Some random thoughts .... Feeling a bit ticked off!~

[Mjr Frank Burns]

OK, I am taking a break from sending out any more requests for the foreseeable future ... Now, I know many people have submitted similar posts on their frustrations with not getting stuff back in a timely manner. I guess that a "timely" manner differs for alot of us ... 1 month? 2, 3, etc...?

The other thing that ticks me off is when I see people getting their stuff sent back and here I am not getting MINE back - I know that may be selfish, and I AM happy for those who get theirs back. But when I see someone sent theirs like 2-3 weeks AFTER I sent mine, and they got their item(s) back FASTER, or even at all - UGH!!!! That really gets me peeved!!! - Good example is Catherine Zeta Jones and some other playbill requests ... Heck, I even seem some people bragging that they have rec'd TWO requests back and here I am with ZILCH!!! LOL:-)

Then Alan Rickman ... Saw many people sent at the same time I did to England -- They post these nice pics with his sig, and I get the standard letter from his secretary stating "Alan is out of town , blah blah blah" .... I KNOW I am not alone feeling like this when u see it on the board. Please don't confuse my frustration with envy ... Like I said before, I am happy for EVERYONE when they get a success. Really.

I take the time to write very sincere (but not over the top) letters, use a SASE for their convenience, supply MY own pictures, and make it as easy for them as possible - Don't get me wrong ... I have received a good number back from people. But WAY more have NOT come back than did. Makes you wonder .....

It is an awesome feeling when you get something in your mailbox, thus feeling like the time you spent writing, mailing, preparing, etc., was all worth while. But I have A LOT of items that I feel have either vanished, gotten lost, or the person maybe even pitched in the trash... (I hope not) ... I love this hobby and have been collecting for awhile ... I just wanted to write out my words here and maybe see what you all think ... Agree, know how it is, been there/done that, etc.... Any comments here would be welcomed and I thank you for even taking the time to read my rant. All the best - and Happy Collecting!~

[legendwithoutaname]

I feel your pain.

I would at-least like to get a RTS rather than nothing. I have some much old stuff out that it irritates me.

[chriscollector]

I feel the same lately. I do the same as you and send all the necessary items to make it as easy as possible for them; yet I see others who don't even bother to include a SASE geting stuff.

Then the ones I have out for 6 months to a year yet I see successes' sent within the last 2-3 months.

Obviously this is all a gamble, and I have to say this or everyone will say it for me (us) "They don't owe me anything", but it sort of enrages me when I know that certain ones who couldn't care less about a Play Bill or the star and they just "need" that autograph in their binder get a reply yet my two or three requests go unanswered. In recent months I am more aggravated with play Bills than anything as celebs have opened the flood gates to folks who never even saw a live show or know what a Play Bill is get them back and I am stuck with a major whole in a collection I've been working on for years.

Since 2006 I have seen my success rate decline by 10% or better each year. What's shocking about that statistic is each year I do more research and send to those known to sign, yet the results are dropping.

I'll never sop all together because I love recieving a success, but like Burns I'm slowing my pace untill things start finding their way back home.

[Theone30]

Well said Mr. Burns. But if theres is one thing I have learned from autograph sites is don't always believe what you read. There may have been some success from people you have been waiting for, for a long but that doesn't mean yours is not comming. Patience is the key, eventually, I am sure and I hope you get back almost every thing you sent out.
Keep the Faith

[Mjr Frank Burns]

Thanks for all the replies, guys.... Yea, it is just a frustrating feel - I have totally given up on those 6 month ones I have waiting out there -- Wrestlers are sometimes the best in terms of waiting time, and some are like "shhhheessshh!~" ... LOL - Keep the faith, indeed!~

[legendwithoutaname]

I write to some individuals that I am sure do not get a big amount of fan-mail and it still takes them months to return.


Just take 5 mins to read my short letter and sign or not sign my items and place them back in my SASE and send them back to me. Easy Money

[packrat]

It's odd, but I was just thinking about giving up my project of trying to get the Heroes cast. I've had ONE success, and have quite a few out there since last October. Like you, I've seen successes from several of the actors from Heroes posted by others, but I only got one. It's almost like they recognize my name or something. "Hey Harry, here's another one from that guy from Upstate NY! Let's hide it behind the break room fridge!"

Maybe I should just stick to baseball. I've been doing much better in that category. But I know I won't. Next week I'll start getting optimistic again and will send to another Heroes actor. Guess I'll just never learn.

[dfreely]

The "someone sent after me, but already got theirs back" gets to me sometimes too.

[Tiggedy2]

I can understand how you feel. When I first started collecting TTM, I sent SASEs and a nice letter (always just short of a full page) and would get nothing back. I won't name shows, but I sent to the cast of one of my favorite shows, sent a SASE to each and got back 1 pre-print. On the up side, over a year later I got an envelope in the mail from one of the actresses and she had enclosed 4 signed photos, 2 for me and 2 for my sister because we had to wait so long. She had only just been given (over a year letter) our letters. She said it was very sad, but sometimes actors never see their mail.

I sent to another actress back in 2006 and just this year heard from her. She said her old agent had all of her fan mail in a box and she only got them when she left him. He never bothered to give them to her.

And then there is the cast of NCIS who have all been wonderful with sending back with the exception of 2 people. And I see people getting stuff from these two all the time. I now have out my fourth and final attempt. One actor from the show took a year to get back to me, with the same story as above. He said no one had given him his mail. He was very sweet in his letter to me.

It may not be the right way to do it, but I have stopped sending out SASEs, (unless I know for a fact it's a sure thing). I can't afford it just to never see anything come back. And I just can't bring myself to send out items because I'm afraid of never seeing them again. So, I just send a very nice letter and if I get something back great! If I don't, I only lost $0.44.

I also used to feel like actors/celebs owe us nothing. But you know what? They sort of do. We fans are who help make them who they are. If we stop watching the movies, the TV shows, the plays & musicals, if we stop attending the sporting events and stop reading the books, what happens to them? (Please don't throw things at me, I bruise easy)

I am VERY grateful to everyone who has written me back. Heck, I even had an actor call me (I always enclose my address, email addy and phone number on my letters). And the one actress I mentioned above now stays in email contact with me. But I do understand the want/need to give up sometimes. And reading that others are getting from people that you have been waiting for forever can really get aggravating.

I would suggest that before you give up on them, send them another note. Maybe your letters are in an evil agent's box, or sitting on the desk of someone in the mail room, or fell behind something. Remember, above I said I got a response after 4 years. But don't give up the collecting if it is something you love. I have been doing this for over 25 years and it's too fun, too cool and too in my blood to give it up.

Good luck to you with your future requests.
Lisa

[guilder1st]

The "someone sent after me, but already got theirs back" gets to me sometimes too.

Me too. Especially if you see some people getting a success within 2 weeks of sending, and your request was send out months ago. Oh well. With this hobby you win some and you loose some.