I have, if you haven't grokked, been messing with spam. those letters mostly from Africa, one nation or another, simultaneously pleas for help and sly temptations. the presistence of that bit amazes me. I suppose some are legitimate scam, some are copycat fun, and for all I know, some might be for real. there's an intimacy to the letters that strikes me. I guess what I do, I take their structure and try to work other meanings or intentions in. it's a good exercise for me. I don't brag of the cleverness of the missives I produce. like any module for writing, the bit can wear out. the exercise makes me look at structure and tone. I aim to be faithful, in some sense, to the original, yet free to make my own choices. if anyone reads one of mine and decides to send me 25 million bucks, all the better.