i realized recently that proper salutations and sign offs in email are a waste of space. what a shock, that these things accomplish nothing at all. i'd been clinging to relics from a past age out of habit and rigid intolerance, like the poor souls who refuse to enjoy anything but classical music. freedom! i'm liberated for my discovery, and closer to that time several centuries ago when it was a good thing to spell a word in as many ways as possible. in the spirit of ignoring formality, i've decided to do away with capital letters as well. i'll use them when i feel they make a contribution, but not to indicate proper nouns or the beginnings of sentences. a lower case i is so much less assertive and pleasant, and a period does just fine all by itself.