I’ve always been a big fan of getting mail, even if it is nothing more than the weekly fliers telling me there is a big sale on something I have no interest in buying. I have never been a big letter writer, though it might be argued that blogging is kind of writing a letter to the world. I also like getting emails, but it is a slightly different experience from getting real mail. The mail that winds up in my real mailbox may have left it’s sender a couple of weeks ago, while an email can talk to you in nearly real time.
I have been on Blogcatalog, Digg, Mixx, and a handful of other places where the users are big on sending out ‘shouts’ and adding you to there friends and asking you to add them to your friends. These things add up to a lot of mail. The sites themselves have their own mail system and people can just drop by and start talking. There is a certain lack of formality with these places, they are supposed to be fun after all. And I don’t get all that much mail-nor do I want all that much mail from these places. I am more of a random wanderer than a totally active participant.
We all like getting fan mail. No one wants to read how much their blog sucks, we all want to hear how great we are. The mail can make us happy or make us sad. There was a story not too long ago about a young woman that killed herself over messages she got online. So be careful with those blog reviews. I was certainly one of the dark and moody types when I was in school, I was lucky to get out alive. I’m feeling much better now.
It’s a lot harder these days to get away with the old the check is in the mail bit as well. Bill Collectors know that this means you don’t have any money, but it is their job to hammer you until you pay up. Post date an electronic check, do an online transfer, we need to take the money right now. I am not a big believer in Hell, but if there is one, all those good people collecting debts are going to be there. Hey, it’s just a job, someone has to do it-sure, and that someone needs to burn in Hell for doing it. From time to time my mail has had the ever popular Pay Up or Else letter. Often mixed in with half a dozen letters begging me to apply for one more credit card. This is not really the kind of mail that I like to get.
Think I’ll go have a cup of coffee and look at some more mail.
