Preventing mistakes

I recently heard about applications cell phone users can program to prevent them from calling or texting certain people when they're drunk. Apparently this is a problem for some people, and the "Bad Decision Blocker" or "Don't Dial!" prevents the partier from calling old boyfriends/girlfriends, leaving stupid messages on your boss's phone, accidentally sending inappropriate text messages to your mom.

I guess bad decision phone calls were always a possibility in the past, but maybe the process of finding a quarter and a pay phone was enough of a delay to stop most of those phone calls.

And, for years now people have had issues with e-mails mistakenly sent to the wrong person.

It seems to me, that letter writing prevents many of those mistakes. Samara at the Letter Lover blog recently wrote about "unsent letters," letters she's writing with no intention of sending. The letters serve as a form of therapy for her, allowing Samara to get some things off her mind without getting involved in another argument or discussion with the recipient.

Samara doesn't say what she does with her unsent letters. Maybe she stores them away, maybe she burns them, maybe she shreds them. No matter what, she doesn't send them. No need for a "Bad Decision Blocker" in this situation. She has time to think about what she's doing and come up with a plan.

I suppose there have been cases of drunken letter writing and mailing in history, but I doubt it's ever been as much of a problem as drunk texting is. I've never heard of a proposal to put a breathalyzer on a mail box!

This is Card and Letter Writing Month, so let's all write a letter or two!

Vintage cards

In honor of Card and Letter Writing Month, I dug through my big box of stationery and cards and found my vintage cards.

To tell you the truth, I don't remember where they all came from. Some were in my Granny's things, and some I bought at thrift stores.

I don't know much about vintage greeting cards, so I really don't know how old they are. Only one, the card with the little angel sitting on a mushroom writing a letter, is dated, and it says MCMLV, which is 1955. And, the engagement card is obviously from the 1970s, I'm guessing. I remember when those cards were popular. In fact, images such as that were on all sorts of things, spiral notebooks, necklace pendants, bracelet charms, etc.

Somewhere, I have several vintage Christmas cards, too.

I've never quite figured out what to do with them. I've thought of framing them and arranging the framed cards in a grouping on the wall. But, I've never gotten around to that. I have duplicates of some of the cards, so I could send some with letters or use them in collages.

Does anyone collect old cards? If you have any, how do you display them? Why do you collect them?

Give me some ideas!

Every occasion for a letter

As she was getting ready for bed Saturday night, my 8-year-old daughter remembered one last task she needed to complete...write a letter to the Easter Bunny!

She found some paper and a pen and dashed off a message, making sure the Easter Bunny found the carrots she left out for him and remembered to hide her Easter eggs around the house for an early morning Easter egg hunt. She requested a reply from the big rabbit, and in her P.S., Anna asked if the Easter Bunny is brown and white like other bunnies.

That ol' bunny did write her back, thanking her for the yummy carrots. And, he answered her question about his color...it seems that he changes colors. When he eats carrots, he turns orange; when he eats strawberries, he turns pink; and when he eats blueberries, he turns blue.

Anna was quite delighted with that answer, and now she has another letter for her collection.

Don't forget...April is Card and Letter Writing Month! Send a card AND a letter to someone you've been thinking about!

Happy NCLWM!

Until I started this project and blog, and started reading other blogs about letter writing, I had no idea there was a National Card and Letter Writing Month. But, there is, and it's this month! (Actually, the "month" extends to May 10, Mother's Day.)

Unfortunately, I'm not finding too much support out there in the world for this national observance. Several years ago, the U.S. Postal Service promoted the month, but I don't see anything on their Web site so far this year.

There is a big promotion going on over at the Letter Lover blog. Samara O'Shea has teamed up with Gifts in 24 to host an essay writing contest. Read all about it here and here.

According to a press release issued a few years ago,

"National Card and Letter Writing Month is an opportunity for all Americans to rediscover the timeless and very personal art of letter writing," said Postmaster General John E. Potter. "Both in times of peace and conflict, cards and letters are the most effective way to share and permanently record our thoughts, prayers, hopes and dreams."

Although the Hallmark company doesn't have anything on their Web site about NCLWM, they do have information about "an enhanced selection of everyday greeting cards, with pricing starting at 99 cents."

"People are returning to basics, reaching out and letting people know they're loved and appreciated or just to say thanks," said Tressa Angell, Hallmark senior product manager. "Our consumers recognize that it's important to say what they want to say. They understand the power an unexpected gesture can have."

There's some great suggestions over at Associated Content, and the Random Acts of Mediocrity has a post about the month.

Girlfriend Celebrations has lots of great information on hosting a Letter-Writing Girls Night. Sounds like a wonderful party!

Let's celebrate National Card and Letter Writing Month by writing letters and sending cards! It'll brighten someone's day!