Random Emails That I Have Recently Received

Here are some emails that I have gotten as of late. You send them. I publish them.

Regarding "Letters from Johns":

I know the blog is now closed, but I just wanted to say that its something that really touched me. I've been on the Internet pretty much since its been around and it seems so rare to find actual, touching stories like those that are on there. I've always felt like the Internet could be something that would bring people together. Yet it seems so rare.

Its 2am and I found myself clicking page, after page, after page. So many of the stories I could relate to. Everything from religion to rejection. I guess its like all the stories you imagine men might tell, but you never hear about.

I'm not sure why you decided to do the project, but I just wanted to say that I'm glad you did. There are so many times in my life recently that I feel like I'm abnormal and that I'm never going to find friends or that special someone. Then I read all of these stories and realize that yet once again these people are all around me. But yet I still don't know how to find or communicate with them.

Reading all of it doesn't really make me feel changed or anything like that. But it touched me in a way that made me want to reach out to whom-ever decided to put all those stories together and share them with the world. Which was obviously you. So thank you. I'd say 'keep doing it' but you already seem like one of those people who will. For that, I'm sure there are many of us out here who are grateful. Even if its only in very small ways.

Thank you

[Redacted]

Regarding the Boing Boing post that I wrote about Frank Mir v. Brock Lesnar:

Ms. Breslin, 

While I have quite enjoyed most of your posts on BoingBoing, I have to say that I am very disappointed that you posted the results of the most recent UFC fight.

Despite the debate that raged on whether it was a "wonderful" post or not, I have to say that, as an expatriate who cannot watch the fights on PPV or tape delay, you have effectively ruined two of the biggest cards of the night for me. I had successfully avoided most websites where the results might possibly have been posted and BoingBoing was the absolutely last place I would have expected to see them.  Even if you don't much care for sports or big sporting events, in the future, please try to avoid posting the results online.

[Redacted]

Regarding--well, nothing. This guy I don't know sends me random emails sometimes that I publish. This is the latest. The subject header: "This is not a lame way to ask for a phone number."

I was drunk. It's almost impossible to me to be completely sincere when I'm not and if the subject is my own emotions, that adds up a little more difficulties to the situation. Anyway, I was really drunk and alone, trying to say something that was -besides my own difficulties- hard to say, but I had to say it anyway! So, there was no one who I thought it could get what I wanted to say the way I was trying to put it. So I thought in two persons: One it was you, the other was an old friend who I haven't seen in years. I called her. She spoke a sincere and effusive "Hello! How have you been?" and then I said -half drunk, half more drunk-: "We people don't speak the same language. I'm not talking about english, spanish, russian, etc. I mean when we talk to each other we don't mean the same things even if we use the same words. Everybody has a different language even for the simplest words like 'worried' or 'angry', we mean totally different things when we -try to- speak. So, I believe we get confused. We believe we understand each other because part of our languages are similar and in that exact point we can imagine we understand each other, but we don't. The truth is that we don't...", then she said: "Okay... go on...". So I continued: "The thing for which I'm calling you is because I've always felt that you and I we speak a very similar language and I've never said this before but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about". She stood in silence for a few seconds and said "I get it, I know what you mean. Are you ok? Are you drunk?". I said "Yes and I'm sorry about that, but I thought this would be interesting for you to hear and I needed to say it before I get worst". She said "Ok, don't worry it's ok, I get to thinking many many things about me and my own stuff, I wish you get over whatever you are going through, I send you a big hug and a kiss". I said "Ok, me too, see you then, bye". And I got to sleep.

That was more then a week ago and today I visited your flickr and your blog and I remembered you were the other person I wanted to say this. I'm not drunk this time but now I'm much better than that day and for my own surprise I remember every word I said when I made that drunk-call. So, this is not a lame way to ask for your phone number, but I thought you might wanted to read it.

Para ser sincero, no tengo ni la menor idea de porqué te uso para hablar conmigo mismo; me sorprende tal vez más a mi que a ti. En fin, hay cosas que no tienen explicación. Gracias por leerme y por dejar que a veces hasta mi voz se asome entre tus posts.

[Redacted]

Xeni says the last part means:

"To be sincere, I don't have the slightest idea what use you'd have in talking to me. It surprises me possibly more than it does you. In the end, though, there are things that do not have an explanation. Thank you for reading me and for allowing my voice to appear within your blog posts from time to time."

Image via This isn't happiness.