FISCHER – Learning to let go

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

When I moved, six months ago, I also ended a relationship. Nothing was particularly wrong, but it was time to move on.

I told them I was leaving and thought that would be that, but I was wrong.

Nearly every week or so since I’ve moved, they’ve been writing me. I did not give them my new address, so they just continue to send mail to my old one, begging me to reconsider and take them back.

I don’t respond to their pleas and, apologies to the Post Office for costing them a small fortune on little yellow stickers, but I have no intention of giving them my new address. I do not particularly want them to know where I live.

You would think after six months they’d have gotten the hint, but no. Just today I picked up another forwarded piece of mail out of my box.

I am, of course, talking about my previous internet provider.

It’s weird the things large companies are allowed to do that would maybe warrant a restraining order if an individual did them.

To me, the astounding part is that the mail continues to come even though they know for a fact that I no longer live where they’re sending it. It was the entire reason I canceled their service in the first place.

I’ve found myself in a similar situation with some satellite radio service after getting my new car.

I’ve never asked for this service. I never signed up for this service. I have no need of this service.

Like, I assume, every mature adult, I have a USB drive filled with MP3s I ripped from CDs or downloaded off of Napster when I was in high school and that is all the music I need.

For anything more than that, my car radio has a Bluetooth connection.

And yet, somehow, word got out that I had a new car and I became inundated with e-mails and phone calls about free trials for a service I have no use for.

Meanwhile, Photobucket has been sending me semi-regular reminders that my account is going to be deleted after years of inactivity for at least a year now.

I think the last time I used that account was when I was still listening to new music.

I’m sure there are people out there that legitimately need these warnings and I’m sure there are people out there that will be shocked to find their account scrubbed no matter how many warnings are sent.

I applaud Photobucket for their diligence, but you can only warn somebody that you’re going to delete their account so many times before it starts sounding like a bluff.

At this point I’m invested in seeing what their endgame looks like. When will I finally get that e-mail announcing that enough is enough?

You ever wonder how much mental space things like this take up? Sure, it’s just a few seconds to throw away a postcard, decline a phone call, or delete an email, but how much does that add up to over time? How much human productivity is chipped away day after day dealing with these micro-inconveniences?

Not that I have anything better going on anyway.

— Travis Fischer is a news writer for the Charles City Press and is not interested in extending his car’s warranty.