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I got my census form in the mail this last week. The instructions say to fill out the answers based on the people staying at my residence on April 1, 2010.
My first thought upon reading that was that oh well, I guess I shouldn't fill out the form for another 2 weeks, as it isn't April 1 yet. I mean, yeah, I'm quite sure my answers to the questions won't change between now and then, but the instructions say April 1, so what can you do? Technically, anything could happen between now and then... me and Q could break up, and then he wouldn't be staying here any more... or either one or both of us could die... If they wanted me to fill out the form as soon as possible, they wouldn't have stated the instructions as they did, right? I mean, there's all this hoopla about how everyone should be sure to fill out and return the forms, so that we'll be counted and get the right number of representatives and money, and blah-blah-lah-dee-dah, but then the instructions on the form imply that one should wait 2 weeks before filling it out. By then, it could get lost under a bunch of junk, or accidentally thrown away, or forgotten. It seems ridiculous.
Am I too rule-oriented? Too intent upon following rules exactly? In part, I am, but there's a perverse part of me that is annoyed by that part of the instructions, and wants to retaliate *by* following them to the letter. ("If that's what you want, that's what you'll get, and you'll just have to take your chances on me losing or forgetting about it...")
Ah, someone was doing their job well, and got the forms sent out in good time, and here I am snarking about it. I should be ashamed of myself. They *had* to pick a specific date, to avoid miscounting, since people *could* break up and change residence, or die, or whatnot, between one day and the next. If they picked a date in the past, it's possible some people wouldn't remember for sure whether someone was living there on that day or had moved in or out already. By picking a date in the future, that gave them lee-way, in case they didn't get all the forms mailed and delivered in time. It's a perfectly logical choice.
I must be so eager to fill out the form, that I'm annoyed that I can't do it yet, and that's why I'm feeling snarky. Yep, that must be it.
Another thing that gets me is... April 1. They picked **APRIL FOOL'S DAY** for the day to answer the questions?? Didn't they consider that might inspire some people to give witty and not-exactly-accurate answers to the questions? I mean really, April Fool's Day??
ETA:
Wait a minute, I just read the cover-letter for the form, which is dated March 15, but it says "Please complete and mail back the enclosed census form today."
It says *today*. CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS!!! AAAGHGHGHGH!!!
ETA:
I'm not the only one who feels a bit miffed over the Census form instructions.
And apparently the Census date is on April Fool's, because that's when the federal law says it should be.
My first thought upon reading that was that oh well, I guess I shouldn't fill out the form for another 2 weeks, as it isn't April 1 yet. I mean, yeah, I'm quite sure my answers to the questions won't change between now and then, but the instructions say April 1, so what can you do? Technically, anything could happen between now and then... me and Q could break up, and then he wouldn't be staying here any more... or either one or both of us could die... If they wanted me to fill out the form as soon as possible, they wouldn't have stated the instructions as they did, right? I mean, there's all this hoopla about how everyone should be sure to fill out and return the forms, so that we'll be counted and get the right number of representatives and money, and blah-blah-lah-dee-dah, but then the instructions on the form imply that one should wait 2 weeks before filling it out. By then, it could get lost under a bunch of junk, or accidentally thrown away, or forgotten. It seems ridiculous.
Am I too rule-oriented? Too intent upon following rules exactly? In part, I am, but there's a perverse part of me that is annoyed by that part of the instructions, and wants to retaliate *by* following them to the letter. ("If that's what you want, that's what you'll get, and you'll just have to take your chances on me losing or forgetting about it...")
Ah, someone was doing their job well, and got the forms sent out in good time, and here I am snarking about it. I should be ashamed of myself. They *had* to pick a specific date, to avoid miscounting, since people *could* break up and change residence, or die, or whatnot, between one day and the next. If they picked a date in the past, it's possible some people wouldn't remember for sure whether someone was living there on that day or had moved in or out already. By picking a date in the future, that gave them lee-way, in case they didn't get all the forms mailed and delivered in time. It's a perfectly logical choice.
I must be so eager to fill out the form, that I'm annoyed that I can't do it yet, and that's why I'm feeling snarky. Yep, that must be it.
Another thing that gets me is... April 1. They picked **APRIL FOOL'S DAY** for the day to answer the questions?? Didn't they consider that might inspire some people to give witty and not-exactly-accurate answers to the questions? I mean really, April Fool's Day??
ETA:
Wait a minute, I just read the cover-letter for the form, which is dated March 15, but it says "Please complete and mail back the enclosed census form today."
It says *today*. CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS!!! AAAGHGHGHGH!!!
ETA:
I'm not the only one who feels a bit miffed over the Census form instructions.
And apparently the Census date is on April Fool's, because that's when the federal law says it should be.