Removing The Modifier

Today, I suffered a fit of almost rage at work.  Yes, I removed the modifier from my verb.  To an e-mail to a vendor.

I initially wrote "I am little bit frustrated that at the amount of time this has taken".  And then I looked at it.  And thought about it.

On the whole, I try to be very polite in my communications, especially with people outside of my company.  Yelling in the e-mail never accomplishes anything but only makes you look silly (and exists forever in the ether) and possibly like a jerk.  So I sat there and looked at it.

And realized that I was not just a little frustrated. I was frustrated.  Frustrated that it was going to take two months to schedule someone on site.  Frustrated that I had a piece of equipment I could not use (but had paid for, of course). Frustrated that timelines were going to be pushed (again).

So looked at it again. And pulled out "a little bit".  Voila.  I was just frustrated.

If you know me (or have read my writing for any period of time), you know this is the equivalent  of me either typing in capitals (which I find rude and almost always uncalled for) or actually writing !@*$*%%.  It is that severe.  I almost never raise my voice in anger and certainly never write anything in anger (hard won lesson, that).  On the whole, I try to engage in solving the problem.  But occasionally even I lose my temper.

The outcome?  The item will be dealt with in 1.5 weeks, not in 4 weeks as originally set up.

Look out world.  Who knows? I may start using adverbs...