I have two emails.
I mean that literally: I have two personal email addresses, one for myself and one for this site.
I also mean it figuratively: My two email addresses are completely different products.
On my personal email, I’m inundated with crap. Advertisements seep in, no matter how many unsubscribe buttons I tap. Confirmation emails, tracking emails, bill pay reminders and cheesy forwards. One in twenty is an interesting newsletter. A smaller amount are personal notes from friends and family.
Then there is the email for EF Writing Project. It is entirely that latter category. Notes from friends and readers. Correspondence. It is pure. It is pleasant to read. It is manageable.
At a certain point email became polluted. It is no longer about correspondence but instead about maintenance. “I’m checking my email.” What are you checking it for? Notes from friends and replies to interesting threads? Or are you clearing out the junk, whittling away that day’s muck so you will notice if anything important happens to come in?
What I’ve noticed checking email for this site is that I’m guaranteed to smile. There are recommended articles, words of encouragement, and some useful debate. But not once am I being pressed into action – Pay Now, Buy Now, Last Chance, Don’t Forget to Check In.
I grew up with Facebook, instant messaging and texting, so email has never been about correspondence for me. It is a tool that I use inefficiently to keep track of everything in my life. But this second address has reminded me of what the platform could be. A place where you can share long thoughts with others, at a pace you feel comfortable with.
Because those places are few and far between.