Mail Memories

Something mentioned in a conversation today reminded me of how big a "mail freak" I was back during my younger years.

I LOVED GETTING MAIL!

During junior high (and maybe even into high school), I would purposely make efforts to "generate" mail.  Calling 800 numbers "to request more information" was my biggest tool.

In fact, some days we would have so much mail arrive that the post office ladies (Marsha, Alice, Veva & team) couldn't fit it all in Dad and Mom's post office box.  Instead, there'd be a little yellow card that would indicate we need to come to the counter to pick it all up.

What was the method to my madness?  Here's a list of what I remember being the top sources of Matt Mail:

- travel literature, lots and lots and lots of it (I had a folder/envelope in my room for each U.S. state)

- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) address labels

- stuff from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) in Pueblo Colorado

- letters from my pen pal Sarah C.

- cards from grandparents

- Bible lessons from Your Story Hour in Medina Ohio

- catalogs of all varieties

- packs of various vendor response postcards

- requests from various non-profits (American Lung Association, Smokey the Bear, Woodsy Owl, etc.)

Yes folks, between the ages of 9 and 14, I was single-handedly responsible for the destruction of over 49 acres of paper-producing forestland.

;)

Out for now........

Matt