Vote--being a pest, or coming across as my true self?
I need to take a straw poll here. Anybody here a strawman? (Yuk-yuk) (Oops, recent Jerry Lewis influence.)

Someone kindly suggested, over here on a thread into which I inserted my whiny self on agent Arcaedia's journal, that a handwritten thank-you note to the agent whom I've been hoping to hear back from might be in order. I checked, and the poster is not my uber-proper Aunt Fannie Belle (etiquette ruler of Grayson County, Texas), so maybe this suggestion is reasonable. I mean, it sounds reasonable to ME, but I don't want to come across as a mewling, puking, sniveling sycophant who is writing the note ONLY in hopes of getting some kind of response from the agent. (I haven't gotten any replies to e-mail so far, and I already sent one missive thanking her for the suggestions and saying that her suggestions improved the book, and that even if we don't end up working together, I appreciate it.)

So . . . what do you think? How would a simple, handwritten thank-you note snailmailed to the agency address come across to you? Nauseating, or nice? Assuming, of course, that all I say is that I wanted to thank the agent for her time and assistance, and reiterating that I believe her suggestions improved the book. It's very rare that I have ever gotten candid and helpful comments from a pro. I do appreciate the insights. (And I do think this improved the book, in terms of salability AND in terms of Art. Anytime someone makes a contribution to improving art is cause for celebration.)

I don't want to look like a M. P. S. S. (mewling, puking, sniveling sycophant), but then if I get a thank-you note from someone, I usually don't try to read ulterior motives into it. And I sincerely *don't* have an agenda past trying to clear the air and tie up the contact in some kind of "closure" sense. I don't expect that this will make her turn around and suddenly realize that she meant to call me, or whatever. And if y'all think that this will look like Just Another Ploy on the part of some writer who's completely insincere and is just doing it to try to curry favor, then I won't do it. Readers of this journal surely know by now that I don't even try to curry favor because I'm the WORST person in the world at sucking up. I simply can't do it, and I'm prone to blow up and do a sarcasm act instead.

I'm kinda like Kinky Friedman in that regard. (Have you seen this weblog, in which people complain about the Kinkster's humorous remarks and comebacks, and even try to interpret them seriously? He says that he's a compassionate redneck, not strictly liberal or conservative, and he uses a lot of wit and satire when he answers the typical political questions in interviews--and that apparently daunts people. For example, I think it's hilarious that he said that stuff that got them all bent outta shape.* But half the world has a stick up the rumpus and gets all bent outta shape if you're not always completely Serious and Preacher-Hair-Wearing. For goodness' sake, the generally agreed-with Making Light links to this blog with the phrase "Kinky Friedman: No Hero." Eep! I can't believe they don't GET him. But then they ain't Texans, and we have to make allowances for them not gettin' some of our eccentricities.)

* [The Kinkster said he wanted the Ten Commandments and nondenominational prayer put back into schools. "If you don't love Jesus, go to hell," he added. Note that he's Jewish!! Note that this is a witticism!! Please, people, get a clue! Now, I can't see how nondenominational prayer could hurt schools any more than school shootings/lockdowns and violence and dumbing-down of curriculum already has . . . because, after all, as long as there are EXAMS, there is going to be PRAYER. *GRIN* Seriously, folks, he was yankin' the interviewer's chain.

He told conservative TV commentator Bill O'Reilly last year that he would "seal the border" against illegal immigrants by bringing in the "National Guard, the Texas Rangers, the entire Polish Army, whatever it takes." "Good fences make good neighbors," he added.

Guys!! That is a quotation from Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall," which is actually about just the opposite--that good fences don't make good neighbors, and the poem is actually about "something there is that doesn't love a wall." But then the Deep Hidden Inner Meaning of the poem must be getting lost on some of these politicos. Sheesh. He was obviously exaggerating to Bill-o.

More recently, as quoted in the Dallas Morning News, Friedman said, "My immigration policy is 'Remember the Alamo.'"

Now, if you don't think THAT'S funny, there's something wrong somewhere. . . . Maybe it's a native Texan thing.]