Email Casualty

Back when Gmail was still invite only and pretty new I managed to get an invitation and get my name without any numbers or symbols or abbreviations. It was great. The kind of email address you always hope for.

Now, years later I'm starting to regret it. There seem to be lots of Jakes out there and they keep using my email address.

It's been manageable up until today when I was forwarded some dirty cell phone pics obviously meant for someone else's Jake. I'm ready for a jake123abc@obscure.example.com so I don't get drive by emailed any more.

Here are some other examples of emails I've received:

• Some random dudes vacation photos, on two separate occasions.
  
• Paypal Signup - I was only momentarily tempted to make a purchase. I stopped getting these so I suppose the account owner realized their email mistake.
  
• Adult Friend Finder - I had to go deactivate that one, I didn't want any more of those.
• YouMail - a voice mail service, BTW, Jake...your coach left you a message. I logged in and changed the email address on that one, it accepted nomail@example.com. Don't you love it when they send your temporary password in an email!
• Wine Dog - I'm just filtering this one until I decide to become an alcoholic.
• And finally, I, a guy without a cellphone, got sexted. I guess you could say that's the nipple that broke the camel's back.

So, next time you're signing up for an email address consider it a blessing when your first choice isn't available and you have to pick xyz123abc2009@crazymail.example.com.

P.S. Teenagers -- If you don't want your dirty pictures posted all over the Internet for the whole world to see DON'T TAKE THEM!