Here it is, another Sunday. Paul is off to pick up a newspaper and some bagels. I am sitting in the living room with Milo, who is enjoying his second nap of the morning. It is the day of rest, after all. My plans include reading the paper, taking down the Halloween decorations, doing a bit of cleaning, hanging with the dogs (Ty comes home today!) and writing letters. Yes, writing letters. Pen on paper. I’ve always said I love receiving letters…especially tucked into a card that has been picked out or sometimes even made (thank you, cousin Jenna) just for me. I have three big boxes full of letters and cards, and wedding invitations, and birth announcements that have been sent through the years. No, I am not a horder in general – just in love with all things handwritten. Old photos intrigue me also. Sadly, I haven’t had to buy a new letter box for over a decade…which is around the time we all started taking this whole e-mail phenomenon so seriously. There are many ways to keep in touch nowadays…still, I miss the handwritten letter. Do you?
Last night, I signed back onto Facebook after several months on the wagon. I wanted to see pics of my friend Suz’s new house and all of the Halloween costumes I knew would be posted. Hours later, I thought here I am again, feeling like an addict, unable to pry my face away from the screen. I love the concept, it is just overwhelming and time consuming with all of the extra stuff. I want to keep in touch without feeling obligated to answer interview questions and get poked and quizzed and join everyone’s cause and on and on. I know one is supposed to be social media savvy these days, especially when one owns her own business, etc. It just seems like a bit much. Twitter, I feel, would only add fuel to my ADD fire. Linked In seems a bit stuffy. Am I missing something?
In my perfect world, all of you would have a blog. I love blogs. They allow me to really get to know a person/entity at my leisure. They oftentimes entertain, inspire, and sometimes even motivate. I know not everyone fancies themselves a writer or a techy-type, but I honestly find blogging to be simpler than all of this other stuff (WordPress for Dummies might have had something to do with it, too) . And it doesn’t have to be along the lines of Shakespeare (obviously). Setting up a blog is easy and free, in most cases. Are you thinking of starting a blog? If you already have a blog, would you share it with me please? Perhaps I will get around to writing letters to all of you. In the meantime, feel free to read my blog. If you comment, I will comment back. It’s fun!
i miss hand-lettered notes as well. i am going to write you a letter right now! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo….
Me too! We took a quick trip to Sandwich, MA yesterday and I found a card just for you at this adorable shop called Thru The Years. These little Cape villages are perfect for strolling, especially during the off season. Will post a pic soon that was taken at The British Beer Company. Still on a mission to find Paul a local – wish this place were a little closer to home…
Valynne,
I love your blog – I hope you keep writing and sending me email notices. I always feel like I have shared an intimate time with you. Colorado misses you!
TAS
Thank you, TAS…I love your blog, too! And your pics are so crystal clear – do you have a fancy camera? Or is it the Mac, or what?
For those of you wondering who TAS is, you can go to http://www.tastouchsoaps.wordpress.com to find out(she is linked to my http://www.mountaingirlorganics.wordpress.com blog).
You inspired me to put up some Rocky Mountain pics! Hope you like the snow!
TAS
Send me your address and you know I’ll send you real mail!!
It’s a deal! I am going to call you. Right… NOW!
Your blog is a great way to keep all your Colorado friends in touch. We miss you!
Laurie
Miss you too…can’t wait to try the new soap!
Glad all is copacetic on the shore!
Looks like Paul has a closing date – I am sure there will be a happy hour or two involved…will blog on the ETA as soon as I have it : ) V
Hi there! okay so I might be a creeper for doing this, but I have a really great project idea and I’m trying to launch it out there onto the internet. So I googled “I love writing letters” and found you.
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Post Secret, but it is a HUGE project that a man named Frank came up with where a LOT of people [like, millions of people] mail him postcards with their secrets on it. And then he compiles books out of the postcards. It’s actually really cool.
I was wondering if it would be possible to make a paper chain of secrets. I think this would be a TOTALLY cool project, but I need your help.
If you’re interested:
Take a regular U.S. 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper and cut it in a strip that is 1/4th the 8.5” side. [fold in half hotdog-style (haha, remember preschool?) and fold again = one strip]
decorate it like you would if you were sending our friend Frank a PostSecret… and obviously write a secret on it somehow.
SEND IT TO ME!
you can e-mail me for my address (greenapple773@gmail.com)
I’m going to compile all the strips and make a HUGE paper chain with them. But I really can’t do it on my own. Please consider sending in one or more of your secret strips. And don’t forget to tell your friends and spread the word!
I realize this post is some months old, but I saw your latest post and then started navigating the blog and came across this. The title attracted me due to my issues with people “disappearing.”
And where as the romanticism you propose in blogging is ideal, the reality is most people (in my youthful experience) do not have anything to say, whether it be intellectual or not, and that’s what sort of rules it out.
And sadly I’ve grown up in the technological era so I can’t comment on letter writing, although I can most definitely appreciate the genuineness in the act.
If you send your mailing address to Valynne@CaretakingCouple.com I will send you something handwritten : )