Letter Writer's Alliance Photo
I’ve always been better at keeping up with people through words. Real words, not e-mails, or texts, but words scribbled in my personal handwriting, the font of my body. My closest friends can vouch for me on this that I’m never one to call. When something dramatic happens, I send a one line note explaining it factually, rather than with emotion. I like to think I’m a reasonable person, but after you see me gorge on chocolate and potato chips, you realize I’m slowly losing my mind. It’s the reasonableness of everything, the rational that makes people crazy. Later when I’ve over-analyzed and lost sleep, I’ll send the five page note paper with margins and white space filled. My best friend Sars, in New Zealand receives cards for every occasion, even the Emily Dickinson quotable card when she feels like a housewife. It says, hey, you could be a spinster – it could be different. However, last month I was busy with Valentine’s and traveling, and I wasn’t able to be a part of the Letter Writing Challenge and so I’m going to participate in March – the month of Spring, and awakenings, and lots of flower gametes floating into pollination. It’ll be the perfect month for letters everyday.
Why letters? Why not email or a funny text message? Well for the second one, there are joke apps for that. For the first one, how impersonal. I send e-mails when I’m working, when my friends need to see the newest LOL CAT image. I send cards when I feel like decorating, or embellishing, or hoping someone will tack it to their real cork board (and their pinterest one). Sometimes, when I’m online, I can get sucked into my own head, or the world of google where everything is at my fingertips. In February of last year, I quit facebook because I found that I wasn’t communicating with my friends. I already knew their lives from facebook pictures, and status updates, why would I need to call? It was an excuse to let people bite the dust. Well, not anymore.
Yes, this means I don’t have nearly enough to do and now I’ll need to add in: creating telegrams, letters, notes, post cards, happy grams, cards, messages, parcels, envelopes and, words and pictures in each mailed package. Maybe I’m crazy, maybe I just love getting mail; opening that bread loaf black box and seeing something other than a credit card advertisement.
Examples of homemade cards by me.
To do this, I was hoping to have people to write too. I’d like to spend 31 days writing to people who are new to me. Or people, who I haven’t known my whole life, or lived in the bed next to for a summer, or spent my spring evenings with. So, I’m opening this up to all of you. I think in order to do this, you will have to believe that I am not a serial killer, and will not take your addresses and spam you with vacation packages, or car insurance quotes. In order to prove this, I’ve decided to hand-make all of my own cards. This means, you may think a first grade relative sent you something, but really it’s me, Southern girl from Books & Bowel Movements. To the left are examples of my sweet water color skills for homemade cards. I made these in teen center art class.
It would be best if throughout March, or before it starts, anyone who would like a card filled with poetry quotes, bad handwriting, and sketched hearts, please email me your address. I’m looking so forward to this challenge and so forward to having a reason to create odd art on the carpeting of my bedroom floor that I really hope a few of you participate with me.
If you feel like you don’t want to send your address – feel free to do the challenge with me. Spend a few moments of everyday with the blue boxes of the American postal system, or with the lady behind the counter who weighs your package against the metal scale. Spend a few days standing in line staring at the PO Boxes, watching people with their gold keys unlock the holes filled with advertisements, and newspapers. Spend a few days with a pen, and not a keyboard.
Cool Badge
If nothing else, award yourself with this cool badge to your right. I know that’s always something that makes me want to do a challenge – placing a participation badge on my blog. I’m such a loser. Clearly, I’m that kid in third grade who only reads because I get more gold stars, or who cleans the blackboard so I can get extra credit. I should really just hope for a pat on the back. What is that about? Maybe I need a psychiatrist to really delve into that. Maybe someone who wants to participate and receive one of my letters will get something about the over-analyzation of my life. I’m going to try to make every letter different and cater to something about the person I’m writing too. I may have to read a few blogs, or use my psychic abilities to find out something wonderful for each of you, but I’ll work hard, I promise.
My email: clmannesATgmailDOTcom
My goal: mail 31 letters (I will mail two on Monday’s so that I can even do Sunday’s, which totally deals in my over-achieving nature).
Join me on the journey of letters.
There are a ton of blogs that did this for February. I believe the starting blog was LetterMo. In my search around the interwebs, I found the Letter Writers Alliance which just made me happy with all their stationary.
February 27th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I totally admire your dedication, I wish I had stuck to my word every time I told somebody I would write to them! I’m sure you will inspire lots of people to pick up a pen and paper aswell. It might interest you that the Royal Mail are launching a campaign of how to get young people to write more letters rather than Facebook posts/tweets. At least you can fit more than 140 characters on a page! :-) Good luck!
February 27th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
I actually get books from Royal Mail ALL THE TIME because I obsessively purchased from The BFG collection when it first came out. I love Roald Dahl. However, I had no idea about that campaign – how exciting. I may have to order more due to that. Thank you!
February 27th, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Dear Cassie,
I quite don’t understand why you feel so depressed or lonely. I can clearly see that you could easily write anything you’d want to do because you have the natural ability for writing about any subject and make it interesting. Many writers would want to do what it comes easy for you. Your imagination has no limits and it demands each time more from your mind. Quench that thirst! White a story about anything! Let those words flow freely and weave yourself a Cassie world of wonderful phrases, descriptions and intriguing chapters. Surprise yourself by discovering the real Cassie!
I do not need a letter in my mail box, but I would be the first one to buy a book written by you! I promise!
February 27th, 2012 at 6:09 pm
I must have written something odd in there…I’m definitely not depressed. : ) I’m totally happy, probably the happiest I’ve ever been… Thank you so much for your wonderful comments. I think maybe my sarcasm didn’t get past the screen, I was being a bit jokey. I’m sorry about that confusion – EVERYONE OUT THERE, I AM NOT A DEPRESSED GIRL, JUST NOT VERY GOOD AT SARCASM.
Thank you immense amounts for your kind words, lovely. They make me feel wonderful and I’ll be sure to produce a collection of something, at some point. Right now, I’m still figuring out what I want to write (poetry, nonfiction, fiction), but for now, I’ll just keep writing all three.
So thank you, thank you. And thank you for the comment. : )
February 27th, 2012 at 6:34 pm
What a novel idea.
February 27th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Thank you. Join in!
February 27th, 2012 at 6:58 pm
I like that… “The font of my body”
February 27th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Thank you :)
February 27th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
It might be fun to read books that are told through letters too! I could probably think of a few if you wanted to read them.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Yes, definitely tell me a few. That sounds fabulous.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Oh, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula was partially in letter form.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Read all of these except perks….which I clearly need to read.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Not sure if you have read any of these…but:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Screwtape Letters
those came to mind.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:52 pm
Awesome idea. Go you! Will you showcase some of your letters on here when you’re all done?
February 27th, 2012 at 11:14 pm
I’ll try! I’m sure I will.
February 28th, 2012 at 4:59 am
84 Charing Cross Road.
Great challenge Cassie, your positive happy vibes stream out from all your posts and with letters you can doodle more too, good on you, just keep the words flowing, one day the inspiration for those seedlings of stories already in you will sprout, no doubt about it.
February 28th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Thanks for the email lovely. I will surely send one to you!
February 28th, 2012 at 6:43 am
The real letter and hand made card is a wonderful thing – a thing of joy, always recieved with good cheer!
February 28th, 2012 at 9:06 am
I agree, thanks for your wise words.
February 28th, 2012 at 8:00 am
This is a beautiful concept Cassie….I would love you to write me…that is if your little cards will make it over to the UK! :) ….look forward to reading more on this…
February 28th, 2012 at 9:07 am
Jen, of course I would! Send me your address in email. I would love to wrote to the UK.
February 28th, 2012 at 10:22 am
FABULOUS!
February 28th, 2012 at 11:18 am
YAY!
February 28th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
[...] I need to start by tooting my own horn. I’m doing the project Month of Letters for the month of March and I still have spaces on my dance card as SiftingTheGrain (T) so eloquently said. If you would like to participate and receive a handmade letter, send me your address via email at: clmannesATgmailDOTcom. To find out more click this link. [...]
February 28th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
[...] fellow blogger, Cassie, at Books and Bowel Movements (love her blog!) has inspired me to take on a challenge: A Month of [...]
February 28th, 2012 at 11:03 pm
[...] a blog by Cassie, over at Books and Bowel Movements. A couple of days ago she wrote about “A Month of Letters“. I loved her idea, and after a couple of emails with Cassie, decided to join [...]
February 29th, 2012 at 12:15 am
Letters rock! Excellent project. I have to share this with a lovely gal I know who has excellent penmanship.
February 29th, 2012 at 8:30 am
Yes! Please do. That would be lovely. Thank you.
February 29th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
This is a really fun idea. I think I just may join you.
February 29th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Let’s do it! : ) I’d love more people to join. So far, two other bloggers are participating as well.
March 1st, 2012 at 9:54 am
I’m in! I wrote about it in my blog this morning and linked to this article. Thanks for the inspiration!!
March 1st, 2012 at 9:56 am
Great! I’m pumped. Were going to have fun!
March 1st, 2012 at 2:39 pm
I think I’m gonna try it! It sounds fun. I’m trying to get my friends to do it too.
March 1st, 2012 at 2:51 pm
That would be awesome. Yes, do it!
March 2nd, 2012 at 2:03 am
Great idea. I am a big supporter of hand written mail.
March 2nd, 2012 at 10:11 am
You should do it too! Just start a bit late.
March 2nd, 2012 at 7:20 am
This is a wonderful idea – makes me all tingly with happiness. If you’re still looking for people, i’d love to receive one! I’ll go email you…
And thank you for your comment :)
March 2nd, 2012 at 10:13 am
YAY! Got your email and I will be writing you soon.
March 7th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
I love this idea! I’ll send you my address to your email soon. :)
March 7th, 2012 at 6:34 pm
Please do girl.
March 10th, 2012 at 8:56 am
[...] I’ve been writing letters since 1995ish, see above) I recently read an article by Cassie of Books and Bowel Movements and she will be participating in a month of writing letters to new people. I would love to join [...]
March 20th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
[...] of Books & Bowel Movements is doing A Month of Letters over on her blog. I love this idea- 31 days of handwritten letters. Letters to anyone- which, in [...]
April 28th, 2012 at 10:15 am
[...] Anywho, that’s not really why I’m writing. I never wrote a blog about how wonderful my Month of Letters was in March and Claire reminded me to blog about it. A month of letters was a really lovely [...]
November 25th, 2012 at 11:22 am
[...] out all over the blogosphere. If you want a Christmas card, just email! : ) It’ll be like A Month of Letters all over [...]