Why I don’t like subject headers.

Because my blog has been far too serious lately and because it is likely to get serious again soon, I decided to be a bit more relaxed today.

I know many of you receive e-mails from me regularly and a lot of you get frustrated with the general lack of subject headers. I want to take a moment to explain that my not typing in a subject header is not laziness, or apathy but truly a conscious decision.

The trick is to use subject headers sparingly. I do use subject headers once in a while when the person pretty much knows my e-mail is light hearted or it is a completely professional e-mail and I have to think of something to say.

But these are some of the reasons I will not use a subject header in many e-mails and if your lucky I might indicate why I do use e-mail headers sometimes.

The con’s of subject headers.

First, they warn people of your mood and I just prefer people get a full blast of Bridget when they read the first paragraph. If I am angry they will know by the second sentence, if I am feeling a tad mischievous they will know that almost instantly too.

Second, sometimes they imply jovial and comedic content and the receiver may be in need of comedy but not the mood so they will simply delete your thoughtful message meant to make them smile for the sake of remaining in a bad mood.

Thirdly, often time the opposite is true. The receiver is need of a good laugh and opens their inbox hoping against hope that they will get a funny e-mail from a friend. Scanning their subject headers they find no funny headers and worse to mystery e-mails that could be funny so they begin to wade apathetically through their serious e-mails. But in my situation this person goes to the computer they know sometimes I am funny so they open it and at least attentively read my request.

But there is always the other reason, this is actually really only in one specific case. I have a friend who loves Subject headers, although his subject headers are useless. They are always the same they always say (and sorry if you know or are this friend) “to so and so from me this date and this time of day.” So to be just as helpful 9 times out of 10 or more like 29 times out of 30 I leave my subject headers blank. Yes it is spiteful, yes it is petty but it makes me smile and annoys someone I love. What more can I ask for in life. Although I have never been told it annoys anyone I know it does.

Of course there is laziness and apathy but really those are not the usual reasons. So now you know although annoying you is a perk of this no subject header thing, it is not the main reason I do it.