Letters in the mail

[Miss 1929]

Yesterday afternoon, I was having a conversation with someone about how even a fax is exciting now that we mostly get email. I posited that the best of all is a real letter, but that I hadn't gotten one in years.

Then the mail came!

And in it was the sweetest typed fan letter, with lots of gushing about my recent show etc., that I will not subject you to.

But you will appreciate the closing paragraph:

"Lastly, let me remind you that you have in your hands an historic document. It was produced on the world's original word processor... a manual typewriter, circa 1923...My Underwood machine corresponded regularly with Herb Caen's Royal manual - we even made his column once..."

I just loved this, a little fix of Golden Era in my day!

Have you gotten real letters lately?

 

[dhermann1]

The silence is deafening . . . not in a long time. Hmm.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I find the key in receiving letters....is quite simple.


write them!

 

[Miss 1929]

Well, I will definitely write one back!
It seems to be one of those dying arts - I am grateful for the Luddite friends I have that keep me from losing the skill altogether!

 

[Big Man]

I don't know how many are still active from the "Fedora Lounge Pen-Pal Project" (there's an old thread on it somewhere), but I correspond on a regular basis with several folks here. While I'm no great penman (as my FL pen-pals can attest), I do enjoy sending and receiving a hand written letter, note, or card now and then.

Since starting with the pen-pal project almost two years ago, I've made it a habit to write to a number of people who, otherwise, I would never have taken the time to correspond with (via hand written note).

 

[alexandra]

I love, love, love mail. It's one of the highlights of my life.

My ex-boyfriend used to send me letters in the mail like once a week because he knew how much I loved receiving letters in the mail. He'd always include something I really liked in there too like some chocolate or a picture of something or a drawing or some neat leaf he found. Looking back, I guess that was pretty nice of him!

 

[zaika]

oh, yes! letters! real letters!

before i actually figured out how to work email (circa 1998), i had a million pen pals all over the world! my favorite was a girl in Ireland who was like me...longwinded and wordy. lol our letters could go on for pages and pages, back and front. i literally waited on pins and needles for her next letter and would respond the same day. it was wonderful. we corresponded for almost ten years. but we haven't written each other for about the same lenght of time. i also had a pen pal in (then) East Germany. our letters were usually short, but chock full of pictures and stickers. lol we also corresponded for about ten years. but we stopped writing about 1996 for whatever reason.

then i got email, and i got lazy.

nowadays i've found a few people to write letters too, but i keep forgetting to get stamps. but i have about five letters, ready for mailing, waiting for those gosh darned stamps.

 

[GwenLake]

Here is the pen-pal thread that was mentioned. I actually have lots of stationery, but no one to write to.

 

[zaika]

maybe we should ressurect that old thread again...maybe get another pen pal list going? that would help you with your problem, Gwen!

 

[Big Man]

Here is the pen-pal thread that was mentioned. I actually have lots of stationery, but no one to write to.

Thanks for posting the link. That was the thread I was thinking about, but couldn't find.

I am always open to corresponding with new people. If you (or anyone else here) would like to exchange a letter or two, PM me and we can exchange contact information.

 

[GwenLake]

Thanks for posting the link. That was the thread I was thinking about, but couldn't find.

I am always open to corresponding with new people. If you (or anyone else here) would like to exchange a letter or two, PM me and we can exchange contact information.

You're welcome for the link. I had a different title than I thought, so it was a bit difficult to find.

Oh, and PM sent.

 

[Folly]

Oddly enough just recently I have had three proper letters in the post.

One was in a parcle which was all wrapped up in brown paper. The letter even had a wax seal and had been written with a dip ink pen.

Then there were two other hand written letters but this is a rarity. It's usually me that sends them, hoping someone might get the hint and write back.

 

[Josephine]

Thanks to this thread I popped off a note to my mom, great aunt, grandmother, and an anniversary card to my aunt and uncle. I have a TON of note cards, and a wax sealing set with my initial (and my parents set too), I just need to remember to write. I am an utter cheapskate, but what's 42 cents when it brightens someone's day?

 

[Folly]

I read somewhere that if you have all of your writing things set out with some stamps, then you will be more inclined to write when it's all there waiting for you as opposed to being tucked away out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind as they say. When there is a plentiful supply of stamps too, then there are no excuses

 

[Josephine]

I read somewhere that if you have all of your writing things set out with some stamps, then you will be more inclined to write when it's all there waiting for you as opposed to being tucked away out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind as they say. When there is a plentiful supply of stamps too, then there are no excuses

I don't even have that excuse; all I have to do is reach out my right hand and there immediately next to me are all my cards and stamps and return labels non profits send me... lol

 

[Folly]

I don't even have that excuse; all I have to do is reach out my right hand and there immediately next to me are all my cards and stamps and return labels non profits send me... lol

lol

I had a letter sitting here next to a sheet of stamps for a good while and for some absurd reason kept asking my husband to get me a stamp when he was in town. The thought to use one from the sheet never occured to me :eusa_doh:

I am getting better though, as I have writing paper, ink cartridges, wrapping paper, envelopes and early purchased greetings cards all in one place .. I just forget to post the things which despite all else is the most important thing. There's nothing like posting a letter a month after you sealed it.

 

[AmateisGal]

I am a mail junkie. I think I stalked the poor mailman when I was growing up because I wanted to get letters so badly.

My grandmother and I still correspond through written letters, though that has changed somewhat since she is now connected to the Internet.

There's nothing like getting a nice, hand-written letter in the mailbox. I would rather get one of those than an email anyday!

 

[TessTrueheart]

I got a card in the mail today, but I haven't recieved a real letter for years... (and yes, I write them sometimes, people just seem to respond via email...) I have kept all my correspondens from before e-mail, and I will keep it forever!

 

[Vintage Betty]

I'm not sure if this counts, but I belong to some hand-made card swapping groups. We make cards and than usually include a small handwritten note to the recipient.

I got a few hand made cards this week. It's great to get something artistic in the mail that isn't a bill.

I had some pen pals when I was a kid, and went on to write one person for 10 years, and another for 13 years. I visited both of them, and the 13 year pen pal is still a special friend, though we haven't touched base in a while.

Vintage Betty

 

[miserabelle]

The closest thing that I've received to a hand-written letter in years is my birthday card from my Auntie Joan (she's not a real auntie, she's one of those pretend kinds that your relatives refer to as auntie) and I think that the last real letter that I got was from my Great Uncle Joe in... 2002, I still have it actually.

I love getting letters... but all I get now is my bank statement and things reminding me how much money I need to pay to student loans shakeshead xx