the results here
daily. Can I sustain interest? Will I lose the narrative thread? Find
out in this next installment of Bullets Ain't Cheap
I lost my edge. Telrik was in my head now, making me doubt every decision. It’s what they intended, of course, and I knew it. But knowing didn’t make the doubt any less real.
I found my nerve at the bottom of a glass. I sat in Scully’s, I didn’t know what time it was and I didn’t particularly care. After I downed three shots within ten minutes of sitting down Scully had been rationing me. I wasn’t cut off - not completely anyway - but Scully was keeping me from the kind of blackout drunk I thought I needed.
He did his bartender chores a few feet away, leaving me to my silence. When I walked through his door hours and hours ago he hadn’t asked me any questions, he just greeted me with a nod and coarse ‘Hey, Lily,’ and
I lost my edge. Telrik was in my head now, making me doubt every decision. It’s what they intended, of course, and I knew it. But knowing didn’t make the doubt any less real.
I found my nerve at the bottom of a glass. I sat in Scully’s, I didn’t know what time it was and I didn’t particularly care. After I downed three shots within ten minutes of sitting down Scully had been rationing me. I wasn’t cut off - not completely anyway - but Scully was keeping me from the kind of blackout drunk I thought I needed.
He did his bartender chores a few feet away, leaving me to my silence. When I walked through his door hours and hours ago he hadn’t asked me any questions, he just greeted me with a nod and coarse ‘Hey, Lily,’ and
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Small Business Advice
If you have to spend your evening sitting in your office doing the books, put on some old school Bowie. Really loud. Ziggy Stardust makes accounting fun.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
140Story - Day 59
I'm writing a story 140 words at a time and posting the results here
daily. Can I sustain interest? Will I lose the narrative thread? Find
out in this next installment of Bullets Ain't Cheap
against using you as bait. It’s dishonorable to a former colleague.”
“But you did it anyway.”
He shrugged again. “Nature of the business. I think you’ll probably hear from Burton sooner rather than later. Let him know we haven’t forgotten about him.”
“I haven’t either,” I muttered.
For a moment it looked like Michaels might offer to shake hands. He thought better of it. “Good luck, Lily.”
“Go to Hell.”
With a wave he took his leave. I glanced up at the security cameras, knowing that Telrik was far from done with following me. If I was going to find out what was on the thumb drive Kelly slipped me, I’d need to slip them entirely.
Problem was, I thought I’d been free from them this entire time. But they’d played me. Played me good. I lost my nerve.
against using you as bait. It’s dishonorable to a former colleague.”
“But you did it anyway.”
He shrugged again. “Nature of the business. I think you’ll probably hear from Burton sooner rather than later. Let him know we haven’t forgotten about him.”
“I haven’t either,” I muttered.
For a moment it looked like Michaels might offer to shake hands. He thought better of it. “Good luck, Lily.”
“Go to Hell.”
With a wave he took his leave. I glanced up at the security cameras, knowing that Telrik was far from done with following me. If I was going to find out what was on the thumb drive Kelly slipped me, I’d need to slip them entirely.
Problem was, I thought I’d been free from them this entire time. But they’d played me. Played me good. I lost my nerve.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
140Story - Day 58
I'm writing a story 140 words at a time and posting the results here
daily. Can I sustain interest? Will I lose the narrative thread? Find
out in this next installment of Bullets Ain't Cheap
keep their cool, but one by one they all turned to look.
Kelly talked to the two men in suits, and cast a glance over his shoulder at me. The men nodded and led him off. The remaining Telrik stooges in the bus station abandoned all pretense and cleared out, almost a quarter of the people inside. One of them approached me, pulling back a cotton hoodie and peeling off a false mustache. He was heavyset, dark, and pale.
“Michaels,” I hissed, unable to disguise the hatred in my voice. “Or whatever your real name is.”
“Sorry for all the subterfuge,” he said, and didn’t seem sorry in the least, “but when we deal with multiple assets its best to maintain distance from the company.”
“He’ll never cooperate,” I said.
Michaels shrugged. “He already has. For the record, I argued
keep their cool, but one by one they all turned to look.
Kelly talked to the two men in suits, and cast a glance over his shoulder at me. The men nodded and led him off. The remaining Telrik stooges in the bus station abandoned all pretense and cleared out, almost a quarter of the people inside. One of them approached me, pulling back a cotton hoodie and peeling off a false mustache. He was heavyset, dark, and pale.
“Michaels,” I hissed, unable to disguise the hatred in my voice. “Or whatever your real name is.”
“Sorry for all the subterfuge,” he said, and didn’t seem sorry in the least, “but when we deal with multiple assets its best to maintain distance from the company.”
“He’ll never cooperate,” I said.
Michaels shrugged. “He already has. For the record, I argued
Thursday, July 31, 2014
140Story - Day 57
I'm writing a story 140 words at a time and posting the results here
daily. Can I sustain interest? Will I lose the narrative thread? Find
out in this next installment of Bullets Ain't Cheap
go of my hand. “I’m going to let them have me.”
“Surrender?” I gasped. That wasn’t like Kelly at all.
“I didn’t say that.”
He stood slowly, jutting his chin towards the front door. Two men stood outside, both in suits, both looking as out of place as a tiger at the South Pole. Kelly’s eyes scanned the bus station, and each time he spotted a Telrik stooge he nodded. I was gratified to see my count matched his.
He took my hand again and squeezed. “See you on the other side, sweetie.”
As he walked to the front door I pocketed the thumb drive he’d slipped me. That was Kelly, always two steps ahead.
The two Telrik stooges at the door couldn’t disguise their surprise when Kelly presented himself to them. The others in the bus station tried to
go of my hand. “I’m going to let them have me.”
“Surrender?” I gasped. That wasn’t like Kelly at all.
“I didn’t say that.”
He stood slowly, jutting his chin towards the front door. Two men stood outside, both in suits, both looking as out of place as a tiger at the South Pole. Kelly’s eyes scanned the bus station, and each time he spotted a Telrik stooge he nodded. I was gratified to see my count matched his.
He took my hand again and squeezed. “See you on the other side, sweetie.”
As he walked to the front door I pocketed the thumb drive he’d slipped me. That was Kelly, always two steps ahead.
The two Telrik stooges at the door couldn’t disguise their surprise when Kelly presented himself to them. The others in the bus station tried to
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
140Story - Day 56
I'm writing a story 140 words at a time and posting the results here
daily. Can I sustain interest? Will I lose the narrative thread? Find
out in this next installment of Bullets Ain't Cheap
did have my back. All it took was for Telrik to wait long enough, for me to let my guard down enough, to get an opening. One small gap in my attention to exploit. They took what they got and ran with it, full speed.
“I’m sorry,” I said. I meant it with all my heart.
Kelly smiled his sad little smile and clasped my hand in his. “It’s all right, Lily. Hiding out was only prolonging the inevitable. Better to take action than keep on the way I was.”
I wanted to cry. But I didn’t. “I don’t think they’ll come in here. Too many witnesses.”
“But with all these cameras they’ll be able to follow us anywhere,” Kelly said. He glanced at the ceiling. “You can bet they’ll have drones everywhere.”
“So what do we do?”
Kelly let
did have my back. All it took was for Telrik to wait long enough, for me to let my guard down enough, to get an opening. One small gap in my attention to exploit. They took what they got and ran with it, full speed.
“I’m sorry,” I said. I meant it with all my heart.
Kelly smiled his sad little smile and clasped my hand in his. “It’s all right, Lily. Hiding out was only prolonging the inevitable. Better to take action than keep on the way I was.”
I wanted to cry. But I didn’t. “I don’t think they’ll come in here. Too many witnesses.”
“But with all these cameras they’ll be able to follow us anywhere,” Kelly said. He glanced at the ceiling. “You can bet they’ll have drones everywhere.”
“So what do we do?”
Kelly let
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