How Many Handwritten Items Do You Mail In A Week?

[mikeschu]

Continuing on a theme of letter writing to some extent....

 

It wasn't all that long ago in the USA that interstate long-distance calling was a battleground for companies, "local long distance" phone charges were real (and really expensive), and that letter writing was more common well before then.

 

Yesterday I did something that I realized I haven't done in a long time: I wrote a handwritten letter to respond to a handwritten letter. I commented on this to a few people and I've had some good conversation around it and the nostalgia of writing letters. Yet I digress.

 

We have the FPN Post Office, and there's a similar and very long thread on another forum site that is just fascinating to read. Even though a lot of is mundane - "I sent X letters out and Y came in" - I put together that there are some writers out that that can crank out the volume. There's also InCoWriMo, which challenges people to hand-write and post (or deliver) one item for each day of February (more or less).

 

So I ask FPN today: How many handwritten items do you put in the mail on an average week? For sake of simplicity, let's define it as letters and postcards; no greeting cars, bill payments or strictly packages. If you sent something along with the letter as part of a package (example: you sent a pen along with a letter in a box), count that as a letter.

 

If you don't want to comment, feel free to respond to the poll anyway. I think I have all of the bases covered, but if not I'll see if a mod can adjust it.

(editing: struck cards (like greeting cards) from the list to be consistent with the FPN post office).

Edited June 4, 2014 by mikeschu

[dms525]

Edited June 5, 2014 by dms525

[Runnin_Ute]

From June 2-5 = 6

May 26-30 = 6

May 19-23 = 6

[MissChief]

I usually send out a few each week. In addition to having a couple of pen pals, I'm also part of two (wait, three now) Round Robin letters, and I'm a member of Postcrossing. It's Wednesday today and I've already sent out 4 pieces of mail this week with another ready to send out tomorrow. For the poll, I answered 2-3 pieces because that's about average.

[cactusneedle]

I made a resolution this New Year's to send handwritten notes for thank yous, sympathy, get well, etc instead of purchasing greeting cards. I haven't had the opportunity to write very many (less than 6) but I am doing it! I was surprised how hard it has been to come up with something to say that didn't sound trite. But it's been a good challenge for me. I have just taken on a couple of pen pals and joined a round robin, so I am looking forward to sending out even more hand written snail mail.

[mikeschu]

 

Entertaining, but for these purposes let's say a postal carrier has to touch it.

[MissChief]

I do like that, though... takes some work!

[TheModernGent]

Wow, that's a great idea I think I may start doing that.

[dms525]

I started doing this independently, but, at about the same time, GClef started a thread promoting this mode of mailing. See the topic Don't Just Type It... in this very forum.

 

Now, rather than highjack this topic, back to the poll ...

 

David

[flyingfox]

Depends on my schedule, BIG TIME, as I don't really have a typical week... BUT- last year and this year, monthly average seem to be 30-40 (NOT counting Christmas Cards, I sent out over 60,) so I checked 6-10.

 

I use an appointment book thing for letter writing, in which I jot down the names of the recipient and some important information (like- to whom I sent certain pics, etc.) and I do keep track of how many letters I wrote per month. I also keep tally for the year up to that point LOL, I love stats.

 

On the blank page in the back, I sometimes write all the names and ink colors of the pens that are inked at the moment, when I think of it.

[cpark2005]

I send between 4 and 5. I'm lucky enough to have a job that allows me to send handwritten notes, however. So if we're only talking personal letters, probably 1-2 a week, while 3-4 are "job-related," (loosely defined).

[Biff]

I almost never write a personal letter, but tonight I wrote three thank-you notes!

Edited June 16, 2014 by Nicolas_Rieussec

[Chi Town]

I send out about 4 letters a week, as I have 1 Pen Pal in Germany, 1 in the UK, 1 in Canada and at least 5-6 right here in the good ole USA!

[Mezzie]

Some weeks I write several, some weeks none, so I'm guessing it averages out to one or two a week.

[Zuzu]

For how much I like writing I hardly ever do letters or postcards. I think I wrote two letters... ever. I did around ~40 postcards, mostly writing home/to friends when on holiday, but those I did with a biro.

 

Sometimes I feel like getting a pen pal or two, but then I realize I would absolutely not sure what to write in the first place I am also not always the most reliable person, so penpal-ing seems like a bad idea imho.

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

I mail several out every week as I have several pen pals all over the planet -USA, Australia, Scotland, Wales, and the Phillipines so far and hoping to add to it, and a stamp is so much cheaper than international calling can be . So that is how we keep in touch cuz it's more fun than emails all the time

[pavoni]

I am fortunate to be in a relatively senior position at work, with my own office, and as such, able to use my fountain and dip pens at will. Given the increasing pace of life, handwriting gives me a degree of control.

 

Despite receiving some 200+ e-mails a-week and approximately 30 pieces of snail-mail requiring some form of response, I typically send out between 6-10 handwritten letters (annual pay reviews, letters of condolence/congratulations/sorry to hear you are ill...etc) but address all my envelopes by hand, regardless.

 

Despite working for my employer for 31 years, and being a trained touch-typist (since 1979), I get tremendous satisfaction, each and every day, from being able to use my pens when I want.

 

Pavoni.

Edited July 5, 2014 by pavoni

[Charles Rice]

I send my mother-in-law a letter every week. My brother and I don't use telephone or e-mail unless it's urgent, so he gets one about once a month. Same from some friends and cousins. Usually at least one pen-pal letter every week.