Letters, letters, letters! Two weeks ago, I asked you to send me your intramural success stories via e-mail. Promptly, I heard from Ryan Hoffman, a senior in exercise science. Hoffman and his friend Mark Anton had just won their first pickleball championship after four long years of trying, and they were elated. Congratulations, men!

Next, I received an e-mail from Lance, an alumnus who told everybody’s dream story of intramural dominance. His five-player basketball team won three championships in the highest division of play, and placed second once. Wow! Lance wrote me that at least one member of the team, Mike Green, is still at Iowa State, carrying on the winning tradition.

Craig sent me a suspenseful story about a personal favorite, flag football. In the fall of 1996, Craig’s talented team of tacklers lost their first game by the mercy rule because they weren’t familiar with the rules. Ouch. However, after posting a record of 0-4, the team came back to win their fifth game. Yet another testimony about the power of perseverance.

While I truly wanted to recognize intramural champions, I have to admit that when I sent out the request two weeks ago, I was also looking for some interesting e-mail. Who doesn’t want mail? Even prisoners want letters, according to the Daily. Whether it’s a quick note from a friend, a QUALITY magazine, or even junk mail or tax information, people like to see something in their mailboxes.

We all know certain people who will always send mail. Parents, grandparents, siblings, high school friends and significant others are good bets. For example, I get e-mail from my mom and my sister almost every day. Sometimes these messages don’t amount to anything more than “Hi, I don’t have time to write,” but at least I know they are thinking of me.

I have to admit that I don’t read all the forwarded jokes I receive. Anymore, I only read the male-bashing jokes, because I obviously hate men. After all, I’m a LIBERAL studies major, and you all know what that means. (Would somebody let me know?) By the way, I received several letters about my last column. You gotta love mail.

Of course, the only thing that’s better than e-mail is snail mail. Did anyone else get a survey from Iowa State this week? I thought it was some special award or commendation from the president, since the return address was “Office of the President.” Imagine my surprise and disappointment when I found a completely anonymous survey inside that promising brown envelope. Blah.

I think postcards are the best. Since my dad is a traveling man, he sometimes sends me postcards from hotels, restaurants and attractions around the Midwest. (Yes, there are a few of those.) Recently, he sent me a postcard titled “Sandhill Cranes Along the Platte River in Nebraska.” While that one was pretty gosh darn exciting, my favorite was “Hit the Hay at the Horse Hotel.” I hear it’s even more rustic than the Silver Saddle.

I could be wrong about postcards; packages might be even better. I think my favorite item of mail this month, aside from my paychecks, was the packet I received from the American Angus Association. First, I got a nifty blue certificate of membership. Thanks, Dad!

Then, I received the following educational pamphlets: “How to Sell Angus Cattle,” “Angus Herd Improvement Records,” “American Angus Association Resource Edition,” “How to Develop a Successful Registered Angus Herd” and “Beef for the 21st Century.” Every college student should have access to this information. I’m thinking about putting copies on reserve in the library.

I also have a one-year subscription to the Angus Journal. (Yes, yes, you can borrow it, don’t worry.) Perhaps the best part of the membership deal was the credit card application that came with my packet. Believe it or not, I can actually get a MasterCard graced with a picture of my favorite cow! I can even send in a picture of myself WITH my favorite cow. That way, if my card is stolen, everyone will know that someone is trying to scam me. Plus, not just any cow would be able to use my card. What a relief.

Keep those letters coming.

Catherine Conover is a senior in liberal studies from Mapleton.