Consider Writing A Letter, I Mean Snail Mail

[mso489]

hairvise, about writing with a pencil, in the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War in the U.S., it was mentioned that during that war the officers wrote many letters in ink, whereas the enlisted men often had to use pencils, for economy and availability. It turns out that the pencil script lasted much better than the ink, so many more of the enlisted letters still exist, whereas many of the letters in ink have faded into oblivion. I found that intriguing. Pencil is just more durable.

 

[runscott]

I write enough hand-written letters that a couple of weeks ago I actually received two hand-written letters, from two different friends, on the same day. That hasn't happened in decades.

My favorite inexpensive fountain pen is a Pilot Metro with a stub nib, but I also like the TWSBI ECO. For paper, I use only Midori MD notebooks for journaling, and whatever is handy for letters.

 

[aspiring_sage]

View attachment 144448
Here ya go, my Smith Corona circa 1960 Skyriter. I have a Royal similar to yours but it needs some work but I cannot find a typewriter repairman anywhere in central PA.

My kids have taken over my typewriter. It is a fun tool and free from the destructions of writing on the computer.

Sadly it has been on the shelf the last 6 months. It is a little too noisy at my thinking and writing time, when the rest of the household is sleeping.

It was once my moms, I got it from grandma’s house when grandma died.
Quite a treasure to me.


** apologies for having a photo with no pipe in it. I realize this is a forum gaffe, but my pipes are in the basement and I’m unwilling to walk there for one photo.

 

[mso489]

I love the percussion of a manual typewriter. It is one of the profound joys of writing. Plus the incredible liberation of learning touch typing, however monotonous that is to do. When I was in grad school, one of my neighbors in a rental room, though a grad student himself, complained about my noise. I explained to the landlady that that was why I was in town at all.

With all of the luxuries of "word processing," as it is so inelegantly called, I truly miss the sensory input of the mechanical device. My two favorites are my tiny Hermes in high school and the Smith Corona portable my folks got me for high school graduation.

 

[hairvise]

hairvise, about writing with a pencil, in the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War in the U.S., it was mentioned that during that war the officers wrote many letters in ink, whereas the enlisted men often had to use pencils, for economy and availability. It turns out that the pencil script lasted much better than the ink, so many more of the enlisted letters still exist, whereas many of the letters in ink have faded into oblivion. I found that intriguing. Pencil is just more durable.

I can't more highly recommend the Musgrave Pencil Co. They are a family owned American company that's been in business for over 100 years. They manufacture their pencils in Tennessee. Try a box of the Tennessee Reds, make with red cedar that will bring you back to your childhood any time you sharpen them. Fantastic for letter writing, journaling, etc.

 

[mark777]

My kids have taken over my typewriter. It is a fun tool and free from the destructions of writing on the computer.

Sadly it has been on the shelf the last 6 months. It is a little too noisy at my thinking and writing time, when the rest of the household is sleeping.

It was once my moms, I got it from grandma’s house when grandma died.
Quite a treasure to me.

View attachment 146186
** apologies for having a photo with no pipe in it. I realize this is a forum gaffe, but my pipes are in the basement and I’m unwilling to walk there for one photo.
sometimes I like to write for myself and print letters, it's a real nostalgia for me. But if in college I will be offered to print an essay, then it is not mine. I hand in all the work writinguniverse.com/definition-essay-topics/ I can't write something if they ask. But I like to type on a typewriter, simply, from the heart

My grandmother also had such a car, but it was green. When I was visiting her, I imagined myself as a postal worker. It was my favorite activity because there were no toys in my grandmother's house. When I see this photo, I feel nostalgic for my childhood

 

[runscott]

My grandmother also had such a car, but it was green. When I was visiting her, I imagined myself as a postal worker. It was my favorite activity because there were no toys in my grandmother's house. When I see this photo, I feel nostalgic for my childhood

I miss my typewriter.

Kids are so buried in social media that I wouldn't be surprised if some might type: 'to xxx@gmail.com' at the top of the letter, then waited for the sheet of paper to disappear.

 

[mark777]

I miss my typewriter.

Kids are so buried in social media that I wouldn't be surprised if some might type: 'to xxx@gmail.com' at the top of the letter, then waited for the sheet of paper to disappear.

unfortunately, this is the modern present, the world is rolling towards the abyss

 

[runscott]

unfortunately, this is the modern present, the world is rolling towards the abyss

I have a friend who I only communicate with by handwritten letters, unless it's our annual visit when we have to phone for pick-up. We've been doing that since I moved away from Georgia in 2006. Before that we met weekly for a run and dinner, so never a need for the phone.
Another friend and I have sent each other hand-written letters for over forty years.

I feel it's an abyss only by choice.

 

[Kobold]

I’ve slowed down recently but I’ve been writing letters to retired baseball players for years now. Sometimes they will write you back to answer your questions or tell you some stories from their playing days. Some of them are so grateful to be remembered. It’s a fun little hobby and it gives me something to do with my collection of cardboard pictures of men.

 

[mark777]

I have a friend who I only communicate with by handwritten letters, unless it's our annual visit when we have to phone for pick-up. We've been doing that since I moved away from Georgia in 2006. Before that we met weekly for a run and dinner, so never a need for the phone.
Another friend and I have sent each other hand-written letters for over forty years.

I feel it's an abyss only by choice.

such a story is rare and at the same time an example, it must be preserved

 

[runscott]

I’ve slowed down recently but I’ve been writing letters to retired baseball players for years now. Sometimes they will write you back to answer your questions or tell you some stories from their playing days. Some of them are so grateful to be remembered. It’s a fun little hobby and it gives me something to do with my collection of cardboard pictures of men.

Around 15 years ago I purchased part of Larry Ritter's estate, which included letters from the players he interviewed back in the early 1960's. It was part of my business so I sold them all. I still have a nice letter that Sam Crawford wrote back to a fan in the 1950's. I wish I had written letters to retired players when I was a kid back in the 1960's - one of those opportunities that came and went.

 

[Kobold]

Around 15 years ago I purchased part of Larry Ritter's estate, which included letters from the players he interviewed back in the early 1960's. It was part of my business so I sold them all. I still have a nice letter that Sam Crawford wrote back to a fan in the 1950's. I wish I had written letters to retired players when I was a kid back in the 1960's - one of those opportunities that came and went.

Wow that’s really cool! I love The Glory of Their Times. What a great book.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Around 15 years ago I purchased part of Larry Ritter's estate, which included letters from the players he interviewed back in the early 1960's. It was part of my business so I sold them all. I still have a nice letter that Sam Crawford wrote back to a fan in the 1950's. I wish I had written letters to retired players when I was a kid back in the 1960's - one of those opportunities that came and went.

I loved him in Skin Deep but I watched it with my Grandparents as they had cable television before my parents did and I felt rather embarrassed when he had a scuffle with the guy only wearing glow in the dark condoms. Did his estate happen to contain any of those condoms? I believe they were discontinued around 1997 due to toxicity and actually if I remember what I read correctly some men had discovered through exams with proctologists that their prostates had areas that were slightly illuminated likely do to them using those prophylactics. I have no idea if it somehow contributed to his early death in a similar way that John Wayne's filming in the radioactive desert likely lead to him getting cancer.

 

[aspiring_sage]

That was quite a leap!

 

[Kobold]

I loved him in Skin Deep but I watched it with my Grandparents as they had cable television before my parents did and I felt rather embarrassed when he had a scuffle with the guy only wearing glow in the dark condoms. Did his estate happen to contain any of those condoms? I believe they were discontinued around 1997 due to toxicity and actually if I remember what I read correctly some men had discovered through exams with proctologists that their prostates had areas that were slightly illuminated likely do to them using those prophylactics. I have no idea if it somehow contributed to his early death in a similar way that John Wayne's filming in the radioactive desert likely lead to him getting cancer.

You’re thinking of John Ritter.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

You’re thinking of John Ritter.

Yes, John Rotter. He must of had an interesting estate!

 

[mso489]

I didn't mind writing thank you notes as a kid. i was pretty quiet, so it gave me a chance to express myself to relatives. When I'd write my maternal grandfather notes, he would sometimes send me a twenty dollar bill, which in the 1950's, to an eleven-year-old, was a sum of money for sure. I was lucky in knowing all four of my grandparents and having them living in the area. I was especially close to my maternal grandfather and my paternal grandmother.

Today, if you want to communicate with youngsters, you have to text or otherwise do social media. They don't have envelopes or stamps, and few parents try to enforce the writing of thank you notes, since they don't write much mail either. Kids know all about credit and debit cards, but writing a check would be a mystery to most. As would operating a FAX machine.

 

[carlomarx]

But do you drink whisky neat while typing?

Absolutely, it is SOP.

 

[bullet08]

I don't know. Paper trail isn't something I want to leave behind. Electronic crumbs are even worse. Person to person contact is the best. I used to write letters to my wife while we were dating. She kept those in boxes .