It seems Google added a new feature called the “undo” button to the G-mail account. You can set the timer at 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds and it gives you just enough time to undo an inadvertently sent mail and avoid an ‘oops moment’ later on. How convenient!
So, in case you are terribly upset about the unequal treatment meted out to you by your boss, and in a fit of rage you happen to type and send him an unplanned resignation letter just in the heat of the moment, and realize the consequences of your action just a second too late, AFTER you have hit that send button….do not panic! Google uncle has ensured that you can quickly undo that action before it has the chance to escape out of your reach. Wow!
You are fuming at your boyfriend for ignoring you? No problem! Set your timer for 30 seconds, shoot him a nasty mail, send it and then count to 29 seconds before you press that magic ‘undo’ button, if your anger did not subside by then, that is! Fair enough right? Google baba ki jai!
I have been guilty of sending mails at the drop of a hat, sometimes at the most inappropriate times, sometimes when I am not in the best of my moods, sometimes when I have written the most should-never-have-written-this kind of words, and more often than not, the minute I have hit send, I have regretted sending those mails! And by then, the damage would be done, and there would be nothing more I could do about it. But not anymore!
Sometimes I wish my mouth had an undo button. I could say all that I wanted to say and then undo it. And everything would be back to the beginning of the conversation, like, I never said any of those things! Imagine what a boon that would be for motor mouths like me!
There have been some moments I wish I could undo. Some really embarrassing moments, some painful moments, some hurtful moments… and an undo button could make all that come undone, wipe the slate clean, get back to status quo. I had this absolutely beautiful and precious relationship with someone, and one confession, (that I could have done without) soured everything between us. There have been times I have desperately wanted to erase that day from my life. I have wished innumerable times for things to get back to normal, knowing that things will never be the same again. Yesterday, I happened to chance upon reams and reams of g-talk history between us and reading them made me smile, laugh and cry all at the same time. I smiled at the heaps of information we had shared between us, I laughed at our wacky jokes that only we could be capable of cracking, and cried at the loss all of this and more. Such easy conversation, so much fun, the closeness, the trust, being at each others beck and call, the friendship, all gone….whooosh.…just like that. Like droplets of water on a hot pan. We patched up, but like they say, the crack remained. The distance just grew, conversations grew rarer, the frequency of being in touch grew longer, the awkwardness began building up and as much as I tried to jump and vault, the pole kept falling short of taking me across the finish line.
These are the moments that make me wish life had an undo button too. For now, however, we will have to make do with the one Google has given us!
I didn't notice this undo button yet. Will look for it when I login into my gmail next. And I agree with you... an undo button would be nice in life.
ReplyDeletego to the settings and activate it. Will hopefully be of help at least in the virtual world!
DeleteHasn't the undo button been there since long? May be I was too occupied to see it's new. Though I write mails after thinking a lot, I do agree with you that life should have an undo button, and for that matter a find one too. It would make things so easier :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your post! It was like a conversation..
Yea it has been around for 6 years now, it seems, but was used only as an experimental tool..officially, now it is available to users.
Deletean undo button would make life so much easier! thanks for reading Parul!
I might not use the Google Undo button, but I can certainly do with the life's Undo button :D
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the gmail undo button! Thanks for the helpful info on that but I would be most grateful if you can help me find that other undo button :) See you brought up this great idea and now you have to make it real :) I can offer my assistance if you like but please find that undo button, dear!
ReplyDeleteIf only we had that undo button in real life - like you said - life would be so much nicer. It's typos that are the bane of my existence. The minute I press send in a message they jump out at me but by then it's too late.
ReplyDeleteI believe in destiny. and whether we hit undo button or not, if things has to go wrong, it will. u just chill and enjoy your writing.
ReplyDeleteA great concept they have launched (may be copied). Microsoft Outlook already has this features, and many use it too leisurely :)
ReplyDeleteWish life had undo-button too!
Hmm - since there is no Undo button in the mouth, we may stop talking in future and stick to mailing :)
ReplyDeleteGood info and great way to "Undo" things
ReplyDeleteThis post struck a chord with me. I have gone through a similar experience with my very best friend. However, it was not a confession, but a misunderstanding that ended the beautiful relationship that we shared. We have since patched up and on the surface, things look great. But we both know that they will never be the same. Such a shame. :(
ReplyDelete