- What I wouldn’t do to the person or people who gave my e-mail address to every Republican on Capitol Hill. If I get one more e-mail from “house.mail.gov,” I think I’ll…
- I shouldn’t have to “opt out” of an e-mail list. I can opt-in if I choose. I shouldn’t have to exert any effort — not even lifting a finger — to get off these blasted e-mail lists. I’d like to find whoever came up with this opt-out BS and…
- To every blogger who sends me links to his/her blog every single time you publish, STOP. I hardly ever check such links, and I’m starting to block people who e-mail me more than once a week. If I could gather you all in one room, I’d relish the opportunity to tell you…
- If you’ve met me in person and I made the mistake of giving you my card, proper etiquette instructs that you ask if you can add me to your e-mail list. Just because we met doesn’t mean I want to be bombarded with junk you think is important. OK?
- I’m interested in a lot of things. My tastes are somewhat eclectic. But for some reason, I find Paris Hilton’s preference for large organs supremely uninteresting. And I couldn’t care less that some Nigerian doctor and his family are trapped in a dangerous country. No, doc, I can’t help you hide your $10 million, even if you give me $1 million for my trouble. Too much to do already.
From the category archives:
“UNK” e-mailed:
I assume you have a lot of people checking out your blog from the Kerry post and link.
While nothing is wrong with today’s topic on weather and bible, I don’t think it would entice many people to keep checking out your blog.
I think one is supposed to follow up a hot topic with another hot topics to get people addicted to your blog.
My response:
Three years blogging almost daily, over 4,000 visitors per day, radio and TV appearances, conference speaking opportunities, editor contacts, and a blog consulting business with clients obtained directly through my blog — but you’re right. I really ought to take your advice to keep people “addicted” to my blog.
It really bothers me that I can’t answer all my e-mail, especially the really good ones. 
But I’m going to try to answer those I’ve received in the past couple of weeks. If you’ve e-mailed me since the last week of September, you’ll hear from me by next week.
Running this blog is not always fun. Sometimes I have to deal with lonely Internet freaks or irate surfers and disgruntled naysayers who read one post and have a stroke. Every now and then I have to deal with readers who want to use my blog as their own personal forum. Or trash dump. But I must say, most people are civil most of the time. 
Last week I reached the 2 million unique visitors mark. Didn’t notice until yesterday. It’s great. I appreciate the readership, but what’s important is being a much-needed voice, one you don’t hear very often. I’m not always right, but God has given me this forum to share, learn, and grow. I’m thankful every day.
By the way, around this time last year, I gave up a steady paycheck to escape the 9-5. And I still have a roof over my head. It hasn’t always been smooth. In fact, at times it’s been rough, but I have no regrets. I highly recommend self-employment. It’s very…satisfying.
I’ve posted a couple of hate e-mails in the past, but since the good stuff outweighs the junk, I thought I’d share a few of those:
Most of the e-mail I receive is positive. Hate mail arrives in waves, typically after some liberal blogger has blogged something nasty about me or I’ve blogged on topics like homosexuality or black criminality. Here are two recent “positive” e-mails:
I’m making an effort this week to respond to e-mail received since last month. With so many things on my schedule, I’ve had to move “answering e-mail” further down the list. I don’t usually blog about things like this, but I wanted all of you to know that I like reading and responding to your e-mail. I’m slowly getting there.
For people who’ve inquired about guest blogging, I appreciate your interest. Signing on guest bloggers is still on the list, so stay tuned for an announcement.
Morning, all. I’m going to spend most of the day answering a backlog of e-mail. Why am I telling you this? Not quite sure. I’m just thinking out loud.
I’ve been “challenged” to a debate on the Bill Bennett fiasco, and the odd thing is I’d consider doing it if the challenge were serious. Last year a law school student organization invited me to debate on…something. Can’t remember. I was offered a decent fee to do it, but the invitation was last-minute. Having no public debating experience and little time to prepare my argument, research my opponent, etc., I had to refuse the offer.
But…I like the idea of openly discussing a topic where each person lays out his argument, the other guy cross-examines him, lays out his argument, and so on. We all have opinions, and I dare some many of them are not based on facts but impressions and emotions. In a formal debate, if done properly, a pattern of truth emerges on one side. People get to hear both sides of an argument and the strengths and weaknesses of the argument. Emotional, ill-informed tirades edify no one.
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I decided to post some of my “dislike” e-mail. I received this strange missive today about my blog and my face:
From: XX@cs.com
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2005 19:52:01 EDT
Subject: Where do YOU stand?
To:LeShawn,
I read a few blogs, most of which leave me angry with myself for having spent time doing such. I read yours once or twice a week mainly because I think you are fundamentally a nice person. I am writing now because your blog site is now looking more like a scandal rag than a personal opinion page. Blogging is an opportunity for common folk such as myself to rant into cyberspace about issues immediate, long term, abstract, or any of an infinite number of potentials.
However, your site is now less about what YOU think and more about your compiling the blogs/rants of others. Your site is morphing into a cyber news magazine. Something far beyond a personal blogging device. Maybe that is what you want, but I find it a little disappointing in that I think your smile reveals characteristics of someone that is more than just a compilation device.
You looked tired today. Burning the midnight oil chasing the already known?
Jim S.
An e-mail from a fellow blogger who de-linked me from his blogroll:
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