Since I hadn't had time to open my mail for a week, I decided to go through it this afternoon before I had to start a third pile. Seven catalogs. Eight magazines. Nine bills that I'd overlooked in the initial daily scan. Countless solicitations from credit card companies, charities, insurance companies, online services, various candidates and issues appearing on the March primary ballot, start-up magazines, diet doctors, book clubs, record clubs, lobbying groups, vacation resorts.

It's not surprising that I've let the mail pile up over so many days. What's remarkable is that anything important ever finds its way to my attention. Once I would open every piece of mail I got. Now most of it goes directly into either the recycling bag or the shredder. I've missed due dates and paid penalties because of bills lost in the shuffle. I've bought books and CDs I didn't order because I didn't get the cards returned in time.

Next I need to schedule a time to open the bills that have to be paid and the announcements that have to be answered. And I have to trash the time wasters. I don't need any more magazines. I definitely don't need another book or record club to respond to every three weeks.

And the address labels I already have will last about ten years. This should be more than enough, because if I'm still at the same address for that long it will only be because I've lost my mind. In that case my conservator will be opening the mail, and I'll be 100% free.