Well...

[seawasp]

... just got my very first anonymous insulting letter. Actually, it was a certificate making me "Asshole of the Month" or something like that.

Can't read the postmark clearly, but it's air mailed from another country. I'm guessing it HAS to be a British Commonwealth origin because the stamp reads 74p (or something like that -- it was 70-something) and the head on it looks very like the Queen.

So someone went to some trouble to print up a certificate, spend money on an airmail stamp, and send it to me anonymously. I must say I appreciate this much more than the standard bile-spewing Email; there's no effort in that.

Comments

Did They Indicate What They Were Annoyed About

[tamahori]

I mean aside from having magic in your books, and a fantasy setting with gods, I can't think of anything remotely controversial in your writing, online or in the books ...

Or was this just a rather involved way of going "I don't like you." as a general statement?

-- Brett

Re: Did They Indicate What They Were Annoyed About

[seawasp]

I'm guessing this was for a Usenet argument I was in, as at least two of the participants therein were from one of the Commonwealth countries and one of them was himself being a total dick.

Re: Did They Indicate What They Were Annoyed About

[tamahori]

If they went to this much effort, that must have been a fairly epic argument.

Or at least it was to one of the people involved.

-- Brett

Re: Did They Indicate What They Were Annoyed About

[isfdb.livejournal.com]

"74p" is a very British price. "Head on it looks very like the Queen" certainly sounds like a Commonwealth country. "Asshole of the Month" not so British - we tend to spell it "arsehole".

It's a long time since I indulged in Philately, but I seem to recall Britain is the only country that DOESN'T put the country of origin on its stamps. Is that a clue?

BTW, I certainly didn't send it. I have no idea of your address and although I'm sure we've sparred on alt.callahans in the past I don't bear grudges.

Re: Did They Indicate What They Were Annoyed About

[seawasp]

If so, that's a clue, because it has no country on the stamp.

I may be wrong about the term, I tossed it once I realized what it was. Could be Arsehole or maybe Sh*thead or something like that.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

You must be doing something right if they went to all that trouble.. grin.

You really should frame it.

[lwe.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[lwe.livejournal.com]

Usenet arguments can get weird. I try to stay out of them. I did recently call someone an asshole on rec.arts.sf.written, but resisted any further specifics because I knew it wouldn't end well if I let myself actually argue. Besides, he was wrong in so many ways I hardly knew where to begin!

So where was the argument you think provoked your postal treasure?

[seawasp]

My guess would be one of the ones with Rod Speed, whose language and comments indicate he's from the UK and who appears notoriously unable to let go of anything. If that's the case I'd expect a couple other people in that argument to also end up with a similar present.

[lwe.livejournal.com]

Oh, jeez. Rod Speed. One of Usenet's raving loonies. I killfiled him very quickly.

[seawasp]

I never killfile anyone. I've seen much loonier, anyway. Even much more abrasive. But if he was the one who sent this he's clearly more dedicated to his work than the others, even the one who claimed he'd come and kick my ass. I even gave him my address and he didn't show up.

[rdmasters.livejournal.com]

They say that a man is measured by the quality of his enemies.

You appear to have collected a rather good one. Not an great one*, mind, but pretty good.





*A great one would have used better language to describe the depths of your (presumed) depravity. And printed it on 150gsm parchment. With gold leaf. The sort of thing that you would be proud to be insulted by and to hang on the wall.

Ok ok.But,

[ancientone.livejournal.com]

inquiring minds want to know. "How does one earn the A.H.of the month?" LOL. I hope somebody is pulling your leg. Sure is a lot of effort in bringing this off.

[kira-snugz.livejournal.com]

holy crap, you got hatemail! your not an asshole at all. thats crazy.

sounds like its from the uk. i know canada has loads of queen elizabeth stamps, but they say canada right across them. our P on the stamps means that they are permanently priced.

also, if you google 74p british stamp, this post is the 4th link. i couldn't find any images with google search and the royalmail site is having issues. you should save the stamp! or if you know a stamp collector, pass it their way. you may knock someones socks off.