I like to write letters. I like to write them with my 1983 IBM Selectric III. It is not that I am of another, former, school or that I feel this connection to other notables who used similar machines, I simply get more out of the experience as it is tactile, auditory, visual, visceral, emotionally invested, and so on - This is my pleasure. I also get from this a poetry of substance as poetry often fills parts of the letters, written as I type and sometimes good and sometimes not, the whole process lubricates the synapse and fingers. Allows new ideas to come.
So, this I propose - I have had a few pen-pals the last few years but I am down to my last and she is no longer able to respond to my letters, she is reaching the end of her life, I already miss her terribly. My heart breaks even to consider a world without her direct influence. I am not looking for a replacement, there could be no replacing my current, when she goes into a place where there is no pain, I believe that I will continue to write to her anyway - I'll just have no-where to send the physical letter to anymore.
I would like to have other letter friends, communicating in the old way and helping the USPS (if you are in the Americas) or who ever does your post at the same time. Would there be any takers among you? You do not need a typewriter or even nice paper. Long hand works well as does printed out from the computer. The key is that it is mailed and it is thought out somewhat. The key is a quality communication.
If you would like to write to me - I will respond, it will be typed, it may have poetry, there may be misspelled words and bad sentences - there may be disorganized thought and sporadic insanities - one can never tell. But it will always be honest and unvarnished. Also, sometimes I draw on the paper if it sits in front of me long enough before getting into an envelope. Not that I can draw worth a damn - but it may be interesting.
Any takers? if so, e-mail me and I will give you my physical address. I promise any sent letter will garner a response be it one sentence or four pages of them. Who knows - this may become a thing.
I, too, am a long-time writer. I tend to send cards now (economically purchased -- the uglier the better -- at garage sales) with notes/comments/whatnot in them. If that works for you, I'll be your Pen Pal!
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Pearl
I'm in. I just came into possession of an old Royal Aristocrat (well it's not IN my possession, yet, but it's on it's way) that would love to have someone to pen with. Most of mine have fallen prey to the technology age. I have one left with whom I exchange actual paper letter with anymore - though I send out tons. Would be nice to receive a letter back. I'll shoot you an email shortly.
ReplyDeleteI'm in! I'd be honored to participate, and I'm getting chills of excitement!
ReplyDeleteJhon.. My Mother and I have written letters every week since I left home at age 21. I have thousands of letters from her. My Mother moved to Fla last spring and still would mail me a note card ..
ReplyDeleteI will be getting no more letters from her. Can we be pen-pals? I'm full of beatnik advice and have raised 5 kids so I'm fairly smart.
I will miss her letters in the mail..
sign me up!!
ReplyDeleteas long as you don't mind my wretched penmanship...although perhaps that will improve if i'm writing to someone who has to read it...;)
i've tried unsuccessfully to stir the snail mail urge amongst friends a few times(i fondly remember the days when that was The Way)...and sometimes i think i'll just write anyway -- but it's way more fun when you actually get a letter back..;)
I like the idea of an old-fashioned pen pal and a letter in the mail. An intriguing proposition you offer here. I know what you mean about the tactile experience of letter writing, whether it be long hand or on the keyboard and I, too, would like to support the beaten up postal service. They perform such an essential task for a nominal fee. I don't know why some on the right lament their inability to make a profit. Why do they have to make a profit? They perform a service to all, six days a week, even to the most remote backwater address in the country, and do it well. Yes! Let's all write letters.
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