Twitter, that is.
I have lots of friends that just don’t get it and aren’t on it. And I get that. Twitter often causes more harm than good.
But when it comes to customer service, I stand behind the blue bird.
I have had far more success getting results with a single tweet than with hours on hold or emails that go seemingly into the void.
Cable company gripes? Send a tweet. The response is almost instantaneous.
Pizza delivery subpar? Tweet your dissatisfaction. The corporate account will respond, and you might even get a coupon.
And when something good happens, mention that, too.
When I had a high fever from an ear infection on Labor Day, I was relieved to discover the CVS Minute Clinic was open in my neighborhood, so after my visit, I tweeted a thank you.
Minute Clinic responded, asking how I was feeling — nice! — then sent me a direct message, requesting the address of the clinic I visited and my full name and email address.
I received a $20 gift certificate via email a couple of days later, and I would imagine my local Minute Clinic got some props, too.
Tweets matter!
My ears had different plans.
The Sticky Egg 
What’s in a name?
I have devoted many a blog post to the all-too-short-lived series Parenthood on NBC.
You may have noticed.
But this weekend, an unrelated article in the Sunday New York Times has brought forth yet another question:
Why did the family name change from Buckman — in the 1989 origin film — to Braverman in the TV series?
I’ve done some research, and apparently I’m not the first to ask this question, but for decidedly different reasons.
Many viewers pointed out that “Braverman” is a surname of Jewish origin, but the Parenthood family is decidedly not so. Others surmised that “Buckman” sounded a bit too Midwestern — where the movie was located — and the name change was necessary to reflect the California setting.
Or was it a bit of an inside joke?
The Sunday New York Times article discussed the evolution of Doc Johnson Enterprises, the ‘first family of pleasure products.’ The family surname? Oh, it’s not Johnson; it’s Braverman. And it got me thinking…
Could one of television’s great family dramas have added this little Easter egg…just for giggles and grins?
Or maybe one of the creators is simply related to a Braverman, or it tested well…neither of which is as fun for me.
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Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Television
Tagged Braverman, Buckman, Doc Johnson Enterprises, Easter egg, Jewish origin, Midwestern, New York Times, Parenthood, Parenthood movie, Parenthood tv show