The Lost Art of Letter Writing

A Handwritten Letter

I just did something most people don’t do anymore.

I wrote a letter.

A real, honest-to-goodness letter.

You know, the kind that involves putting down your thoughts on paper, putting said thoughts in an envelope, attaching a stamp and leaving it for the mailman.

It’s something I rarely do anymore.

And you know what, I miss it.

There’s something real about holding a piece of paper in your hand that someone has taken the time to pen to paper and compose their thoughts. I like it better than email.

Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t go back to just stamps and letters. I love being able to send photos of the kids to family members or chapters of my book to friends for their feedback at a click of a button. I like being able to access it wherever life takes me. And I like that friends and family to do the same to me.

But there’s just something special about seeing information written on the envelope, opening a the envelope, and seeing a page or two of handwritten content that just makes the experience so much more personal than seeing the same message from someone pop into your inbox. Anyone can type. Who actually takes the time to think about what they want to say then actually use a pen to compose their thoughts and put in the mailbox these days. That’s so much effort!

I don’t know what it is about letters I like.

Maybe it’s the personal touch.

Maybe it’s the fact that in the days before email I was a prolific letter writer.

Maybe it’s the handwritten letter I received from an old friend earlier this week that prompted me to respond in kind.

Whatever the reason, today I find myself wishing there were more letters in my mailbox and fewer emails in my inbox.

A New Look

If you can’t tell, I have a new template for my website. Many thanks to Trevor for the new design. I’m having some minor issues integrating the template with WordPress. For some reason the navigation bar goes to the left (it’s centered on the other pages) and my footer’s not working. If you happen to know CSS and what I’m doing wrong, leave a comment or send me an email. Hopefully, I’ll have those issues, and a few other minor ones, resolved soon.

Giant Moth

Giant Moth

The kids and I found a giant moth while taking a walk the other day. Insects this big aren't something one normally finds in Utah. No wonder the kids were fascinated and scared at the same time.

We're Alive!

We arrived back from our 1,300 mile family vacation safe and sound. Everyone had a good time. Updates coming soon.

The Love of Money

The company I work for shares an office building with several other businesses. There’s a common area with a refrigerator, microwave, sink and a large tables, chairs, and whiteboards. Though occasionally the room is used for meetings by some of the other businesses, I’ve rarely seen anyone else in the room – at least while I’m microwaving lunch. The room must be used somewhat because every week or two someone writes a question on the whiteboard closest to the door. Every afternoon there are new answers to the question.

On Monday someone wrote the following question: What would you do if money weren’t an issue? Here’s this week’s responses:

• Become a teacher • Live in Paris • Eat beef and chicken • Coach soccer • Run for president • Go to school forever • Make myself look like Rambo • Hire a hit man to whack my boss.

Why Even Listen to Weathermen?

Yesterday Radio Weatherman: A storm will be heading through Utah tomorrow just in time for the morning commute. Don’t worry about this one. We’ll be lucky to see an inch of snow in the valleys. This one’s going to blow right by.

Today

Radio Weatherman: This storm is really pounding the Wasatch front making the commute a nightmare. It looks like it might be here well into the afternoon dropping several inches in the valleys. If you haven’t left for work already, you’re in for a long drive.