Hand Exercises for Letter Writers

Photo provided by Rebecca Connor
(also the hand model)

Yes! A reader-requested topic. Tina, this is for you!

After finishing writing her Giftmas cards, Tina's hand was in a bad way. She posted about it on Facebook & tagged me, suggesting that I do a post on hand exercises for letter writers. It's long past the time now for marathon Giftmas card-writing (unless you're really behind or starting really early), but it's never too late to start preparing for your next session.

I have wrist issues (more at end of post), and I've been meaning to check out some ways to help my poor wrists, but you don't need a repetitive strain injury (RSI) to get achy hands - anyone who overdoes it can get sore. Marathon card-writing is just one way. There are plenty of other hobbies with repetitive motions that can require stretches and/or exercises: gaming and needlecrafting (knit, crochet, etc.) are just a couple of examples.

Disclaimer

Part of my outgoing Xmas
cards for 2015

I'm not anywhere close to a medical professional. What I'm doing is relaying things I've read that made sense, and linking to some sources. What you do with this info. is entirely up to you. I recommend that you do your own research and, if you have actual pain that doesn't go away, see a doctor. I put off seeing one for a very long time. I even figured out a new way to write that required very little use of my thumb*, but actually seeing a doctor would have helped get me relief earlier: there are treatments and simple tools that are good for RSIs, arthritis, etc.

This post is about strategy as well as exercises, because I think both are important and because I'm not qualified to write an entire article about exercises (see above).

Strategy
Make sure you're sitting at a table/desk with both chair & writing surface at a comfortable height. (I always write better at a desk/table, but most of the time, I'm using a clipboard on the couch. Old (bad) habits die hard, I guess.)

This year, I started out at a table.
(I didn't stay there, though.)

Observe your writing style, particularly how you hold your pen. If you find that you're writing with a death grip on it, look for a larger barrel or a cushion grip to make the barrel larger and easier to hold.

Take a look at your pen & how it writes. Besides how comfortable it feels in your hand, look at the ink flow. Does the pen skip or does it require more pressure, which can add strain? Try a bunch of different pens. They don't have to be pricey: my favorite pen for writing & addressing cards** costs $2, and the fountain pens I use for writing letters are under $5 (plus ink). I'm also a big fan of Sharpie pens, which cost around $3 each. Of course, you can spend more: what's important is that you can write smoothly, with as little pressure as possible.

During your writing session, take regular breaks and do some basic stretches.

There is also this concept of starting earlier and working in multiple sessions, but that's just crazy talk.

Exercises
Check out this web.md article about hand and finger exercises, which I'm going to start trying (the site sucks; sorry about that). Some will loosen tense muscles and some may help strengthen your grip. #9 specifically mentions holding a pen and writing. Note: if you have - or think you have - an RSI, take care (see disclaimer): the ring finger stretch (#6) irritated my carpal tunnel and one exercise has a notation to not do it if you have a thumb joint injury.

Just a few minutes on YouTube revealed that there are a TON of videos from all kinds of people claiming to be professionals, and a lot of them seemed to contradict each other. I liked this video - although it is geared towards gamers, the strategies and stretches seem common sense and low-impact (some of the stretches on other videos scared the shit out of me). Dr. Levi suggests taking regular breaks, submersing hands in warm water, and stretching regularly. 

Fun with ortho splints

My Wrist Stuff
I have De Quervain syndrome (right hand), plus carpal tunnel (left). I also sucked my thumb*** into my college years (unconsciously). I cope pretty well now because I no longer do the kind of work that led to the aggravation, refuse to work at a self-injuring pace, and learned how to do certain things (like mousing) with my weak hand, so I can switch if I start having issues. I have not been able to learn how to legibly write with my left hand, but maybe someday. (Have you ever tried it? It makes me very tense and anxious and makes me sympathize with left-handed children (like my dad) who, decades ago, were forced to learn how to write with their right hands (mostly for religious whack-job reasons).)

With all of the precautions I take, I have more issues with my hands while I'm sleeping than when I'm writing, so I sleep in thumb-stabilizing wrist splints (not as extreme as those pictured here, whew) and only wear one during the day when needed. My doctor doesn't seem to be concerned at all with me exercising my hands/wrists, but I'm going to try - if I can do it without pain.

Footnotes

*I call this my "injured thumb pen hold." Can you see how little my thumb is involved in holding the pen? (The quality of the original video from 3½ years ago was too poor, so I've recreated it. Pardon the ink stains.)

**The Pilot envelope address-writing pen comes in 3 point sizes. If you get them all (recommended), don't worry about the fact that there isn't a word of English on the label to tell you which is which. Look at the little oval on the pen cap. The broad (shown above) is black, the fine point has a black border and the extra fine has no border. It only took me two years to notice that (there is a tiny code on one sticker that also tells, but the pen cap is sooo much easier)!

***Probably not a factor.

January 2016 Updates

A couple of quick updates:

Letter Folders
One of my penpals posted a little video showing one of my folder letters/flip cards that I posted about earlier this month. @theritzymailbox is her snailmail Instagram account (a lot of people do this, but I can't keep multiples straight, so all of my stuff goes in together). Since I cannot get IG embeds to work for me, I had to download the video and repost, but here's the link to @theritzymailbox's original on IG. It is 100% her work.

Fun with Fountain Pens
I've had a bit of mixed luck with the pens I wrote about here. The free eyedropper pen that came with the large bottle (that got the whole obsession started for me), turned out to be a dud. I had a major ink leak all over my case, hands and desk. The pen was prettier than the ones you can buy from the sites I shared, but I couldn't fix it, so it's gone, gone, gone. I've had no troubles with the conversions that I did.

I did learn that taking fountain pens - at least this variety - on planes isn't the best idea. I had seven or eight  pens with me on a short flight and four of them leaked - through the nib, not the conversion point (that held solid). Cleaning that up was kind of a nightmare! And the worst of it was that I didn't need them with me. I never opened the case until I got home and unpacked my bag. :-( So, the rule for me is, no fountain pens on planes. (Maybe nicer pens would hold up better, but I wouldn't want to risk an expensive pen!)

Resources
I've added a page for Resources (always available via tabs at top of page). It's a little sparse now, but I'll be adding to it as time goes by and I continue to find cool things.

Giveaways
I had one commenter for the first giveaway, and doubled that for the second!! Both winners were reached and the first prize was sent some time ago. The latest contents winner was just notified yesterday, and I'll be mailing the stamps out this week.

Product Review: Mister Ghost's Highly Enviable Monthly Parcel of Simple Yet Amazing Wonderments

This is an unsolicited - I dunno if "review" is really the right word, but it will do - review of Evil Supply Co.'s Mister Ghost's Highly Enviable Monthly Parcel of Simple Yet Amazing Wonderments, a parcel available on a monthly basis, or by subscription (for a discount). I ordered the January box, Positivity & Necromancy, which arrived yesterday. When you order from Evil Supply Co. (ESC), you have the option of having your package haunted or cursed (or not).

I'm a firm believer in this notion that the best way to find new products/companies is via recommendations from friends. Better yet if they can share something with you that you can actually touch or use. It's why I like to hand over one of my Pilot Envelope Addressing pens to pen geeks I meet to make them try it. (I've also been known to give them as gifts.) That's how I found ESC and eventually came to order my first Mister Ghost parcel.

It started with a new pen pal (@amysnotdeadyet on IG) including some great goodies in her letter, which arrived last Halloween. Naturally, I loved Amy's own work (all the art in the middle (check out her shop))! I was also intrigued by the stickers (on the left) & Ghost-a-gram card on the right, which turned out to be from ESC - who wouldn't love to get a package with a "may be haunted" sticker on it? (See sticker page for current offerings.)

From that point on, I've been aware of ESC. Friends have shared links with me, knowing my love for all things spooky. (Halloween is my favorite holiday!) Instagrammers I follow posts about them frequently, and after clicking over to see the feed several times, I eventually started following @evilsupplyco, who posts a lot of fun sketches and pictures of local cemeteries. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I took the plunge and ordered my first box.

I don't do product/box subscriptions. The explanation is too lengthy to go into here (I know, because I tried), but it boils down to me being both cautious and picky. Even if I know I can count on the package arriving, I just know I'll only like about half the stuff that would come in it. It's just who I am. What I like about ESC's Mister Ghost's Parcel is anyone can order the current box (if available - I'm sure quantities are limited) without subscribing (for a few dollars more). Or, if you subscribe, they charge monthly*.  The themes are so "me," that I can't imagine not loving most, if not all, of the contents every month. Based on this experience, I will be subscribing, for at least a few months.

If you are reading this in January 2016, it's not too late to get your own #10 parcel, Positivity & Necromancy. The site says they are available until January 31.

My box arrived yesterday. I guess I'm lucky that the carrier crammed the package into the mail box so tightly that I had to use two hands and a bit of twisting to get it out; sometimes, he just tosses things onto the ground or into the ditch. Unfortunately, there was another package there, too (that he had delivered at the same time), so my Mister Ghost Parcel was stuck halfway out, in the rain. Luckily, it wasn't out there long enough for the rain to get into the box and damage anything. I eagerly carried it into the house and sliced through the tape. Right on top were cards declaring that "Per request at purchase, this parcel has been CURSED" and "HAUNTED." Good sign!

Starting with this parcel (#10), each collection comes in a screen-printed, zippered pouch (I think they used to be plastic envelopes). I'm assuming the print goes along with the theme each month. Mine needs a little time with a needle and thread at one end of the zipper, but it's a nominal issue. The pouches are document sized, which is pretty cool!

The contents are "blind-boxed," so they can't tell you exactly which designs are going to be included, but each parcel contains 2 small, blank booklets, an art print, 2 greeting cards (2 designs (in my case, that meant I got 2 each of 2 cards) with envelopes) & four stickers.

Also starting with parcel #10, each collection includes an embroidered patch. I recently shared my love of patches, so this was, honestly, what clinched the deal and make me place the first order. And the one I received is so fun!

The journals are adorable, and well done, but if I get two with every subscription, I will have to share some with friends (I don't think anyone will complain). I got two pairs of flat note cards, also themed, with brightly-colored (in this case) envelopes. The art print I received (under the patch) advertises "Potion of Mermaid's Breath."

From what I can tell, most of the time, the stickers are like the ones shown above, roughly the same size. They're very high quality vinyl, with vibrant colors, and are promised to be waterproof and dishwasher-safe. The ones included in this parcel (bottle labels) are the same quality, but there were 2 small and 2 large ones. I have long been wanting to gather enough bottles to make an alchemist or mad scientist lab for a future Halloween party, so these were welcome!

In conclusion, I feel that it was worth it for me to pay the non-subscription price to see the package for myself, and I'm prepared to subscribe to keep the goodness coming at a discount! A little Halloween every month...just what I need.

*Maybe that's normal now, but when I first became aware of this kind of thing, it was in the form of yarn clubs, where you had to pay the full amount up front.

Gifts for Letter Writers - Part 1

This is the first in what I hope will be a series of posts about finding gifts for letter writers (which could include yourself). A lot of "gift guides" are a bunch of sponsored or affiliate links. I don't currently have any associate/affiliate accounts, so anything else I post won't be sponsored, unless stated otherwise. (I wouldn't say no to a sponsorship...)

I'm particularly happy with this present I sent to my friend Anita for Giftmas in 2015. We've been real-life friends for something like 15 years (don't make me do math right now) and have have been exchanging letters off and on for several of them.

• Stationery - all letter writers need something to write on. Unless they have an exclusive stationery or monogrammed cards they buy in bulk, they'll need paper, envelopes, cards, etc.
  
  I like giving personalized stationery as gifts. As far as I can recall, I always give at least one package of PaperSource text-weight paper (they come in such an amazing array of colors), with a monogram, name, etc., and a package of matching (or coordinating) #10 envelopes. An equally good option would be any of their cards (blank or personalized) and coordinating envelopes or a boxed set from anywhere (book stores have a stationery section).
• Stamps - again, all letter writers need stamps. For my birthday this year, a co-worker gave me a sheet of the circus poster stamps. I loved them! Anything but what they sell in bulk if you don't ask (like flags) should be well-received. Better if you know some of their interests and can surprise them with a booklet or sheet of something that will make them smile whenever they use one. Note: Unless you know they're open to using vintage stamps, stick with current issue or Forever stamps (US), since using vintage requires having a variety of denominations in order to mail.
  
  I used one of my custom stamp gift cards to buy stamps for two people in 2015 (one hasn't been received, so I can't share it yet). Anita is all about being a Leo, so she asked for a lion (I blew the surprise to get her something she'd enjoy using). The carrier who delivered the mail that day decided that, even though it was the only thing being delivered, just slightly bending the envelope wasn't enough. He folded it in half and creased it, hard, damaging a whole row of stamps. The company replaced them, and I received them almost in time to get the gift there by Giftmas. One day late. Not too shabby.
• Pens are a slightly different story. They really are a personal choice and preferences vary widely. Some people like heavy pens, others regular old Bic and don't want anything else. I never mind getting pens as gifts, but I use the ones I like.
  
  Having said that, I give the pictured pens as gifts all of the time, and the response has been very positive. These are Pilot "envelope address-writing gel pens" from Japan. available in the US only at Jet Pens, as far as I know. Sending greeting cards is a very big deal in Japan, or so I've heard, and these were supposedly developed just for that need. The flow is just amazing and they work really well on smooth paper. (I signed all of my Giftmas cards with mine, and addressed the envelopes, too.) They come in three sizes & are only $2 each.
  
• Not pictured: I gave this friend, my goddaughter and myself lifetime memberships in the Letter Writers Alliance. They're just $5 each! Members get a cool patch & postcard, plus access to the members-only shop and opportunities to get new pen pals. 

Thanks for reading so far! I'll be back with more gift ideas, for whatever gift-giving occasions come up.

Celebrate Achievements: Grown-up Merit Badges

It all started when I got to the end of a difficult book. I quipped to my husband that I deserved a merit badge for finishing Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne. It was not fun, but it was a classic; I felt that I had to finish, and it was hard to do. No matter that it was an audio book. (I commute almost 100 miles per day. Audio books are as essential to me as coffee.)

I started looking around online; I figured there was a chance that there was something out there that would work as a merit badge. I soon realized that there were many things I've done that deserve a merit badge.

Within an hour or so of looking, and just a few hours after making the crack about needing a merit badge for finishing a book, I found exactly that: a merit badge for finishing a difficult book (aka Book Conquest patch from Patch Fever). Ordered!!

You know how when you have a mild itch on your hand or arm and start to scratch, first you think it's going to relieve the itch, but really, it's made it worse? Then you have to sit on one of your hands to stop scratching? It was kind of like that. Or, in simpler terms, I was hooked.

The book patch wasn't the first one I bought. I vaguely remembered reading something about alternative "scout" patches, so that's where I began. I quickly found The Scout Project and oh! she had a Pen Pal patch! So I ordered a couple (and went back later when they were in stock for knitting/needlework patches).

I definitely recommend the Scout Project as a starting place, because her patches are practical, fun, and affordable (it does seem like she's out of the pen pal patch, but there are a bunch more). After that, my next stop was Etsy. And boy, howdy! Was Etsy a good place for my search.

And then I went down a rabbit hole. I found so many patches that I wanted that I had to make some rules for myself. I wanted them all, but I also wanted to save room (on whatever their home was to be) for future activities. (I have a tendency to dive so deep into a new interest that I burn myself out completely. I wanted to avoid that with the patches, and keep them special.) There are dozens and dozens of grown-up badges out there, more than I can link to. Besides, I don't want to deprive you of all the fun.

One of the rules I made for myself was that merit badges had to be earned before they could sewn on or, ideally, even purchased. So I still covet that Ghost Hunter patch, but haven't ordered it, because I haven't been able to arrange such an activity with avid ghost hunter friends. (I made sure they knew I was a skeptic, and they're still willing to include me when time and all that stuff allows.)

I even saved up my mad money and got a backpack like all the cool kids have, one that patch collectors seem to like (Fjallraven Kanken on Amazon: price varies widely by seller (and color)), but you could obviously sew patches onto a messenger bag, tote, jacket, whatever you can get a needle through. I actually really like this pack. I can fit more than I thought into it and it was designed to be easy on the wearer's back It's not super-friendly to the sewing process, so look elsewhere if you're impatient about that kind of thing. I used invisible thread and a big, sharp needle.

Shown on the pack, right:

• Pen Pal, Needlework & First Aid patches from The Scout Project (linked above).
• Letter Writer's Alliance membership patch ($5 lifetime membership pack includes this small, triangular patch).
• Book Conquest patch (linked above).
• The Martian "mission patch" - total surprise SWAG when we saw the movie on opening day. I may have squeed.
• Human Resistance patch from Storied Threads.
• Zombie Survival patch, also from Storied Threads (their patches aren't cheap, so I only have a couple, but the quality is great and they have a fun selection).

Shown left: Not merit badges, but a tribute to my very first 

fandom, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. I have a Banzai Institute patch (top) and a Team Banzai Jetcar patch. Both from Starland. 

Not shown (other side of pack): Hell, MI Route 666 patch.

This would be a great parent/child activity, too. Just avoid the naughty patches (there are all kinds out there (see?)) and have some fun! I'd love to hear from other badge collectors, so please reach out! (DM me on Instagram (see siderail for link) or email me (see profile).)

Folder Letters

I wanted to write all about these cool letter folders I put together, but it turns out I only have one picture (I mailed the last one out today), so I pulled out an old one to show my progress. More to come: if one of the recipients posts images, I'll get their permission to share and all can be revealed; otherwise, I'll do a follow-up post when I make my next batch.

Folder Letter #1
These are probably known by other names. I've heard letter folders, too, and flip cards; if there is a proper name for these, maybe someone can let me know!

I tried one a few months ago, when I had virtually no supplies. It didn't turn out terrible (although it photographed terribly), but it felt wanting.

For this type of card, I folded the light card stock in thirds, then cut horizontal slits in an outer panel (not all the way across) and glued-down that third. which made pockets. I cut a different card stock (chartreuse, from PaperSource) for my questions & a short letter and used washi tape to turn them into a pages.

It wasn't perfect, but it was fun (and bright). I popped it into an oversized DIY envelope and sent it off.

Over the Giftmas weekend I decided to try making some with what I had on hand, based on one I recently received from a pen pal. It can be time-consuming, but I can see how it would be addictive! (It may also cost more to mail them if you don't pay attention to the thickness, which is why some of those I mailed recently might be on their way back to me as I type (see lessons learned at end of post).)

Supplies
First, I gathered up everything I thought I might be able to use. I'd recreate an entire folder if I had the right cards, but since I don't, pictured here are some of things I used, with links to sources where possible.

Basics: folded cards (smooth surface seems to work best), envelopes, washi or masking tape (at the very least to create the flaps or pages), additional card stock, tape runner, glue stick (I buy these by the case), scissors, X-ACTO knife, and paper cutter. Including little gifts, like tea or tape samples, is pretty typical and embellishments (like the office sticky notes and squirrel) are a nice touch. I also had a bunch of small treat bags and some glassine envelopes.

I have no special die-cutting machine, just a straight-edge paper cutter (with which I still cannot cut a straight line) and a few punches. I have not invested a lot of money specifically for this purpose. (The only thing I bought with this project specifically in mind were the little pre-made pouches, which I found in the teacher's section at an office supply company.) I don't have that much more in the way of "stuff" since my first attempt but I did let myself think outside the box a little more, which helped.

Folder Letter #2
 I had five black cards with matching envelopes, and that is what I used. I think they were A7 size, which was pretty good for this purpose.

Front: I took a water-based white Sharpie pen (gods, I love this thing) and just wrote "Hello..." diagonally (& hugely) across the front.

Inside cover: I cut a piece of black card stock to fit roughly the bottom half of the card & sliced horizontal slit about 2/3 down from the top, not all the way across. Using a my permanent tape roller, I glued down the card on the two sides and bottom; the top of the new piece and the slit formed two pockets. Along the top edge, I put some green grass tape and under the second pocket, I glued down a little pencil-themed tape flag, With the same white pen, I wrote "summer is coming" near the frozen-treat stickers I inserted in the top pocket. Into the second pocket went a washi tape sample card (most but not all shaped like a mason jar).

I cut down some small two-sided card stock squares so they wouldn't extend past the card's edge, and taped them to the center with some patterned masking tape. Onto the front "page," I glued a pouch and added reading-related embellishments. On the flip side of that, I glued down one of those orange squirrel notes and taped to its paw a tiny bag holding a squirrel D-clip (paper clip).

On the inside back cover, I taped down (overlapping) two more goodies: a bag of my favorite tea (in a small treat bag) and a glassine envelope holding 2 letter-writing themed stamps.

Then, the important part: I wrote letters on thinner-than-usual paper and folded them into the pouches. It all fit easily into the accompanying envelope.

For one, I had mail tag to answer, so I made another page, taping it to the back cover (top, bottom or side would have worked; I did one of those). The idea of these folders/cards, in all their forms, is to make the experience interactive, so the center page could have been just as easily taped at the top as in the center.

Lessons learned:

• I need to pay attention to the thickness of the packages. A slightly heavier envelope might cost around $1 to mail (94¢?) domestically, but a too-thick letter can become a package (closer to $2). I didn't think to see if the envelope would fit through the slot in the tool* I have until today, so 2 of them will probably come back to me. Next time, I'll try not to overlap and might have to skip the tea. Or, simply calm down and not try to send so much at once.
• I definitely need to get better-quality cards for the base - trying to re-position washi tape on these was a pain, since it pulled away the cards' surface. But, as long as I went slowly and didn't have to pull up tape too often, they worked out okay. 
• Dare I say that my letters might be too long? The too-thick envelope from this AM was 3 full sheets, front and back. I might need to make myself be less chatty when sending these and make it all fit onto 1 sheet. 
• Thinking outside the box is good. I probably had plenty of things to make my first folder more fun, but didn't think about it enough. 
• I'm glad I made all of them (5) at once. Then they were done, and were just ready and waiting as I finished letters for them. 

My goal is to get one of some kind to each of my pen pals (I'm keeping track). 

*Here's a PDF you can print onto card stock and cut a hole in. I don't know where my fancy one came from. 

Vintage Stamps Series: Space part 1, & another Giveaway!

Happy New Year! The closest I'm coming to making a resolution is a desire to post here more regularly and continue to learn new stuff. Maybe get off my ass some. But resolutions seem designed to make people feel bad about themselves and go buy gym memberships, so I avoid them.

I'm continuing the vintage stamp show-off series, and, to celebrate making it to 2016, giving away some stamps, too. Before we dig in, make sure you read to the end for giveaway details, and check out my first vintage stamps post for some tips for getting started.

Update: The Giveaway is over - the winner has been notified. 

I love myself some themes when it comes to stamps (wait until I share my Halloween-theme collection), and lately have been getting all the space-themed ones I could find (and justify the cost of). I've been wanting to show off my collection as it stands but have optimistically called this part 1 of the Space miniseries, because I hope there will be a part 2 (I'm missing several!).

I can never travel in space (claustrophobic, so the idea of being trapped in a small enclosure for any length of time...shudder), but I have been fascinated with it since my early days of watching Star Trek re-runs. One of my favorite books is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and I love old sci-fi movies, so fantastical/fictional imagery is fun, too. Here are the space-themed stamps I currently have, in no real order. I just re-read that and realized it sounds like I only care about fictional space. Not true. Not at all.

The 1981 Space Achievements (18¢) stamps were the first I acquired, starting with a pane of 8 tucked into a lot of loose stamps ordered from an eBay seller. They led me to start looking for other space-themed stamps.

I didn't think that these 1997 Space Discovery (32¢) stamps were real when I first saw them. I haven't done any reading on them, but the location is obviously Mars, so this fits in with my love of the fantastical and fictional, do you grok?

These 2000 Hubble (33¢) stamps are breathtaking. There are 5, with each row having a different order.

Here are a few random, loose examples:

• 1948 3¢ Palomar Mountain Observatory
• 1962 4¢ Project Mercury, honoring the John Glenn-piloted Mercury-Atlas 6 flight)
• 1971 8¢ Space Achievement Decade (pictured here in reverse order)
  
  Below:
• 1975 10¢ Mariner 10 (launched Nov. 1973 for a 2-yr mission to explore Venus & Mercury)
• 1975 10¢ Pioneer (10 was launched in March 1972; 11 in April 1973)

Giveaway

Thanks for reading! I can't promise to always give away stamps when I do a vintage post, but I am this time! Winner will get the stamps in the image at top of this post (or to the right). All stamps are unused and unhinged, but not necessarily mint.

How to Enter: It's easy! Just comment here and share your favorite scientific or sci-fi work (any medium). Sharing is appreciated, but not required. I'd like to grow my readership, but I don't think that forcing people to repost and tag friends is a way to do it for real. The contest will end on January 15th. Make sure I can find you!!

Last time, only one person commented :-( , so this time, I'm hoping to DOUBLE that :-)