It must be easy for the mailman to figure out what's happening in a person's life at a given time, simply based on the type of mail they receive.  When there's a sudden influx of personal cards (in hand-written envelopes), it either means a birthday, a birth, a death, or an illness.  Why else would someone send a card?  If there are a bunch of letters from mortgage lenders, chances are the person is currently enslaved by or has recently applied for a mortgage.  If there are letters from AARP, chances are the person is frighteningly old, somewhere in the range of 40 to 45.  Magazines like Sports Illustrated and Maxim imply the person is a standard, straight-out-of-the-box male.  Magazines like Newsweek and Time imply an increased level of political and international awareness.  And of course, magazines like Popular Science and Computers R Us imply a sense of world-dominating, mind-boggling intelligence and superiority.  Certain recurring bills say a lot about purchasing patterns.  Bills from Home Depot are pretty standard for homeowners.  Bills from Guitar Center imply the person likes spending a good amount of money on musical equipment.  Bills from lawyers or doctors imply legal and medical problems (I say "problems" because when is anything legal or medical not a problem?).  Pretty much every piece of mail we receive gives a little glimpse into our personal lives.  But don't worry, it's all stored in the mailbox, that impenetrable fortress of metal and plastic, hidden away at the end of our driveway, at the top of a wooden or metal pole to keep the squirrels out. #psychology