I just can't keep up with my emails anymore!

The inbox on my work account is so full, I've started receiving some sort of system message warning that if I don't clear some of the messages out, the system will explode in my face.

Or something like that.

I literally receive hundreds of emails a week.   Sometimes more.   I don't say that to brag.   That's just the way it is when you work in the media.

Email can be a newsroom's life blood...  or the bane of our existence.

There are the very necessary messages... like press releases from city officials:  Milwaukee police giving out information on shootings and other crimes... updates from health officials on the state of  swine flu...  or transportation officials alerting us to closures.

We also seek out emails from our friends in public relations... offering the latest on medical innovations, or a grocery store anniversary, or pushing an author's new book.

These are emails that help us do our job.

But then there are those other emails ---

Like the viewer who writes wanting to know why I wore that ugly jacket... or how dare I write what I wrote in my blog...

Or the "concerned" viewer who suggests I ease up on the pasta because I'm looking a "little thick".

And then there's emails from... um... "mentally challenged" people, who insist I do a story  on that cat down the block that's stalking them.

Or the guy who doesn't understand why his baby's mama kicked him out of the house because he only hit her "that one time" and "Oh by the way Shelley Walcott, can you help me pay for my new gold teeth?"

And then... there are the emails we get when colleagues in the newsroom are feeling cute.

Like when one person sends the whole newsroom a message with important information.  Then another person replies to everyone "Thank you."  Then the original emailer replies to everyone "You're welcome."

And 600 emails later, my computer is choking and sending me nasty messages.

Aargh!

And people wonder why I don't tweet...