project annoy your friends and coworkers (for a good cause)

i believe i mentioned this before, but i adopted a deployed soldier. all i have to do is write to him and send him an occasional package. i’ve yet to hear from him by snail mail, but we have exchanged several emails. james (my soldier) keeps apologizing for not writing and i keep telling him i’m sure he has OTHER things on his mind and to please please please not worry about it. he has not told me where he is and i believe i'm not supposed to ask, so i have not. of course i do not discuss politics with him, nor have i given him the site address of this blog. i strongly feel that would NOT be the right thing to do (this gets me started on my jane fonda rant. i had NO problems with her vietnam protests UNTIL she actually went over to north vietnam for a visit. NOT with civilians or health care workers or peace activists either but with the MILITARY powers that be. that to me was over the line and reprehensible. 'nuff said). anyway, i "asked" people at work and some of my friends to write up some holiday cards (christmas, chanukah, kwanzaa or just general ones). they could sign them with their names and addresses and email addresses or just their first names. i am going to stick them all in a package and mail them to james. i’ll ask him to distribute these cards to those serving who may not be getting much or any mail. the cards have been coming in fast and furiously. my co-workers have even gotten their entire families involved; children and in-laws even a brownie troop! they’ll get mailed along with my christmas care package to james on friday. i've asked james what he needs and wants and all he has said so far is 'chocolate'. my first package contained a TON of it along with a bunch of other things like phone cards and toiletries and a pokey (from gumby and pokey of course). he's not yet received it and i'm getting anxious. it won't stop me from sending more though. in james' christmas package, i'll include some dvds (action and horror) a couple of hand held games, some cds (he said he likes most types of music so i've made some executive decisions since he wasn't more specific), some magazines (rolling stone types), MORE chocolate and some torrone (my personal favorite italian candy. i found some wonderful torrone at the brand spanking new whole foods market that opened in my town. the candy is imported and looks homemade. the labels don’t even have an english translation on them. i hope i can wait for christmas to taste mine!