Letter #23

Letter writing topic for January 23, 2010:

In January 1737, John Hancock was born. He was the first person to sign the U. S. Declaration of Independence in 1776. His signature was bold and beautifully written. In fact, the name "John Hancock" has become synonymous with "signature." For example, someone might say, "Put your 'John Hancock' right here," meaning "sign your name right now."

In honor of John Hancock's January birthday, the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association sponsors National Handwriting Day every Jan. 23.

According to the WIMA Web site,

"The lost art of handwriting is one of the few ways we can uniquely express ourselves. There’s something poetic about grasping a writing instrument and feeling it hit the paper as your thoughts flow through your fingers and pour into words. So, WIMA suggests you take advantage of National Handwriting Day on Jan. 23 and use a pen or a pencil to rekindle that creative feeling through a handwritten note, poem, letter or journal entry.

Handwriting allows us to be artists and individuals during a time when we often use computers, faxes and e-mail to communicate. Fonts are the same no matter what computer you use or how you use it. Fonts lack a personal touch. Handwriting can add intimacy to a letter and reveal details about the writer’s personality. Throughout history, handwritten documents have sparked love affairs, started wars, established peace, freed slaves, created movements and declared independence.

"Though computers and e-mail play an important role in our lives, nothing will ever replace the sincerity and individualism expressed through the handwritten word," said David H. Baker, WIMA's Executive Director.

The purpose of National Handwriting Day is to alert the public to the importance of handwriting. According to WIMA, National Handwriting Day is a chance for all of us to re-explore the purity and power of handwriting."

Today, in honor of National Handwriting Day, write a letter in your very best handwriting. And, be sure to wish your letter recipient a Happy Handwriting Day.

New Letter Writing Blogs

I've come across several new letter writing blogs recently. I think you might enjoy visiting them. Take a look:

Letters, She Wrote  Lauren is blogging about letter writing and the letters she sends and receives.

Stationery Addicted Jennifer is blogging about stationery and letter writing. She's in Italy, but she blogging in English, which is great because I've forgotten most of the Italian I studied in college!

Time After Tea This blog is about much more than letter writing, but Megan does include posts about letters and mail art.

Red Boots An interesting section of this blog is called "Dear 16-Year-Old Me." From what I can tell, different bloggers send to Wendy letters addressed to their 16-year-old selves. It's an interesting project.

What fun reading!

Letter #22

Letter writing topic for January 22, 2010:

Today, write a letter on stationery that you decorate yourself. Pull out all your colorful pens, pencils, crayons, etc. Sketch a cartoon, draw a pretty picture, doodle along the edges. In your letter, tell your recipient why you decorated the paper like you did....it's a self-portrait, this is the only thing you can draw, it's a picture of the house you dream of living in someday....

Better Letters - 1940s Style

I love old books, and I buy all the ones I can afford. I'm not really sure why...most of the books I buy aren't worth a lot of money, I'm sure. Maybe it's that I just can't stand to think of the books being thrown in the trash. 

Earlier this week, I was looking through some old books that I'd bought a while back, probably at a library book sale or maybe at a thrift store. And, I found a copy of "Your Manners Are Showing: The Handbook of Teen-Age Know-How" by Betty Betz with verses by Anne Clark. It was published in 1946, and this copy looks like a library version with a brown cloth cover. There is quite a bit of information online about the book, and it's for sale in several places.

The book has some interesting (and funny in 2010) information about dating, dealing with parents, friends, etc. I don't advise that anyone follow the book's advice on smoking, but the chapter titled "Better Letters" has some information that is still helpful today.

"How would you feel ten years from now if everything you had ever written was dug out of a trunk and read aloud to a roomful of your best friends? Well, that ought to slow you down the next time you feel in the mood to pen a mash note or put a gooey saying on a photograph. ... Those dreamy lines you scrawl after midnight may be exaggerated by a moon, a dreamy record, and a pair of drowsy eyes, so read those letters d'amour again in broad daylight then next morning before you mail them. Try to keep a humorous and amusing tone; if someone is to get a lot of laughts, you want him or her to laugh with your letters and not at them.

In your personal correspondence, be cheerful and keep letters newsy so that they reflect your own personality. A letter which is dull and depressing for you to write is twice as dull for the other person to read. Never quote gossip or rumors which are liable to hurt someone else, and never write anything which might be interpreted as off-color.

Writing a letter to a friend should be regarded as the next-best-thing to paying him or her a visit, so try to give out with your personality on paper! And make those visits often!"

Letter #21

Letter writing topic for January 21, 2010:

Today, write a letter to your mom. I know it's not Mother's Day yet, but really, if you can, you should write a letter to your mama at least once a month. Just let her know that you're OK and thinking about her.

Of course, I know that not everyone can or wants to write to their mom, so, if that's your case, write a letter to any woman in your life and tell her how much you appreciate her.

Letter #20

Letter writing topic for January 20, 2010:

Today is Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin's 80th birthday. On July 20, 1969, he and Neil Armstrong became the first two humans to walk on the moons. You can send a birthday wish to Aldrin on his Web site www.buzzaldrin.com. But, that's just a short electronic message...for today's letter, let's have a little bit of fun...write to someone who is "out of this world." Oh, I don't mean write to a space alien. I mean, write to someone who is really great, super, wonderful, aka "out of this world." Be sure to tell him or her why you're writing to them today.

(Photo of Buzz Aldrin on the moon, courtesy of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, specifically the
NASA History Office and the NASA JSC Media Services Center.)

It must be fate

Here's a fortune cookie fortune that I received recently:

It's funny how once you start thinking about letter writing, letter writing just seems to be everywhere you look.