The Lost Art of Letter Writing

[Davey Do]

Remember that? Sending and receiving mail through the postal service? I use the term postal service because when I first heard it referred to as snail mail back in the late '90's, I found it derogatory. As if something is slow, it's no good. Out of date.

But I remember as a 7-year-old in the Summer of 1964 waiting by the mailbox for my Weekly Reader and oh what a joy to have something personally mailed to me that I could read and enjoy, and it had my name on it!

And the Summer of 1973 when I was 16 and my high school sweetie was on vacation with her family, and we would write Words of Love to one another. "Love Letters straight from your heart keep us so near while apart... I memorize every line, and I kiss the name that you sign".

Ahhhhhh! Letters!

Recently, I've been getting more into retro art- ink stamps, typewriting, etc.- posting them on the various websites I frequent. Today, I needed to communicate with the managing editor of one site and chose to do so via the postal service. What a charge! I sent him some necessary paperwork and included a comic:

 

 

I told one of my virtual online friends that I absolutely love to write. In days past, while others bitched and moaned about paperwork, I actually enjoyed it. I write and draw in my journals every day, sometimes for hours.

So I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to exchange handwritten letters?!"

Anywho, I'm attempting to revive the Lost Art of Letter Writing.

 

 

[MEDFET, CNA]

No Stars ⭐️ I’m with it can fully get your pattern of thinking and relieved you have sense of humor?I think any partnership needs that to continue on that humor will get you through some hard years not just days. I jumped in the conversation regarding ? as I’m no expert definately interested in costumes, paintings, exhibits. Find some connection in Marc Chagall. Ultimately not bragging but was part of an estate where after this woman’s death sadly she OD because she didn’t wanna continue treatments suffer from cancer. She took too much of her medication and afterwards pooped on herself which was very sad way to end life! She had a wonderful existence and everything any woman would want unselfish paid her sisters credit card payments did so much for everyone no kids of her own but the table was always set for four! Fast forward today the lowlife auction house we’re suppose to keep the things stored and sent to person in her will, they were con artist we recently saw an article about them being in lawsuit for supposed switching fakes with reals if that makes sense. These scumbags took advantage of the people who trust them but greed often will show the extend of how low people will go. I got what was coming to me but others got broken faberge and fake Swarovski instead of the limited edition real authentic pieces in her lengthy art collection, oh also some beautiful rugs were just cut in pieces and thrown like trash being pretenders in art auction house although every piece was indexed they had no idea what was so valuable and stupid when they came to pack up it was a nightmare now fast forward the husband didn’t take the elevator in there home but fell down the stairs, when we see these articles or hear these stories my experience is there us a definite loss of trust. It’s nothing normal when people have an accident especially when the alternative seems so easy much deeper, thank his the man isn’t dead but it’s tarnished his vision some blindness now so he depends on the staff like the auction house to secure the estate as well as bookkeepers and more at end of life without the right people in place can become hairy

[No Stars In My Eyes]

I think I might re-name this thread for the moment, and call it "The Lost Letters Written and Art Sent Have Yet to Arrive." ?

[Davey Do]

11 hours ago, No Stars In My Eyes said:

I think I might re-name this thread for the moment, and call it "The Lost Letters Written and Art Sent Have Yet to Arrive." ?

"Lost in the Mail" came to mind.

 

[Davey Do]

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

I've kept most  cards given to me by my DH and sons that they wrote a note on and EVERY note, card, scrap of paper given to me by my patients so I can pull them out when having a rough patch at work.

Just now, received a note from my nurse intern from Puerto Rico thanking me for welcoming her to the US as it was her first trip flying...along with a box of chocolates!.   

Seeing words on paper can somewhat interpret from color pen/pencil used, slant of writing, scrawling or LARGE size if the person was happy, angry or sad when letter written.

This Spring cleaning out box of my deceased mothers papers, found a love letter from her mother "Nana" to her then boyfriend, my grandfather dated 1926.  She was not a gushy affectionate person, but was in this letter! While my Grandfather a  Philly to NY truck driver would often write notes to her on his napkins arriving home at 4AM.   I plan to scan the note into my computer to share with future generations!

 

[Davey Do]

On 7/15/2022 at 2:16 PM, Davey Do said:

That's one reason I'm glad I reconnected with Janie- she takes an idea and runs with it. For example, part of our conversation went like this:

"My daughter was so worried because today I took my granddaughter to her first swimming lesson. I told her it would be safe because they'd be a lot of people around to watch the kids because the pool's not open yet."
 
"Do you mean, like, they sit in an empty swimming pool?"

"Yeah! They tell the little kids, 'Now pretend you're under water! Hooold your breath!'"

That may have been a Geological Joke, in that, you had to be there.
 

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

???----> "You are my pen-pal, my only pen-pal; you send me letters, that ne'r arrive. I think you know, Dave, How weird that strikes me: Each day the mailman just slides right on by."  ?

?

[Davey Do]

Such cool stories and perspectives @NRSKarenRN! From keeping notes and letters that are tangible things you can hold in your hand to the paragraph about expression. And to have 100-year-old letters! Wow!

Your last thought about scanning the letters for future generations caused my Inner Artist to, as he always does, whisper in my ear:

[Davey Do]

25 minutes ago, No Stars In My Eyes said:

???----> "You are my pen-pal, my only pen-pal; you send me letters, that ne'r arrive. I think you know, Dave, How weird that strikes me: Each day the mailman just slides right on by."  ?

?

My good old buddy, psych tech Rooty Payne, worked in the St. Louis Post Office for one of his jobs and he said it was a mess. I believe the mail from my hometown goes through there, so...

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Well, Davey, I have lost or misplaced your URL (is that right? Your on-line address?) So I am leaving this note to you here and hope you find it in a timely manner.

 ???

"I hear my empty mailbox sigh / It echoes and it whines / So you will not feel so awfully bad / I'll send you some of mine."  (---->Art/Mail, to you, that is.)

It will go out in the mail tomorrow.

No  ⭐s in My ?️s

[Davey Do]

I re-established our email communication, No Stars, so let's see if your letter reaches me.

I got my first pen pal letter from JS from NY state, an artist and poet, who writes, "Can you believe this? Two writers- writing! Holy tadpoles!"

JS is also heavily into e-biking and speaks like a poet:

"on the ride today
there was 
               one moment
where my mind was two crows
 talking to one another."

And all sorts of groovy little drawings all over the envelope and pages.

I look forward to receiving your letter and you receiving my response,No Stars.

 

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Not much of a letter, actually, just some of my old sketches. But you will enjoy them, I'm sure. ?