For the most part, mail means pleas for help/money or bills since most of my relatives and friends don’t communicate via the USPS. When I got the letter from LAZBOY, I somehow felt validated.

I don’t mean validated the way kids do these days when they are honored with a bumper sticker or something. I wish I saw more “My kid is a strong C student at school X” bumper stickers. Given the falling numbers across the nation, I’m not sure what an honor student really signifies these days.

I figure the only thing sillier is the car window decal or sticker from a university or college. Ultimately, it’s a receipt for how much you paid for tuition etc. It’s like saying I paid College X, $40k/year and all I got is this lousy decal. In some cases, it’s all the swag they could afford after tuition.

Back to LAZBOY (not sure when they eliminated the Y), but the letter I received was heartening to say the least. I’m a preferred customer and I’m personally invited to find my new favorite lazy spot with EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS. Dang, I’ve never bought a recliner of any sort in my life, nor have I ever considering doing so-yet I’ve achieved this status.

I admit to chasing points and different status levels with hotels, airlines and restaurants, but I’ve always had to show my loyalty. It’s always been a reciprocal relationship. Usually for every point earned, you have to spend a certain amount of money and that’s why this is so exciting. I haven’t even signed up for any contests let alone set foot in one of their showrooms in the past 45 years.

For years, I was on the verge of being a winner, but Ed McMahon never came a calling.