Dear Richardson Resident Amanda Tackett,
I’m accustomed to less-than-sweet feedback here and there; it’s part of the gig. But this one in response to last week’s column surprised me because of how totally wicked it was and because of who wrote it. The author is Amanda Tackett. I Googled her when I got the e-mail and was shocked to discover that she is a Richardson resident and contributor for cousin pub D Magazine. That makes her mean e-mail just plain unprofessional.
Subject: careful…
Dear Merritt,
You sound a little, well bubble, when you say “Lovejoy, a little town…” It’s not a little town, it’s a district…
Careful, or people might think you had bleach blonde hair, growing up in a tract home neighborhood in Plano, with metallic wallpaper, driving a Cavalier…and attending second (or let’s be honest, third) tier private schools.
Lovejoy doesn’t want to be you…they have their own blondes.
Love,
Amanda Tackett
UPDATE: Thank you for the supportive e-mails. Those of you asking for a photo will have to go here.
awww. That is a harsh email, Amanda. Opinions can differ but there’s no need to be mean or make personal attacks.
For the record, I don’t think Merritt ever drove a Cavalier.
Where is Amanda’s sense of humor? She obviously has no appreciation for sarcasm and wit. Also, that subject line is uber-creepy. Merritt, you might want to watch your back.
No, you’re right Kersten. In fact, I had a lot of cars because I was always wrecking them. There isn’t any one car that I can say was the kind I drove, they were all just temporary. But never a Cavalier.
Hutson, I was thinking the same thing. Kinda of stalkerish.
I know personal attacks are catty, but I’m going to go ahead and just say it:
I’ve been reading Amanda’s posts on our cousin blog, and I think they’re pretty good. She seems sweet. Her husband sounds like a dear.
However, for Mother’s Day, she asked for a garden gnome. Who wants a garden gnome?
In my opinion, those are just plain creepy.
Wouldn’t a “district” be a less formal organization than a “town”? So how is it derogatory toward Lovejoy to upgrade it from “district” to “town” status?
I’d figure she’d take issue with “little” but then again, size is an objective fact that is harder to argue against.
really, is that what’s considered harsh over here? i’ve read lots of harsher things posted here. and look, she signed it “Love”.
Well, for one thing, bleach-blonde should be hyphenated, because it modifies hair.
But besides that, I think Lovejoy opened itself up for critique when it made the comparison. It’s not as if Merritt grabbed her Rand-McNally’s, thumbed through the Dallas-Fort Worth map and settled on Lovejoy and said, “I think I’ll compare this place to Highland Park.”
Lovejoy did it.
And then, as always, there’s this piece of advice: When reading Merritt’s column, take your tongue, and insert it firmly in your right or left cheek - whichever feels comfortable, really. The reading will go much smoother for those readers with Humor Deficit Syndrome, and your fingers won’t itch to write an e-mail titled, “careful.”
Bethany, the grammar-police bit is getting tired.
What’s wrong with bleached blonde? Where would we be without it?
Thanks Charles, you’re always there for me.
Where is the sense of humor in this world? Maybe she had a bad day and picked Merritt as her target. I’m guessing she was PMSing or didn’t win an argument with someone else so she fired away at Merritt. Doesn’t she know we’ll find a way to blog about it?
So is the hide behind a fake name bit, pookie.
Actually, I’m someone different. I am now wishing I hadn’t left that comment because I don’t typically like to be a rude commenter. I apologize - I’ve been reading too many Frontburner comments yesterday and today and all of the grammar policing (not all from you) has started to make my eyes glaze over.
zzzzzzzz, we like you now. And I mean that.
Awww…it’s OK, zzzzzz. I usually don’t do all that grammar policing, either. It just seems to be the effective jousting tool for the high-horsed.
Now, Merritt, you know I subscribed to the paper in the first place to read your column, and have since discovered much else to like, too.
I’ve got it, Amanda is a “momcano” and has probably been fuming over the articles for sometime now.
I was wondering, if there is a “meet and make up” meeting at Kuby’s, may I have the time/date so I can sit in booth like a fly on the wall? It would make for some very good blogging.
Maybe she is a Lovejoy grad. That would explain the inferiority complex cloaked in an air of superiority.
Or worse. She wishes she was a Lovejoy grad, and Lovejoy wishes it was HP. The entire district of Lovejoy is Nauxparkie. This makes her what, a Nauxjoykie? Nauxlovie? There ya go. Nauxlovie.
An Overheardian without desktop access chimes in:
“Your dang blog won’t accept my posts from Blackberry. But if I could post, I’d say, “Listen Miss Richardson… You’re a Plano Wannabe at best. And we all know why you’re reading the Park Cities People - so you can steal our ideas and cool ways. We can spot you a mile away.”
MP: It’s ridiculous that you continue to dish it out, but can’t take it. 85% of what you do is make fun of people. You’re honestly upset that someone would dare make fun of you? Moreover, you make fun of people in public. This woman didn’t–she sent you an e-mail, that YOU chose to make public. I hope the PCP is finally beginning to grow as weary of you as everyone but your fawning co-bloggers are.
Look at her pic on the link. She has HP cheerleader hair. She needs to marry a man with the last name of Hugenkis so she can get some Lovejoy. Please, somebody get that. Anyone. Bueller.
Where is my intern?
http://blog.peoplenewspapers.com/2008/05/06/intern-i-like-the-sound-of-that/
Can you dish it out and just not take it?
The BusyGuy must leap into the fray here to declare himself firmly on the side of his favorite bleached blonde columnist. He is bewildered that Ms. Thackett would write such a mean-spirited email in response to an article that doesn’t even concern her. After all, the original subject wasn’t about un-funny Richardson soccer moms with “Trophy Husbands” sporting faux leopard trim on their stretch denim jackets, right? The BusyGuy thinks Ms. Thackett needs to reassess her cleverness factor just a bit, while pondering the fact that she and Ms. Patterson actually could have been friends and colleagues before she hit the “SEND” button on her nastygram.
Merritt: I think she went to FBA too. Did you maybe do something to her in high school?
RL, I was such an innocent little Baptist school girl- no way! btw- did I go to school with you? if so, I need to update this answer.
Dear Merritt,
As usual you are the bestest ever. If you think she is funny now…well, she has ALWAYS been funny. Unprofessional? Nastygram? Stalker? Wait a DARN MINUTE…I was OFFENDED, absolutely so, that Merrit wasn’t in the May issue of D, “Dallas Blondes”…Without her, we would all be bored.
Love Again,
XO
Amanda Tackett
Former Merritt Carpool Victim
Former Merritt carpool victim? I don’t carpool in Richardson. Or do you mean in 1987?
Um, Amanda, what’s your maiden name?
Amanda, did we ever date?
Merritt,
I am having a great time reading this today…was totally bored at work and happened to stumble across this…loved your column that this was about.
Anthony
Charles, we may have dated…but your mother NEVER KNEW. Merritt probably helped me sneak around…
Whoops! I’m here Merritt, haha! Amanda, seriously I have no idea about half of what you’re saying. Maybe because you’re from “over there” or maybe because you’re a little older than I am, which usually isn’t a problem, but who knows. Either way, I’m so sorry about the mixup with Lovejoy, but even more so with your loss of humor. Perhaps if you offer a reward for it being found you will get it back soon. Much Love.
http://blog.peoplenewspapers.com/2008/05/13/re-dear-richardson-resident-amanda-tackett/