i got mail

today I wrote myself an email that contained some files I needed

back in the day, before google drive and cloud storage, the way my sister taught me to put a file up on the internet so i could access it from different places and devices was to attach it to an email and send it to myself

i am no expert but i am sure this is not the oldest tactic that achieves this particular utility, and it is demonstrably not the youngest

but i am precisely set enough in my ways to not bother with airdropping or google driving or dropboxing or plugging a usb type c cable between my phone and my computer if the file is small enough for me to get it done via electronic mail

it's a method that is not frictionless, but it is convenient enough to sufficiently discourage innovation in my own behavior

email address is easy, it's my favorite email address

subject line is also easy, just a reminder of what files

the body is the tough part

usually if i were just sending someone a file, and they knew it was coming, i might include a quick "here you go!" or a slightly more professional "let me know if you need anything else from me!" or an even verboser "attached you will find blah blah blah"

but here i am communicating via this cumbersome interface of keystrokes and mouse clicks when usually the conversations between me and myself are the speed of synapses

today i wrote nothing at all in the body of the email i sent to myself and felt a moment of regret

surely i have something to say to me, even if just a greeting or a pleasantry

maybe something like "hey ben, hope this email finds you well"

"here are the pictures we took on our phone of the medical bills that we need to send to our attorney"

"if he needs higher quality scans i guess you can handle that later"

"maybe if you get this email finished and we get prepared for the meeting tonight, we can find time for a walk outside before going in to work"

"let me know if you need anything else from me"