Open letter to my friends, etc. (not that I've told any of my face-to-face friends to check this out, but this can be to anyone):

Dear friend:

Please don't send me chain e-mail. I'm not going to pass it on. I promise. I don't care if it promises me money or all my dreams come true. I REALLY can't stand the religious blackmail. I'm not ashamed of being a Christian, but I don't believe it requires me to clog the inboxes of everyone I know. And the cute, sickeningly sweet, pull-on-your-heartstrings stories and really bad poems I can do without, too. Please, write me. Tell me how you're doing. I want to know. If I can do you a favor, let me know, really! Just stop hitting forward when someone sends you something. Unless it's a good joke--a really good joke.

Thanks,
Tracy