Admittedly too much time on my hands today between forays to comply with the shoveling ordinance, but here goes: Is anybody else annoyed by the Mayor’s consistent use of P.S., P.P.S., P.P.P.S., P.P.P.PS., and yes (today), even P.P.P.P.P.S. in her weekly updates? I was always taught that a post-scriptum is something you think of after the main text has already been written. In the old days, or even the days of typewritten letters, you would have already written your closing lines, signed the letter, and then you thought of something you had meant to say or that might enhance your main point or that might offer a tangential thought. You would employ a P.S. to create that addendum.
In contrast, with electronic writing such as emails and blog posts, you can always go back and add the extra text in the main body. So in the update context, they feel to me either like forms of click bait or just an indication of poor planning for the main text.
My wife would agree with you 100%
P.S. She’s mentioned it several times.
P.P.S. Like, a lot.
Yes, you’re absolutely right.
You do have too much time on your hands ;-)
It’s almost as annoying as her excessive photo ops and her ever present self-congratulatory tone.
Pleased I got _something_ right, @Jerry!
I don’t find Mayor Fuller’s use of the P.S. etc. etc. problematic. As a communication devise, if it effectively and easily for the reader, conveys what’s intended (even if breaking from the old norms) that seems fine. The Mayor’s device here makes it easy to quickly read the major topic heads in the body of the Update (leaving it to the reader if there is desire to go into, and to what extent, depth under those topic heads). Then, the P.S. items are like less major/more immediate in terms of time matters — easily separated from the major items, there again, making it easy for the reader quickly to discern. All presented in a friendly person-to-person way.
P.S. Even if the Mayor was aware WHILE (which is likely the case) writing the main text of her intent to include the P.S. items, her putting them afterwards conveys an easily/quickly discerned kind of substantive categorical difference between the two (the main text titles and the lesser scope immediate items).
P.P.S. Maybe this comment shows I’ve got too much time on my hands as well.
I’m not sure if the Mayor writes these updates herself or edits them? The P.P.P.S annoys me as well. P.S. okay, maybe even P.P.S. But anything more is just silly.
Did anyone notice that today’s update listed the address for the integrated preschool as an office next to Garden Remedies? I guess when you live on the south side it is easy to confuse Watertown and Washington Street. Same thing!
Wow – I’m agreeing with Jim a lot more than usual lately. His explanation is what I was thinking about but didn’t have enough time on my hand to write. :)
Meredith,
I’m retired.
It’s a south side thing. The people of the north don’t do that.
Newtonwer,
I’m 70 years old. (I have more time; I used to take time and run 5 miles 5 times a week, until my knees went; then I free-style swam a mile 5 times a week until my rotator cuff went; so now I’ve got V14, I guess until my mind goes.)
Ha – I laughed out loud when I read the title of this post, knowing exactly what you were going to say. She’s the only person in modern times I’ve ever seen do this. I think she’s trying to make it her trademark. I find it surprisingly endearing. I will say I like the updates she sends – she has a conversational tone that is easy to understand so I overlook the Ppppps’s.
I think it’s endearing and I appreciate that she writes so many updates worth reading. I’ve never known more about what’s happening in our city government.
I find it annoying, and not an example to students of how to prepare, draft, edit, revise and proof a letter/paper. Would Newton’s teacher’s allow the same student to do a PS, a PPS and a PPPS on every paper?
I also find her photo a publicity stunt. While I enjoy reading the actual content, I think there should be a photo of city hall, or sites of Newton, and not just the mayor’s photo. Just my two cents.
Mildly annoying, but not nearly as annoying as the rampant, judgemental sanctimony to be found here.
Since I obviously have too much time on my hands, I’m commenting on this thread.
I find it mildly annoying, but then I’m a grammar nerd, along with being several other kinds of nerds. She could easily bullet these things instead so I agree with Kristin that she seems to be making it her trademark style.
I am more annoyed with her subject line. In her regular newsletters, which I’m happy to receive, she generally only has one topic on the subject line – even if several other worthy topics are covered. Many who receive her newsletter don’t read it if the topic on the subject line isn’t one they are interested in. I know the above because, for some reason I don’t understand, residents reach out to me to complain about issue updates or meetings they missed because they didn’t read the whole thing. People don’t seem to learn from their mistakes any more since after missing an item, they still are not just opening the e-mail to at least scan it.
P.S. Things in common with Jim – I’m 70 years old, I’m semi-retired, over the last few years, I have had to give up many active pursuits such as playing competitive tennis – first my rotator cuff in my serving arm – but that was fixed good as new – and then everything went downhill from there.
P.P.S A very nice kid cleared the sidewalk in front of my house. By the time I got dressed to go out to thank him, he was gone. I don’t know who it was, so I’m thanking him here!!
P.P.P.S. I am glad the snow stopped because it’s dangerous to be on the roads but I really love watching the snow coming down – until I don’t and head to Key West.
Well this thread certainly feeds all the stereotypes about Village 14 that I hear from all those folks who claim to never read it and certainly wouldn’t be caught commenting here. (Can they be stereotypes if they’re also true?)
What I find annoying is that the mayor has so many things to tell us about because our former paper of record has entirely absolved itself of any responsibility covering Newton. Our city council took two of its biggest votes of the year Monday — Webster Woods and Northland — without a single mention in today’s paper. Really?
Greg, Jenna Fisher covered the Northland vote in the Patch as well as the vote to take Webster Woods
@Marti: Yep, Jenna Fisher does a really good job, especially considering how many other communities she covers at the same time.
I have no time on my hands so there is truly no excuse for me to be commenting but I will say I love the mayor’s updates, I also find the PS’s to be endearing, and I also think it’s entirely appropriate she includes her photo. Did anyone complain about Mayor Warren including his photo? Or any male politician? Sheesh.
What Emily Norton said. Right on.
I find it interesting how quickly things now become a rorschach test for our different political viewpoints.
What do you see in the Mayor’s newsletters? Community update? Political Pandering? Annoying formatting?
Is it fair for her to use her picture? Is it fair for us to question her using her picture? Would we question Mayor Warren the same way?
And so on.
With all that said, having spent some time fundraising for good causes, and having spent a LOT of time reading fundraising emails, rest assured that this isn’t a style just associated with our mayor. Marketing firms teach it. Political consultants use it. And non-profits often rely on it. One consultant described P.S. as a “second title” to me, and apparently there is a lot of research that very few folks actually read informational emails. But in an effort to finish the “task” of reading the emails, they often DO read the P.S. (as well as the subheadings). Don’t believe me? Just good “marketing, using P.S. in your emails”
This is why your political donation emails generally ask ONE LAST TIME in a p.s. for you to give. That is also why good political consultants will break up the informational letters into mini successes, and then use a P.S.. In her last email, if you just read the subtitles, you know that Webster Wood was saved, Northland Approved, Teamsters Contract settled, A new home for our Preschoolers, and leave with a bunch of P.S. focused on good works and donation opportunities in the city, as well as a holiday event.
I’ll also note that if the P.S. is the most important part of the letter (since more folks read that than the body), I think it is a nice gesture that the mayor focuses on the positive events and charitable works in that section. I also don’t find it annoying, even though I recognize that it is probably not her personal style as much as it is her staff working on other political or charitable campaigns. 5 P.S.s might be overdoing it though. That’s just a bit crazy. Definitely not Paul Levy approved.
So what do I see when I look at this: 5 charitable or holiday items. A city of good cheer and good will. A politician being a bit of a politician. A reminder that Cradles to Crayons is a great organization. A thought to dig out my fire hydrant.
And a partridge in a pear tree. (or in my case, a turkey in my neighbors Flowing Pear Tree).
p.s. Happy Holidays Village (14) People!
Fignewtonville, thanks for the info. I had no idea that the use of P.S. is taught as a marketing tool or used by political consultants and non-profits – or that people read the P.S. more often than the body of the newsletter.
Having written Newsletters and Informational emails for all three – mostly as a political consultant and in think tanks – and continuing to do so to a lesser degree, I am definitely behind the times on this point. ouch!
Not knowing makes me feel old and justifies the use of “OK Boomer” in this case. My grandchildren would be elated to find out a reason to “OK Boomer” me – they really want to but haven’t found a way for it to work so far. Lets keep this a secret between us V14ers.
Two questions,
How is this thread “a rorschach test for our different political viewpoints?”
How do we persuade recipients of Ruthann’s newsletter to open them so they can see the subheadings and the P.S.’s?
I’m going to take the question seriously, if that’s okay.
Communications evolve. Mechanisms get repurposed.
Yes, Paul, she could have added the thought above the closing. But, she’s using the post-scripts as a device to indicate that the content of the post-script is an aside, relative to the main content. Just as it wasn’t worth ripping up a letter and starting over again for the tidbit added after signing back in the typewriter days.
It’s becoming Ruthanne’s signature rhetorical flourish. Good for her for having a little fun.
OK, thanks. I’ll swallow and put aside my grammar-school-training derived annoyance and just enjoy the fun.