When I was young, I would receive letters that basically stated if I don't send one dollar bills to 6-10 people whose addresses were supplied, I would have very bad luck for breaking 'the chain'. But if I did, not only would I have fantastic luck but I would reap thousands of dollars due to the miracle of geometric growth at some point in the near future. These letters annoyed me. Not only did I not have the money to spare but what kind of friend would I be by exploiting my friends so shamelessly.
I always was the chain breaker. Perhaps this is why I had cancer and had little spending money as a kid. There was a less mercenary version of the chain with you sending postcards of your location (I am sure people would be thrilled to see photos of my dreary suburb even if these postcards were available) and then along with the promised luck, you'll get postcards from all sorts of exotic locales.
Fortunately no such mail arrives any more by snail mail but there are now electronic versions of it. I get these quite often. Basically I receive e-mail saying what a great friend I am to the sender and that I have a short period of time to forward this message to those who I love or........
various bad scenarios could happen. Suffice it to say, I don't forward these things. I am not sure if the sender becomes less of a friend but I hate having to prove my affection for people this way. I just will not do it. Do not feel hurt by this.
And then there is Facebook. Today there was a request that I change my status or profile to show my support for a particular cause and to show respect for a certain person. I will not do this either even though I do support the cause in so many ways.
There was a reunion Facebook site in which people could share their high school memories. That was fine. But one person decided to use it as a platform for his political views. I found this highly offensive (and his political views are just the opposite of mine). I had remembered this person fondly until he posted that dreck.
Middle of the night reading:
I am reaching into the bottom of the large bag of books I bought not so long ago at a used book sale. Sleep is becoming more difficult plus we had a whole day of a power outage that I spent reading. I should have used that time to clean house but it was a very hot day and I didn't want to get any hotter. I finished Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood last night. It is a post-apocalyptic cautionary tale set in future by the lone survivor of a world destroyed by genetic engineering run amok, big brother tactics, the consumer's demand for never ageing,and big business greed, all sadly conceivable. It was well written, very interesting, and for the most part, scientifically sound. She did her research. Sad though.
I always was the chain breaker. Perhaps this is why I had cancer and had little spending money as a kid. There was a less mercenary version of the chain with you sending postcards of your location (I am sure people would be thrilled to see photos of my dreary suburb even if these postcards were available) and then along with the promised luck, you'll get postcards from all sorts of exotic locales.
Fortunately no such mail arrives any more by snail mail but there are now electronic versions of it. I get these quite often. Basically I receive e-mail saying what a great friend I am to the sender and that I have a short period of time to forward this message to those who I love or........
various bad scenarios could happen. Suffice it to say, I don't forward these things. I am not sure if the sender becomes less of a friend but I hate having to prove my affection for people this way. I just will not do it. Do not feel hurt by this.
And then there is Facebook. Today there was a request that I change my status or profile to show my support for a particular cause and to show respect for a certain person. I will not do this either even though I do support the cause in so many ways.
There was a reunion Facebook site in which people could share their high school memories. That was fine. But one person decided to use it as a platform for his political views. I found this highly offensive (and his political views are just the opposite of mine). I had remembered this person fondly until he posted that dreck.
Middle of the night reading:
I am reaching into the bottom of the large bag of books I bought not so long ago at a used book sale. Sleep is becoming more difficult plus we had a whole day of a power outage that I spent reading. I should have used that time to clean house but it was a very hot day and I didn't want to get any hotter. I finished Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood last night. It is a post-apocalyptic cautionary tale set in future by the lone survivor of a world destroyed by genetic engineering run amok, big brother tactics, the consumer's demand for never ageing,and big business greed, all sadly conceivable. It was well written, very interesting, and for the most part, scientifically sound. She did her research. Sad though.
2 comments:
Sue, seems the modern version of the chain letter also gives personal information as people do not delete their own details, or thoe of friends who have omitted to do so.
I recently had my blog used as a platform for evil. Have now been 'forced' to subject my friends to waiting until I publish their comments as I wish to avoid any further 'nasties.'
Good luck with your reading. My concentration does not allow it these days.
i agree...i rarely, if ever, respond to those annoying send-alongs.
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