However since there's virtually nothing here about gaming or Diablo II, I imagine most of the clickers look around and maybe check out the dirty slang page, and then move on.  The main attraction is supposed to be my writing, but since I've not added anything new or dusted off any more old stuff lately, it's hard to make that argument.

In theory this mail bag thing is supposed to be presenting counter points to the blogs, or comments about site features that would be of interest to everyone visiting.  Or perhaps if I were getting so many emails I couldn't reply to them all I'd be doing some of that here.  I'm not getting that many emails, and haven't gotten any mails yet objecting to or arguing about anything in the blogs, so there's no counter points to post.  Given that I've discussed some pretty controversial things, and often take Devil's Advocate positions on them, I'm somewhat surprised by this, given the apoplectic emails most blog sites I read seem to get.  I think the key is to get linked to from other blog/politics sites, ideally ones read by people with opposing viewpoints, who will of course ignite into a ready fury when they read something you've written that challenges any of their beliefs.

I suppose I should be mailing the bigger blog/opinion sites with synopses of my various incendiary self-debates, but I'm never good at plugging myself in that fashion.  Anyone wants to do it for me, go right ahead. ;)

Anyway, here are a few emails, received in March:

Date: March 6
From: Tycho Brahe
Subject: Re: Mention on dii.net

I read quite a lot of stuff on your site last night, in a bout of truly Herculean self-hatred. I'm glad, because it was good mainly, but also because it gave me something to do.

Some praise, I think. Odd praise beats no praise at all, anyway.

So Tycho, that's him of Penny Arcade fame, posted a cartoon about the BnetD issue, and I linked to it in a news post on the D2 site.  He mailed me at the D2 site the next day to say thanks (probably in their stats he saw like 7000 referral hits) and it was convenient, since I'd been meaning to mail him about this site, and a couple of other things. So my reply to him was long, and about several other things. I won't post those portions of my mail or his replies here since it's not real interesting, but I asked him about Bejeweled (he said a really good game for him was around 10k, which is the hard cap, in my experience) and a few other things, and of course brought up this site.  Hoping for a plug from his site, of course, and didn't get one, but I didn't really say, "plug me or die!" so I have no one to blame but myself.

________________

 

Date: March 6, 2002
From: F|aw
Subject: Reply

Read the horror short story. Gaa. Will not look in mirrors for a long time.

So this sounds like trolling for compliments, but do you mean that literally? Or at least semi-literally? (Pun not intended) Horror never has any effect on me, or very seldom. I mean I read it and think, "cool idea", but I never actually get nervous or apprehensive or scared, etc.

Me? Trolling for compliments? ;) *mumble* I tend to do that to make people laugh. Most of the time it doesn't work. Anyway, I think some people really do feel the effects of horror. I get tense when reading a story/watching a movie. I hide behind couches, pillows, boyfriend. Hell, I even got scared from LotR when Bilbo turned freaky in Rivendell. Yelled in theatre. Was mortified. *groans inwardly* I always thought horror fans love that feeling, but you said you don't? Do you like it for the ideas, or is there another element calling you? *curious*

The text in black is from me in a reply, and then the purple is her reply back.  A longer excerpt from her mail(s) has been added to the Sarpents Discussion Page, in the bottom feedback section.

________________

 

Date: March 7, 2002
From: Maik
Subject: Your Site

Hey, just wanted to drop you a line that I've followed your link in the DII.net forum (which I reached by following a link on the DII news, but I guess that doesn't matter, so I won't go further into it.)

However, I like your site, so keep up the good work. I just reread your stories and I still think they're excellent, so keep up the good work. (Yes, I know I'm reapetative (sp?) but I'm bored at work so plz forgive me).

I also just checked your hot or not page, and man, I loved it! If you're interested check out www.binichschoen.ch, which is the Swiss counterpart of hot or not. there's even a top five (link at the bottom of the page), and when you look at it you'll see that the pics aren't as overrated as on hotornot (the leading womens pic has a around a 6.8 I think). However, the site's in German.

Well, you're site is great and I will check it regularly from now. I'll still have to check out everything, but I think you're on the right way to put another great piece of internet culture into the net. well done! :)

greetings from Switzerland
maik

You can see more about the Swiss hot or not page in the daily blogs from this time.  Here or here.  

Date: March 9, 2002
From: Maik
Subject: Re: Your Site

I read the frontpage and thought I drop you a mail again out of 3 reasons:

1.) you don't seem to know anything about Switzerland :)
2.) you almost get no mails on BlackChampagne
3.) I'm bored at work again (don't worry, I won't write you a mail every time I'm bored at work, otherwise
your mailbox would already be filled with BS)

Switzerland, languages: German (Official), French, Italian, Roman => Our official language is German, the same German the Germans speak. we do have our own "language", the Swiss German, but that's not an official language, so it isn't used in books, newspapers, internet sites etc. it's only used in conversations and personal mail/letters etc. There's also no official grammar for Swiss German, and it is used so differently in the different regions that I (living in the north of Switzerland) don't understand a word from one living in the south west. (well, and then there are the ppl that only speak Italian and/or French, which doesn't really make communication easier....)

And the 2 passages you posted on your main site are both German.

Crafty foreigners!  I wanted to make snarky remarks about him, remarks inspired by my typically-American cultural ignorance, ala Dave Barry's travel articles, but given that he was like my only regular reader at the time, I could hardly afford to estrange him.

________________

Date: March 9, 2002
From: Chris
Subject: Brian Lumley

I just read your writing background/thoughts on fantasy/horror. I have not read any Barker, but I will try him out knowing he is so highly praised. How does he compare with Brian Lumley and/or what do you think of Lumley's writing?

I'd never heard of Lumley at the time, and Chris replied with:

Brian Lumley - He wrote the Necroscope Series.  When you talk about gore and horror and sex (as being the "genre" of horror you like best), I thought you were speaking partly of Lumley. I think you might enjoy his work.

It's been 4 weeks, and I've still not managed to track down anything by him. There aren't any books by him at the La Mesa library, and the 2 used book stores near here have none either. The Tierrasanta branch by my dad's house has a couple though.  I got there at 5:25 a couple of weeks ago and grabbed one, but my card was expired for the City Libraries (The La Mesa one near me is in the County System.) and they couldn't renew it that close to closing time.  I've not been able to get there during their Banker's hours since.

When I do read a novel or two by him I'll likely add him to the horror novelists review page.

Date: March 11, 2002
From: Chris
Subject: You read my mind!

That's pretty much the exact way I think/react to commercials. The most common phrase people here me say when accidentally witnessing a commercial in its entirety is "Note to self: DO NOT PURCHASE X," X being the product or service advertised. In fact, commercials actually have a strong negative impact on my emotions. Ever see the Mentos commercials, a.k.a. panacea-in-a-wrapper commercials? I would willingly walk across a floor of tacks to get to the remote in order to change the channel or turn the TV off before I have to here the full 4 second stupid-ass "chanting" at the beginning of the commercial. Hearing this sound makes me *ANGRY*

Well, anyway, before I launch into some pointless monologue and work myself into a fervor I'll stop while I'm ahead.

This is in reply to the Truth in Advertising page, which I'd just added to the site in a burst of Madison Avenue hatred.

________________

Date: March 16, 2002
From: Chris
Subject: Daily Blog Mar. 16 LotR

Tom Armadillo? Freudian slip or...?

Tom Bombadil is his correct name. I wish they would have included this scene also, mainly to see who would play Tom's hot wife, Goldberry.

This is, of course, about the blog seen here, in which I said mean things about Tolkien, or at least part of the book. The name was not a mistake, it was my comedic effort.  I was personally glad they didn't include that stuff in the movie.  Weird guy in ugly hobo clothes dancing and singing around the forest and shouting into carniverous weeping willows wouldn't have worked real well in the movie, and would have totally interrupted the building tension and terror of the opening and traveling to Bree.  As would the various Frodo's new house stuff, and the long pony ride from there to where they met Tom.  None of this makes any sense to you if you haven't read the books and see the movie, but you already knew that.

________________

 

Date: March 31, 2002
From: SRTiny
Subject: Link Problems for Daily Blog 3/31

Hi, just wanted to report some linkage problems. It's for the links to the fashion show pictures, the people waiting in line for Britney Spears, and for Rodney's granddaughter. Whenever I click on the links, i get sent to a different picture, such as a memorial picture or some party. 

This is the annoying thing about those handy Yahoo slide shows.  As Yahoo adds more shots, the numbers of all shots change. So if there are 212 shots, and you link to #145, and they add 30 more shots, the new ones become 1-30, and #145 becomes #175.  This is why I'm linking to fewer shots on Yahoo now, or else copying them to here.  The problem with that is I must see it, view it, save it, resize and optimize, put it in my images folder, and and link to that.  Which isn't exactly one of the labors of Hercules, but it's a lot more work than just copying the link from Yahoo and slapping it in here.

The "most popular" shots on Yahoo seem to be perma-linked though, or at least have a permanent location until they are no longer most popular.  In any event, they are good links for a week or two, with any luck.

Obligatory email link.

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