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I am a collector of British Commonwealth stamps. My connection to the late Diana-Princess of Wales stops, on one level, with the fact that she has appeared, oftentimes with Prince Charles, on recent British Commonwealth stamps.

I am not quite sure, therefore, why Diana's recent death has fixated me. After all, the stamps issued in her memory are simply more stamps in a long, seemingly endless line of an Omnibus stamp sets published by the British Commonwealth.

I have to say, however, that my overwhelming impression of the proceedings associated with Diana's death have left me both appalled and angry. I am upset by drunk drivers. I'm upset by the role the media played in the circumstances. I am upset by the role, or more appropriately the lack of empathetic role, played by the English monarchy.

I sincerely feel for Diana's two sons and only wish that she could have really known the acceptance and support she had from her nation and the world in life rather than in death. For me, the whole situation is a gut-wrenchingly sad and lamentable situation. Maybe it's the circumstances, maybe it's the mood.

However, I have to tell you within hours after Diana's death stamp collectors and speculators throughout the world flooded the Internet with outlandishly high "buy" offers for any stamps depicting Diana. If you want to sell your auction lot, put a Diana cover in it!

In a perceived effort to seemingly corner and profit from the ghoulish market her death created, I am sure many have profited. Bets have already been lain as to which country will be the first to issue "mourning stamps." I can click off about 15 countries right away- you know, the ones that flood the market with millions of stamps about any popular topic you want to mention. Somehow, this does not seem like tribute to me. Instead, it seems like distasteful indisecretion.

This collector, because of my feelings, refuses to participate in this circus. The best approach I can think of to discourage this activity is to not support it. So... all you nations that seek to exploit Diana in her death, count me out! Again, I can't explain my feelings other than being introspective and not wanting to participate in the "feeding frenzy".

Further, I guess we all have Dianas in our lives- people who are special to us yet largely not acknowledged. Why not acknowledge them in life rather than only in death?