There are many approaches for research – an essential component of any one profession and business – and many possibilities, document your results. The library has books to help you, and most of the English composition textbooks contain chapters on research techniques and style. It is important, in a coherent manner and specifies a recommended format, which is clear and transparent, and has been designed by the teacher.

Tim

- I really did send the emails.
- I really did blog about it.
- I really did fall for it.

All the rest was contrived. Anyone who knows me knows I'm the biggest "aw, suck it up ya big baby" guy around. THe clue to that is in the reference three times to being a "poor sport."

So, once I saw what was up, my first thought was to get you back so, I quickly deleted my own blog post, still not knowing exactly how I was going to pull it off. But it was simple. The objective was to get either a personal email from you, a comment on your own entry, comment here, or a completely separate post from you. Making it look convincing was the key, and thus the "poor sport" stuff. That was essential, i.e., that you perceive that I was perturbed customer, but one still worthy of some response and not just a dismissal as an overly sensitive crybaby.

So, the sequence, after I'd deleted my blog entry was to lay that poor sport comment at your entry, then blog this entry, and then I tracked it back, which you or your blog handlers were kind enough to publish. Then I watched my logs. I figured you'd get wind in some way and indeed you did and the rest is history.

In fact, I admire your work and I really do have two copies of your book. I've been nearly fully outsourced for about two years, now, and that includes a company of about 15 or so employees.

You're onto something.

April Fools.

I'm really sorry if I caused this trouble. I really just intended it as a simple joke, but the truth is that my other posts on outsourcing — as well as the "joke" post — do nothing but emphasize how practical it is to outsource certain aspects of life, whether writing or otherwise. You're right that I should have thought harder about some of the snowball effects.

In reference to outsourcing writing, I enjoy the blogging, but for others with a higher volume of writing, ghosting makes perfect sense. My "holy grail" post on e-mail is a good example of this — utilitarian writing delegated to the best person to handle it.

I would probably have responded the same way you did, and I'm very sorry for any problems I caused you.

It was intended in good fun among friends, and I'm new to the blogging world. My apologies again.

All the best,

Tim