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When I first started sending autograph requests, I would send them from my home mailbox. Its a pretty big mailbox, so autographs can fit inside it easily and not get bent.

A while back I dropped off a few autograph requests into one of those uhh... I don't know what to call them... The blue mail boxes that can be found in front of some stores and in front of post offices.

I never heard back from any of the ones that I dropped off into the big blue mailboxes, but all of the ones that I sent from my house have been a success.

Is there some rule about sending certain envelopes in the "public" mailboxes? A weight limit or something I missed? I don't collect autographs all the time or anything, just certain ones from actors that I really admire, so I really do not have a firm grasp on how all this works.

Another, sorta open question for you guys... How do YOU send autograph requests?

Assuming that you mean one of the post office's public mail boxes (they are blue) that should be fine. Look on the door (the lever that pulls open / down) and just above it there should be a sticker that lists daily pick up times. With out looking I can't tell if what you put your requests is was actually for mail delivery, but you should be able to recognize one if it is.

I actually put most of my requests in a post office box right down my street. If you don't want to mail from home, you can deposit you requests in a box outside your local post office. Or, if all else fails, take it inside to the clerk.

One final note: you may not want to assume that you requests were lost. It sometimes happens that letters go unanswered. Also, I have had some successes that have taken over a year. So, sending one or two may have gotten no response, but they could still turn up... I never assume that I will have a 100% success rate. Remember patience is a virtue.