A KERFUFFLE - WRITING, READING, AND THE GAP BETWEEN INTENT AND PERCEPTION
I’m a fan of words, and I enjoy finding an infrequently used word in the right place – “recalcitrant” on Judy’s recent post on Travels With Emma, for instance, or Tami’s (500 Dollar Tomato) use of “snit”. My word for today? Kerfuffle. We had a kerfuffle here at Cal Expo near the end of our stay, a reminder to me of how the intention of the writer may not match the perception of the reader.
We return to our ex-hometown, Sacramento, twice a year, staying for 4-8 weeks each time. Each time, at least 4 weeks of our stay is spent at Cal Expo RV Park, one of several RV parks and mobile home parks that serve RV’s in the greater Sacramento area. Although we also stay with friends and at one of the area Elks lodges, when we stay in a campground, we always choose Cal Expo RV Park, part of the Cal Expo state fairgrounds.
Why? Great location and full hookups with 50 amp service. Though there are other parks that offer some advantages over Cal Expo (some more roomy, some less expensive) each of the other choices has drawbacks for us (more traffic noise, no comfortable place to walk, poorly maintained). So, Cal Expo is ALWAYS our choice, and it is the park we recommend to friends who value the same campground amenities we do.
This visit, we requested a one-week extension so Odel could complete his physical therapy before we left Cal Expo. We were surprised to get a phone call from the manager when she reviewed our written request. Her question: why did we want an extension when we are unhappy at Cal Expo?
That threw us for a loop, because we aren’t unhappy at Cal Expo. After our stay last spring, I had updated our review of the park with a several comments about improvements at Cal Expo, including particular praise for the staff. We have always had friendly relations with the staff here, but the park manager and at least a couple of the workampers were quite upset with what they perceived as an unflattering review of the park. They found the review unnecessarily negative; we felt they overreacted, ignoring the positive points we made about the park. Everyone (including us) was defensive and confused; we found the situation very uncomfortable.
So I want to say here, clearly: we have not been unhappy at Cal Expo. We return here year after year, and we recommend it to others who are visiting Sacramento when we believe it best fits their needs. Are there other parks we like better? Sure, but NOT IN SACRAMENTO.
To me, the kerfuffle was a reminder that, while I can’t control how a reader will interpret and react to what I write, I CAN take care with adjectives and adverbs, choosing those that accurately express my intention. With that in mind, I have posted a current review that I hope accurately represents Cal Expo RV Park as we see it, an urban park in a convenient location that offers amenities those of us traveling in big rigs often desire.
Click here to read that review and see photos. As I say on our campground review blog, these reviews are simply our opinion and reflect our experience – your mileage may vary, whether guest, management, or owner. :) Click here to visit the Cal Expo RV Park website, including more photos. And don’t forget rvparkreviews.com, where you can find reviews of Cal Expo RV Park, many of the other options in the Sacramento area, and campgrounds across the country.
Safe travels, wherever you land. :)
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Interesting take on perception, and good reminder that what we "say" is often not what is "heard/read".
ReplyDeleteI can almost feel your befuddlement. When that happens to me, I feel like my chest is going to explode! I feel for you.
ReplyDeleteKerfuffle is a good word in this instance. I learned recalcitrant when a high school teacher called me that. I had to look it up before I felt insulted! :)
ReplyDeleteI can understand your consternation at the manager's reaction. Folks don't understand that for a review to be of any use to all parties it needs to be objective and usually I am hesitant to believe overly glowing comments as well as ones that only portray the negatives. It has been my experience that even the best of places have some drawbacks and I like to hear about those also. As the manager those would be the most useful to me in my efforts to constantly improve the product.
ReplyDeleteI hope you got your extension. I liked your review.
ReplyDeleteI think JB said it extremely well. I too look for balanced reviews which take everything into account. Not sure how in the world they could think you don't like the park if it is the major place you stay for weeks at a time twice a year. But like you say....folks don't always hear what you thought you said.
ReplyDeleteOn that note, I really try to say exactly what I mean and hope folks will not read in more than I actually said.
I think instead of, or perhaps in addition to "kerfuffle", "lack of comprehension skills" might be a more accurate description of the miffed miscreants at Cal-Expo. It's a shame really that people sometimes read too much into what may very well be an accurate description of a product or service that they offer.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm being quite generous when I use the word, "read". It's a skill that is underused in my opinion.
And by the way, their RV parks looks suspiciously like a parking lot to me, so I tend to think your review was pretty darned generous.
And I'm not looking to stay another week, so I really don't give a rat's tiny behind whether the park manager can read or not.
Even though it's nice to show our intellectual ablilities to the world, the only person we are really impressing is ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm trying to say is when you want someone to read and understand what you're writing, then spell it out in plain English so there can be no mistake of what you intended to write.
It's about time.
For whatever reason, the written word always seems to be taken more serious that the spoken word. The writers intent seems to be missed somehow and the reader gets defensive right away and the negative thing they read causes a reaction that was not intended given the whole picture. Ask someone why they did something and they readily assume you are attacking them and they fight back with much more aggression that the original comment. Human nature I guess. We must constantly write for the reader, because each individual reader has a varied set of experience, principles and personality that causes them to react differently. Some are going to agree, some indifferent and some offended by the same comment.
ReplyDeleteOkanagan Al
I read all your park reviews and remember Cal Expo, nothing I remember being written that I would make me not want to stay their if I was visiting in the Sacramento area. I would know the good points and the bad. We have all have pulled into parks that look nothing like the picture online or in the book. JB explained it well.
ReplyDeleteI loved Cal Expo the first time I stayed, a 3 months in 2009. When I came back a year later I was disgusted with the conditions of the water and sewer utilities in the location they put me. And the location is another thing - the lot was nearly empty and I moved once during that time because of a strong sewer odor. In both locations they placed huge motorhomes on either side of my 5th wheel. They could have skipped a space or two in between, but I could barely see daylight with the MH's closing in on me. If Cal Expo doesn't want to know how folks are really finding their RV park, they have a big problem.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I would probably stay there again because of the convenient location. There simply isn't anything to match it in Sacramento.
I didn't catch how they found out about your review. Do they follow your blog? By looking at the pictures and reading your review, I can't see where you were negative at all. You talked about how convenient the park is...that is a big part of our decision on a park. It absolutely does not resemble a resort. I can't find where they would be so upset. I guess we can't please everyone all the time or even some people some of the time.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is maybe they had some other 'negative' reviews and just lumped yours into the same pot...I read everyones reviews..and like to know the good and the not so good so I can arrive after making an informed decision. People's interpretation after reading is just that...their perception...you can't control the way people interpret something..ughhh
ReplyDeleteyou just never know who is reading your 'reviews'..a word here or there or put in what the reader deems to be in the wrong context can be taken the wrong way..Cal Expo looks like a 'nice park'..and I searched for your other review..don't understand what the problem was..like you say these reviews are your opinion and you are entitled to them..everyone has a different set of criteria that makes a good rv park, great!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Laurie (and Odel) Big Fan, Long Time Lurker. Thanks for the "shout out".
ReplyDeleteYou know you guys are living my dream, don't you? @;)
Hey...I'm not in a "snit" anymore!!
Yep, I sure know all about blog Ker-fuffle's alright:))
ReplyDeleteWe are also word fans, and delight in finding proper usage. Never heard of kerfuffle, though. Gotta go look that one up.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like the word "verkempt"..I am that a lot. I had to look up recalcitrant when Judy used it...and found out I can also be that way...Perception,,,yes..as the old adage goes "beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder"...and some READ words in a different light than how they were intended...JOURNALISM 101, ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
ReplyDeleteIt almost sounds to me like you were "unfriended". Glad it wasn't me. :)
ReplyDeleteLove learning new words and that's a great one! You never know how someone is going to interpret what you write and sometimes it's so surprising, confusing, upsetting, to find out what that perception is! Keep on telling it like it is! We really appreciate your info and impressions on where you are....
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quote, especially now in this age of emails and blogs-- "Nothing means anything except the meaning I give it!"
ReplyDeletePretty exciting about Rosy, huh!
What's really exciting is Brian is looking out there now, too!!
Safe travels,
donna
We are originally from Sacramento and have stayed at the Cal Expo RV park several times in the past 5 years or so. I think your review is right on target. It is in a great location for us when visiting relatives and "not bad" for an urban park location. I think they should be thanking you for a good and honest review!
ReplyDeleteKerfuffle! A seriously cool word. I think I'll keep it around for those specific to the Internet communications that somehow get garbled. .. Er...kerfuffled. We have all experienced them at one time or another. AKA. .. "I didn't mean THAT at all!!"and for the record, I always thought your discussions of CalExpo were pretty positive.
ReplyDeleteSome people just misunderstand everything.
ReplyDeleteLike the other day Cathy and I were stepping out of the motor home and I looked up at the sunny sky and commented “ Particularly nice weather”. Well she turned around and slapped me so hard my head did an imitation of the Exorcist, when it finally stopped spinning I asked what the heck was that for. With a stern look on her face and starring right into my eyes she ask, “Now why would I want you to tickle my ass with a feather”.
Sometimes you just can't win.