The Price of Light Sweet Crude

I’m learning new tricks. Okay, not really tricks, but the learning curve has twisted me so tightly I could kiss my own rear end. A new email system. After nearly eight years of opening an ATT home page, I said no more to the ridiculous price increases. Years ago, a $4.95 access fee enticed me to sign up. Cheaper than AOL, and MSN, two emerging giants in the World Wide Web browsing game. Ah, those were the days, running around the country and plugging the computer into the phone jack when you checked into the Red Roof Inn in St. Albans West “by God” Virginia.

Over the years the price rose faster than the Saudis can pump a barrel of light sweet crude out of the desert. Remember when crude was $22.00 a barrel? Probably not, but now ATT wants $21.95 for dial up access. Sorry guys, once I figured out how to archive all my emails from days gone by I whipped out the white hanky. Not to surrender, but to wave bye-bye.

Being down in the weather paid off. I didn’t feel like doing anything else and Hanna was holding a wet towel over NY, so I sat in the living room for the day, downloaded old email, imported and exported my web addresses (do you know how many names I didn’t recognize?) and decided to make a new home at GMail.

Gmail doesn’t stand for government mail. It’s the ubiquitous Google gang, who just turned 10 years old. Ah, remember the days before Google? About the same time oil was $22.00 a barrel.

It’s free. You get what you pay for. So far today I’ve encountered “system problems” in sending email to a couple of old friends who quickly responded to my notice that I had changed my email address. But I've discovered the feature in the address book. I can post a photo with the address. Now, I shouldn't be so puzzled when I encounter an address like sevejl@. There's Jim's smiling face to remind me, "Oh yes, one of those track cronies." (Okay, I knew your sister would get a kick out of this.)

If you didn’t receive that notice it could be one of three reasons. 1. I don’t know you. 2. You have another email address for me. 3. AOL bounced all messages back to me. Your mail box is apparently full. So they say.

If you like to be included on the list of two hundred and forty two, just drop me a line. And a photo! A picture could be worth the price of a barrel of Sweet Crude.