This is my Post #503

Unlike you'd probably think by the topic, no it ain't anything particular about the number 503, save the fact that if you add the figures they add up to 8, which is one of my favorite numbers... like for many, many other people in the world. 8, 7 and 10 are big ticket item in the "numerical world", where often the "rebelious" or the "geeky black sheep" of the herd picks the 6, often saying that, yeah, it's due to the 60 and the ancient numerical system... whatever. 501 has a meaning due to the famous Levi's jeans. I guess everybody has one, right? 502 is meaningful in China, where the way you read this number (in Chinese) says "I love you" in Chinese. (Damned, you gara count a lot in Chinese, to get to an "I love you". For them love IS in the numbers.)

The number is mainly because as I started this entry I had no particular topic in mind, but rather an array of things that will somehow come out and make an entry. (And I don't feel like making a [boing boing boing boing] 2. So that's out of the question.)

Among the things happening in my life right now, I'm still somewhat in shock about that certain penpal's letter, which has lead me to burden my dear penpals with notes and comments of "Oh dear Dr. Pepper! How can people like that even exist!". Well, what can I say? I'm not famous for my tolerance, and certainly not for my capability of dealing with disappointment. Of course, if someone has some, rest assured it would make a magnificent Birthday, Name-day or Christmas gift. (Please include Instructions of Use!)

On the other scope, well, on Saturday I received a BIG LOAD of letters (one of them was The Disappointing One), which made me INCREDIBLY HAPPY! People who don't penpal have no idea what are they missing! Six letters from different parts of the world, from different people, with different stories and handwritings waited for me in my P.O.Box (which I still have to go and pay before the 31st), which has spent most of it's useful life basically empty. Some thicker, some thinner, some with cards, some other with pictures, and yet another with unbelievable surprises in it! Some humorous, some pensive, but all of them warmed up my heart and made me feel VERY GOOD! ^_^ What can I say? My penpals are simply AMAZING! Now, they didn't all happen to get there that exact day or that exact week, as I was, as everybody knows by now, in my BELOVED HUNGARY, in my ADORED EUROPE enjoying blissfully my vacations, which were very eventful, from loads of snow, to 5 star hotels with no decent Internet, Bulgarian menus in BULGARIAN and so on (let's not repeat what you've already read); so through the lapse of four weeks (sort of) my letters landed quietly and lovingly in my tiny little mailbox, for me to then harvest an armful of fuzzy feelings.

In order to practice some sort of discipline, I decided to open my letters one by one and answer them in tandem, so that thoughts and ideas wouldn't mix and thus everybody gets replied swiftly. The system works like a charm, I must tell you, as this way I've got four letters answered by Monday, which made it to the Post Office in a moment of "Office Break" where, under the cloath of deception, I slipped away for some undisclosed minutes to run like the wind to the Post, place my letters, kiss them good-bye (which must have made a very bad impression on the poor post-lady, since they were four, all addressed to women...) and send them to my dear ones. ^_^

Two remained after: the Disappointing One and a very thick, very big, very bulky one. The Disappointing One I read first and since then I'm like @_@ waaaaah~ noooo~ the horror! The other one, just by looking at it, I knew it would be the opposite to the other, yet I was trying to decide whether it was from the New Unabomber or maybe... something else. Like any experimented bomb-expert, I shook the envelope first, then shook it again harder, to see if there was anything suspitious, bomb-like in it. It didn't explode, so I thought it was safe. (Don't do that at home. That's what offices are for. ^_^ The drawing is mine, I made it with my own hands, my own Sharpie and the office's recycled paper.) Finally I opened it up and A LOT OF THINGS came out of it! A printed out interview with handwritten side comments to it (I bet you all want that, don't you?), TRUCKLOADS of pictures and ANOTHER LETTER! And dear Dr. Pepper if that envelope wasn't a bulky, thick envelope too! (The shaking procedure went on again, just in case that too had a bomb. You can't be too careful.) After it didn't explote, I opened it and in the middle of a rain of silvery trumpeting angels, the thickest letter ever popped out. O_O The paper itself was also so thick it felt like unfolding a tree!

A unique "first letter" unfolded that broke all the rules pertaining "first letters" evolving rapidly with fresh, crisp notes scribbled up in round, youthful letters, drumming up the pace and style of a personal diary. (Yes, that's you Honey!) I was happy, but truth to be told, I must admit myself overwhelmed and taken aback. There while with my other beautiful friends the correspondence is unique and fluid, this one posed a challenge: could I match that much "media" in my reply? For the first time in ages I'm "planning" my letter. I questioned myself also, about how "me" would a media-enriched letter be, since my signature is "paper-and-unreadable handwritting in black ink". I mean, I sweated big time with my French letter (which I had to write twice, thanks to the always unreliable Costa Rican Postal Service and me not scanning it ahead), but that was still "Me". Now with media? So I pondered and pondered and decided I'll do a "Media-Me" letter, which will still be me, and would fulfill the pretty and colourful soul of my friend. Besides, I already made ONE card for a friend, so why wouldn't I be able to deal with a "Media-Me"?

So now I'm on that point where I would really like to start replying to the letter, but I can't because the "material" isn't done... as a matter of fact I have to figure out a way to get a few things done. Then, as a matter of fact, the material itself is still in debate: what should I include, how to "program the experience" and how to tie it into "The Letter". And regarding "The Letter" itself... change my eyeburning-red stationary and actually get stationary, add stickers (NO) or stamps (Get Real) or stay with the regular "format"? These and others alike are questions to be properly addressed by The Council (my working brain neurones... or so they say) in due time. Now my question is: will that "due time" happen before or after this next Saturday? After all, Saturday is Post-day!