Wednesday, September 14, 2005

A Call to Pens

The following rhetorical question does not apply to barbara jane or to ob, both of whom have been getting more than their share of what I'm about to discuss. To the victor(s) go the spoil(s), after all. But anyways...

How long has it been since a mail carrier delivered a letter—an actual letter, mind you, not a birthday card or postcard (though both of these are really quite nice)—to your mailbox? A handwritten letter, complete with random ink smudges, occasional cross-outs and, if you're lucky, doodles? If you're anything like me (and may the Greek gods help you if you are), your answer is, oh, about 43,000 eons ago. If you're anything like me, it's been so long you can't even remember.

I love letters. When I was around ten years old, I had a pen pal who lived in Scotland. She'd write me letters written on that groovy light blue "par avion" paper that folded up to become its own envelope. And even though the letters were completely mundane, even though they were devoid of color, excitement, or any proof whatsoever that she possessed an ounce of imagination, I literally jumped up and down every time I received one. Why? Because (I repeat) I love letters.

So I propose something radical. A project, of sorts. I propose a call to pens.

This is how it works. If you, too, want to receive a real letter in the mail, leave a comment anytime in the next 2 days. I will then throw the names in a hat (I really will. I'll throw them in my Jollibee baseball cap and take a picture for ya), and pull a name. That first person will have to write a letter to the second name I pull, the second to the third, etc. etc. until we get to the last name. That person, of course, will have to write to the first person whose name I pulled. This, of course, requires an exchange of snail mail addresses which you will work out amongst yourselves.

AND THEN...you blog about the experience. But without quoting the letter. (I'm sorta interested, you see, in whether or not you will write differently in a handwritten letter than you do on your blog. And if you will write differently knowing it will not show up on the recipient's blog.)

This is the point where you say, "Oh my God, Ver, this sounds so fun I can't even stand it."

But we have to have rules:

1) You must have a blog.
2) If you don't already read the blog of the person to whom you are writing, you are first obligated to read 10 of their recent posts.
3) You must mail the letter within one week of finding out who you're writing to.
4) You must agree to blog about the experience.

Maybe this is a little scary? Oh, I don't care.

Now...who's in?

21 comments:

ver said...

P.S. And of course I won't include anyone who doesn't already hang around this blog and/or the blogs of those on my blogroll.

bjanepr said...

ok this sounds like such fun.

*sigh* i suppose i'm ok with being (happily) omitted. reminds me, i gotta check my mailbox when i get home :-)

ver said...

I didn't mean to imply that you and ob can't partake! I only meant to say that you didn't need to answer the question, "How long has it been since..." because, well, ya know.

So you can play! Leave another comment to verify...

Gura said...

ok, even though I move between the frantic running around and a state of dazed trance numbness in all this wedding hullabaloo, I'm game.

I used to love thinking about what kind of paper and ink to use when sending a letter. cuz it's about the whole experience of it.

ver said...

It'll be a good distraction, gura! Okay, that's you, me, and bj.

Is it too early to say...Is there no one else? IS THERE NO ONE ELSE?

Yeah, probably too early. I'll wait 'til tomorrow...

na said...

GREAT IDEA!!! I love handwritten letters though there's really only one person in this day and age with whom I exchange such letters. We deliberately do not know each other's emails so we can continue handwriting!

I'm in but not back home to participate until Sept. 16 as Moi am soon to hit NY...?

carbonator said...

I'll play, maybe include some mail art w/ letter too.

Tracey said...

Oh Ver, that sounds like so much fun, I can't even stand it! (Wasn't that the official line?)

I'm in!

FD said...

Aiight, I'm in....can you ask your husband about the Warriors tix already? Have I been auctioned off yet?

ver said...

That's what I'm talking about! And Nick ups the ante with mail art! What fun, what fun!! And look: more exclamation marks!!!!!

This invitation remains open until 1:14 pm (West Coast, ya know) tomorrow...

Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor said...

*handraised*

Ooo! Me! Please...it will give me an excuse to buy some lovely stationery that I've been eyeing...

Anonymous said...

I love receiving and sending handwritten letters. I, too, had a pen pal from Germany and we stayed in touch for as long as 13 years. Can I join, Ver even if I don't have a blog? If not, does anyone want to write me anyway? I promise I'll respond. Who knows, you might have something interesting to write on your blog.

Lenggay

bjanepr said...

but ver! don't you think it'd be line i were two-timing on ob? (heeee...)

Anonymous said...

Hi Ver,
Ooh, fun! I can use my crafty paper art skillz to make my own stationery (and maybe use some scrapbook schwag from my job, hehehe)...

ver said...

This is making me very smiley today. Let's see...a couple of shout-outs:

• Eileen, I won't post the match-ups until the 16th anyhoots. And knock 'em out in NYC!

• bj, it's only two-timing if you use your purple pen. That's the pp of ob, methinks.

• Lenggay, since this project is so blog-specific, I have another idea for us. I'll e-mail you in a bit. (Hint: think Kuwentuhan!!!) And...I cannot believe you never told me about your German pen pal before!!

• Oh my. I'm betting Creen, Nick and Weez are gonna get very...artful.

• Where are the men? Must Nick stand alone?!

ver said...

Woops. Sorry Paqus...Nick isn't alone; you're representating for the males, too!

na said...

Typo in moi earlier comment. I won't be back from NY on Sept. 16. I'm going to Ny on Sept. 16 and won't be back until Sept. 25. But don't let me hold up the party line if that poses a logistical constraint....

Patrick said...

oh man -- i only read this now (Friday, 6:51 EDT). can i still get in? i (bona fide geek) actually did this with my friends -- who are not bloggers, writers, academics, but knuckleheads, petty thugs, and attorneys (sorry for any redundancy). it really was pretty cool. i'm so down for this. PLEASE can i get in?

ver said...

Sigh.

Dearest Patrick "Filipino-time" Rosal...of course you're in! But only 'cuz you wrote "please" in all caps. Hahahahahaha!

Okay all, I'm pulling names this weekend. Look for the match-ups sometime on Monday.

Lorna Dee Cervantes said...

Hey, how about Indian time? Chicana time? Can I play?

ver said...

Indichica time is the best kind. Yes, Ms. Cervantes...you can play!