The thing about e-mail

You know you've been on the computer too long when your e-mail inbox knows it's snowing before you do.

Google, which as of late seems to own or have a hand in nearly every trendy internet tool, has been my reliable e-mail host since Gmail's invitation-only days. Recently they rolled out a series of fun themes for customizing one's Gmail inbox in their intriguing Labs sections. Themes is now its own page within settings but the Labs area is still a never ending shelf of new toys* for the sandbox.

I chose "Tree" as my theme, with little knowledge as to its purpose until the other day when there was an accumulation of snow all over my inbox. With its normal sunshiny affect, I was confused why snow was taking over. Until I looked outside.

It was snowing.

Typical. I mean, it's Buffalo. But still. My inbox noticed before I did.

Another day there were water droplets (and fairly cutesy realistic, I might add) all over my mailbox.

Indeed, it was raining.

Kind of cool, kind of creepy. Who needs windows when we have technology? (no pun intended)


* --A recent gander in labs listed e-mail gadgets such as "Mail Goggles," which allows users to set preferences forcing them to answer a handful of basic math questions in order to enter their mail after a drunken excursion (in not so many words). I haven't enabled this tool myself, but I certainly can imagine its applicability.