From: "Terrie \"Gitsy\" Basko" <gitsy@optonline.net>
To: "Balloon List" <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: re:Mailing Address???
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2001 09:04:56 -0500

I personally leased a PO Box, after about 4 years of using my street
address, as the lack of privacy giving out my home address was a concern.
However, I am finding in my schedule that sometimes, ok, most of the time,
ok Larry, I admit it ALL the time, is quite hectic, I barely have time to
get to the post office to pick up my mail.  When getting deposits, that is
not always a good thing, of course.

I will be canceling my PO Box at the end of its term.  It is, for me, much
more convenient to have my mail come straight to my home. And I have not had
enough problems when using my street address to warrant the inconvenience
the PO Box provides.  ( I originally got the PO Box after I had one mom show
up at my door one day to bring a deposit. I was in MAJOR mommy mode.. sweat
pants... t-shirt....hair in a pony tail.. no make-up.. cleaning house.. that
kind of thing... she brought her daughter of 4 years old..  I answered the
door...  she said to her daughter...  "look honey, this is Gitsy with out
her clown make-up on.  I thought I would just die!  It was a MAJOR invasion
of my privacy.  I handled it well on the outside and was very pleasant, and
thankfully it didn't phase the child at all... she gave me a big hug...  but
on the inside was quite upset that someone would come to my home and knock
on the door without first making sure that it would be ok, as well as tell
her daughter it was me out of my clown character without first making sure
it would be alright with me to do so.)

Although I am going back to my street address for deposits to be sent to and
on my stationary I have, however, changed my yellow pages listings to only
include my area.  i.e.:  instead of saying

1 my street
my city and then phone

I have it say  my city area then phone

This way only those that call and have a real interest in my services will
have my address.  Or as Larry points out, those that have already met you
that you have given your card out to.  Although, I don't have my street
address on my card I do have my web site. This will not change no matter
where I may move, and I can be emailed from it at anytime to request my
address if someone needed it.

I do agree with Larry, that if you have a lot of public performances, that
are advertised, and you use your street address, people may know the times
you are not home... however, in my case my family is, so that would not pose
a problem.  For a single individual I can definitely see how it could.

That is my take on the address thing, having done it both ways, for whatever
it's worth.

Yours in Smiles and Laughter,

Terrie "Gitsy" Basko
www.gitsy.com