I must start with a little bit of background information.
I love getting mail. Letters, postcards, packages...
Every day I go to the mailbox with great expectations. Even when I'm not expecting anything specific (which is most days). But like the mailman, I'm there at my box no matter the weather, no matter my state of mind, no matter what. Just in case something, a special thing should be there... Don't tell anyone but I've been known to send things to myself on rare occasions just to cheer myself up.
I used to get a lot more mail. Because I used to write letters. I was obsessed with sending postcards for the longest time and I love making packages for people and surprising them because I assume I'm not the only one who enjoys being thought of...
But lately, with the convenience of the internet, I haven't been writing or sending or getting much via the usps. It started with email and has neatly wound up here, with blogs and facebook and instant/always/moment by moment correspondence. I find that on the rare occasion when I think to sit and write a letter, there is nothing left to say.
Yesterday I got a package. A surprise package from a friend. Filled with lots and lots of little treasures. Ephemera for use in projects and to add to my collection of very cool old things. As I went through the box, one thing at a time I was brought back by post cards and invitations and greeting cards... to a time when people communicated largely by mail. Back to a time when handwriting, spelling and punctuation still mattered. Remember those days?!
And as I considered these things with waves of nostalgia biting my conscience I decided that my new years resolution would be this;
To write letters again. To surprise the people who I care about with easy little gifts all year round.
Maybe the pages will be blank because I will have already said it all here or in an email or on the facebook, or maybe you'll all have to hear the same news repeatedly, but bear with me please. The old fashioned letter cannot be lost so easily to the world of technology!
Caline, OH MY GOD- you are such an unbelievably talented writer! I could read your entries forever! You actually remind me of my favorite author, Neil Giamond. Ever heard of him? He writes comic books actually (which are phenomenal and I'm *not* a comic book person, "Death, the High Cost of Living" is brilliant), but every once in a while he will put out a novel ("Neverwhere" & "Good Omens" are my favs). Anyway, that's a HUGE compliment from me! I am so excited to start getting updates and reading more, this is too cool!
ReplyDeleteMiss you by the way! Mwah!
love-linds
I'm with you Caline. There is nothing like going to the mailbox and seeing a brightly decorated or colored envelope with actual handwriting on it. I still write letters and love to receive them. Do you want to be "pen pals"?
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference!!! for me the internet and facebook etc... is a god sent - I hate to write letters and hate trepsing to the mailbox, especially in winter, I am so glad I can keep up with you thru the above mentioned - sometimes I make a special effort to send something since I know you love to receive stuff, but generally I enclse something and wrap it in a blank sheet of paper -
ReplyDeleteI have one person I have written to the good old fashioned way for 22 years now. We don't talk on the phone, see each other, e-mail or anything else. We knew each other when we were 12 and I would never ever want this relationship to change. He and he alone receives long long letters written on actual paper, usually late at night with a cat curled in my lap.
ReplyDeleteHe knows all that my friends know, much of what those that follow my blog know and something extra...he knows how my handwriting begins and ends. And it turns out that though I am queen of the dot...dot...dot and the exclamation point (!!!!!) when typing....when I write its all about the long extended dash.
annie