If I sent an email to everyone in my address book telling you the sad story of a woman who lost her husband all because she didn't forward an email on, or of a little girl who wants her email to be forward to as many people as possible, or a poem about how we're friends and always will be even if we don't speak to each other as often as we should, or even an email full of questions about what I ate last night, what's to my left and who I miss or who I kissed last and who my last text messages was from then I could be sure of getting replies.

I'd guess, going from past experience, that about 60% of those receiving it would forward it on to everyone in their address book and even send it back to me to let me know they care. About 25% would only send it back to me and then delete it and the final 15% would delete it call me many different names for even sending the message on in the first place.

So looking at my address I have over 300 email address of friends and family. People I know well online and some I don't, many I know in real life before the days of emailing and the internet.

Converting my figures to my address book means approximately 180 people would forward any email on as well as sending it back, 75 would send it to me only and delete and 45 people would call me a cunt.

With all that in mind, when I send an email asking for help, asking people to actually give up five or ten minutes of their day to aid me in some small quest or venture, a request which would cost nothing but time and is easily answerable by anyone and everyone, why is that I'll get maybe no more than 15 replies from people, four or five of which actually help, the others just promise help in the future only for it never to turn up. Of the 15 replies I know every single person so even if they have forwarded on, like I'd have asked, then their friends can't be bothered helping so what does that say about the friends, if it's been forwarded on at all.

Now before any of you start telling me you've never received a request for help from me, or you remember getting an email and you're sure you helped, and before any of you start sending me PM's (or even an email!) let me assure you that this is something that goes back a little while, when my friends list was small and even of those friends on it it's doubtful I had your email address anyway. It's not aimed at anyone in particular, just a mild musing about how easily lead we are by a sob story or an affectionate gesture.

Next time I send something out, I'll plead, offer money and maybe tell you that you're by best friend in the whole wide world even though I've never met you and all I know about you is a username and 1" square icon on a screen.

Of course, if I was to send something out in the next couple of days, after I could be sure most of my friends have read this, then would they (you) feel like they (you again) had to reply just in case I was keeping a tally of who did and didn't? How many of you are already thinking this is just a way to get more replies to an email I'm going to send out any day now? You'd be wrong but not blamed for thinking that, it's human nature I suppose, even on the internet we get suspicious and often withdraw to protect ourselves. I'm not going to though. Send out a mass email that is. Not just yet. These thoughts all stem for an email I read from a while back... yes I do keep them that long... one I sent out asking for people to help. When I searched for replies I found very few, and even less of any use.