Future missive from your own past self

Today’s fleeting epiphany is tomorrow’s remembered wisdom with a little help from www.futureme.org. Updating the old school assignment of writing letters to an older, but not necessarily wiser, you, the website collects e-mail and sends the missives on the appointed day -- weeks, months and even years ahead.

According to the site, developed by two Northern California webheads Matt Sly and Jay Patrikios, “FutureMe.org is based on the principle that memories are less accurate than e-mails. We strive for accuracy.”

Authors can choose to keep their entries private or share them with the world. Since the site launched two years ago, it’s collected nearly 36,000 messages, and the public entries are postcards from the depths, and the shallow end, of the inner life. Many check if they’ve ticked items off life’s to-do list: “Did we have a baby yet? If not, it’s because you stood in front of too many photocopiers!” (written Feb. 7, 2004, to be delivered Feb. 7, 2006).

Some reflective writers impart wisdom: “Right now I am sitting at my desk in this horribly run small business with a CEO who is no smarter than a monkey’s ... If you are working for the same company, jump ship, it will never get any better. Are you still with the same relationship? If he has not asked you to marry yet, get out!!!” (written Sept. 16, 2003, to be delivered May 2, 2005). Others are in jest -- at least we hope -- “Are you not dead yet?” (written Nov. 24, 2003, to be delivered Nov. 24, 2004).