Bcc=Before Charlie Chaplin?

Due to a recent blip in my e-mail communication, I've finally learned what the Bcc function of e-mail is for and how to use it.

I used to think I knew all the ins and outs of e-mail. I freely admit I was blind but now I can see, which is ironic, because apparently Bcc stands for “Blind carbon copy” and not, as I naturally assumed, “Before Charlie Chaplin.” (This sounds ludicrous, I know, but it would explain why I thought ACE stood for “After Charlie Exits” as opposed to the year-numbering system: “After Common Era”.) The Bcc function is used when a person wants to send an e-mail to a number of people without having to disclose their personal e-mail addresses to everyone else being mailed.

To that end, I wish I had discovered it sooner, because I had just written a letter to 52 people when my younger sister sent a reply-all to them using lots of maniacal smiley faces, bad grammar, and classy sophomoric sentences like: “My bro is a tool :) because I’m only 15 and he’s 23, (giggle giggle) yet I’m probably going to be driving before he gets his G2 –hahahahahahahahahahaha :)”

That’s not exactly what she said, but it was close enough to the point that I was suddenly motivated to keep her from doing it again. I was also suddenly struck with the desire to purchase a large handgun and a Concealed Weapons Licence.

Thankfully I came to my senses and decided I’d buy a rocket launcher instead: big explosions are a much more satisfying payback.

Seriously though, I was pretty mad at this outrageous 15 year old who would blather on about my insecurities to everyone on my e-mail list. How dare she? And with bad English!

After I stopped wishing her a toasty spot in the afterlife, I realized she hadn’t done anything really wrong. Sure, she touched a sore spot in my life, but that’s it. The only thing she damaged was my pride, and that needs to get knocked off its block anyways.

Since this incident, I’ve discovered an interesting truth: we’re only as hurt as we let ourselves be. See, if my security is in having a plastic card that entitles me to spew out 14% of the world’s carbon dioxide every year, then of course, I’m missing out. When someone laughs at me for this I will fall apart. However, if I choose to value myself for the person I am and not by what I do, then all such words have no effect on me. It’s all in how you chose to look at it.

And really it doesn’t matter how you look at it. The point is that the only things that will bother you are the things you allow to bother you.

So kiddo, if you’re reading this, I wrote this article to say let’s let bygones be bygones. I love you and would never kill you: I have it on good authority that people who send mass e-mails with bad grammar don’t get presents from Santa Claus. That’s punishment enough.

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