12 stamps project.

[Skids]

Driving around here on-site, listening to the only channel I can pick up (ABC) on the radio and this subject came up.

I remember as a kid, we had to have a pen pal at school. Mine was a kid who lived in the USA, near Mt St Helens. I remember it because he sent me a bag of the Ash when it erupted.

The last time I can recall sending/receiving letters was 1987. I was working on Barrow Island and we all use to look forward to the barge with the mail twice a week. My girlfriend at the time and my Nan would always write to me.

I think I'll start sending my Grankids a few letters, maybe slip a $5 note in as well.

When did you last write somebody a letter?



https://www.aliciayoung.net/12-stamps-project/

[David]

It's a great idea. I sent a friend a letter during the COVID lockdown and got one back; we didn't really go on with it much beyond that, but I really liked doing it. It's funny how time-consuming it is to write anything long by hand when you're used to typing (not to mention being used to immediately fixing mistakes when they arise!).

That's a generational thing, but even I'm old enough to remember getting cards with $5 from my great aunts (who I barely knew) every birthday and writing letters back to them to thank them. So unlike the generation below, I'm guessing, I do have the memory of writing letters and basic understanding of how to format them, etc., but it's not a skill I've put to much use beyond childhood.

I've long thought it'd be good practice for people to do this more often with friends and family, including those they're in touch with regularly (with my friend mentioned above, my idea was that nothing in the letter would be discussed by us outside that written exchange, so as to preserve some of the mystique). It's good to have something to look forward to when the post comes – emails just aren't the same!

[What'sinaname]

Why would you do such an environmental damaging action? Consider the unnecessary emissions to transport the same message that can be sent digitally. There's also unnecessary waste with paper, stamps and envelopes.

Great Thunberg disapproves.

[David]

What'sinaname, have you and this guy ever been seen in the same room together?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVqUecYGnoM

[Skids]

[stui magpie]

I'm old enough to remember having to handwrite business letters, give them into the typing pool, wait a day to get it back, correct all the typos, give it back, wait another day and hopefully 2nd or 3rd go I'd have something I could send.

I don't think I've ever hand written a letter to send to someone, other than a Christmas card. I have appalling handwriting and they wouldn't be able to read it anyway. Maybe school camp in primary school where they made you write home to tell your parents how wonderful the camp was and how well you were being treated.

[partypie]

My aunt and I correspond, she often encloses press clippings about the beloved mighty magpies. She is the last sibling left of either of my parents. She dated Tuddy many years ago. She tells me she thinks she is getting dementia. She is 86, retired a few years ago, got bored and started a new business, and retired again last year.