Just a moment of your time, please

[email that seemed like a good idea on 19 March 2001]

Greetings everybody,

I have been lead to believe that some people may be a bit... intimidated... by some of these messages I send out. Well, okay: "intimidated" may be too strong a term; perhaps "overwhelmed" is more accurate. Or maybe not. "Baffled"? Yeah, that's pretty certain. "Bored"? Oh, of course. And because of this, some of you may be disinclined to reply, or even to acknowledge that you even know who I am.

I understand.

However, in any case, I wanted to make it clear that I do not want you to feel self-conscious about your what you may want to say back to me. I really do enjoy hearing from you, no matter how short or long the message, no matter how deep or frivolous the content, no matter whether the grammar and/or punctuation is perfect or not, and even if you don't really have a subject or coherent theme. I'm not judging what you write. You should feel free to express yourself in any way that strikes you. And don't worry: I have heard all of your major profanity, and, I suspect, most of the common epithets and slurs and insults.

Take it from me: if you wait around for a great idea before doing something, then you're obviously wiser than apparently I is.

So, as soon as you finish reading this sentence, hit Reply (or if you're daring, or really drunk, Reply All) and take 30 seconds and type the first thing that pops into your head--whatever it is (and I mean, whatever)--and then click that Send button. Do not stop, do not edit, do not revise, do not collect $200: just do it.

Thanks. You're the best.


[Some recipients acted on that Reply All dare. Subsequently I never sent another message where the recipients weren't all bcc'ed, protecting the members of my "audience" from the whims of each other. Editing one's self really is worthwhile.]