Stalking by E-Mail

I send out a goodly amount of e-mails when Kevin and I have a performance coming up. And whenever I'm in a play. And when Blaxploitation is running, since I co-wrote it. Okay, so maybe I bug people just a bit with my e-mail announcements. But there is a big difference between reminding friends/family/associates who have a proven history of attending my shows, and just plain stalking someone who you barely know. Those "barely know" folks -- they tend to be on the cusp of your radar for a reason. They will probably never come out to support your little endeavors. And yet you keep sending the e-mails.

Here are a couple of situations:

If you barely speak to me, much less have never actually had a conversation with me in real, waking life -- don't e-mail me.

If I'm about to be run over by a bus and you have to shout out, "Hey you!" because you aren't able to associate my face with my name -- don't e-mail me.

If you think my name is kevINda and I don't really exist for you without my Kevin -- don't e-mail me.

If you got my e-mail address off of someone else's list only because they failed to blind-CC the 468 Chicago actors on their list -- don't e-mail me.

Okay, e-mail me once. Once in a while. But more than three e-mails in one day is a bit much, don't ya think? Just a little excessive? And chastising me for not showing up to some sporting event that you -- for some ungodly reason -- expected me to attend and participate in, when I've never even met you...? It's too much. You've crossed that line. You are no longer the information-passer-onner. You have become an e-mail stalker.

There needs to be some sort of restraining order for e-mails. I don't want to block you. Not completely. I don't. Because there's that off chance that you might just send something of interest to me. You might e-mail something that could change my life. And maybe that's why you do it. Ah, the rationale of the stalker. I feel closer to you now. I almost understand you. We should hang out. I'll e-mail you.

- Inda