Both were not interested in the announcement I sent them regarding Español al día, a quarterly publication. One politely asked me to delete him from my list. Here is what he wrote:

“Hello. Can you please remove me from your e-mailing list? I don't see any unsubscribe button, and I don't want to block you, so your email isn't taken as spam.

Have a nice weekend.”

The other one was enraged. He angrily ordered me to delete him from my list or else. Here is what he wrote:

“Stop soliciting at once! This is your last warning! Take me off your database! I have never subscribed to your junk mail! Stop sending junk mail!

Otherwise, I will see that you are reported to the proper authorities in the State of Texas/At the local level in the County of Dallas/or at the Federal level. Stop immediately! You have been warned!”

I have no recollection of having been “warned” previously by this unhappy colleague who obviously has no control over his negative thoughts or emotions.

Laura Huxley’s excellent book You Are Not The Target taught me decades ago not to react to this tirade in like manner, but to have compassion for this colleague.

Maybe he is going through difficult times. Maybe he has an illness. Maybe his partner left him. Maybe he is not getting enough work.

I deleted both colleagues from the list I had used. I do not feel, however, that letting interpreters who daily work with the Spanish language know about Español al día is “junk mail.” You can judge for yourself at https://josevarelaibarra.gumroad.com/l/sdXNs

PIEC (Professional Interpreter Education Community) Invitation

New Professional Development Opportunity

¡Descubre el poder del idioma con Español al día!

A LA MESA Y A LA CAMA SOLO SE LLAMA UNA VEZ

CRUCIAL LAST STEP BEFORE TAKING FEDERAL ORAL EXAM

See all posts from Jose L. Varela-Ibarra