the long slow death of penmanship
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Those who have been following will know of Across the Bored’s continuing saga of the great thirty year triage project. Last weekend found us sifting through a banker’s box filled with birthday and christmas cards, letters from childhood pen pals long lost and the occasional unsent missive. It was heartbreaking – not as the poignant reminder of those who had sent us these paper mementoes gone on to a better place, faces disappeared in the stretch of time between childhood and adolescence to their own worlds or friends just dropped off the face of the map but because of the sad realization that no one really writes anymore.
Our post box is filled with bills and flyers urging us to consume. The only time something comes in a lovely envelope is for an occasion and even then older family members have to be reminded to send something along so their grandchildren won’t be peeved. Our circle of acquaintances that are able to put pen to paper, don’t. They text, tweet or Facebook. We can’t remember the last time we got a letter on crisp vellum recounting the events of the year, the weddings, births, deaths, milestones of a life lived. We are not blameless either – we get on the phone to bring those closest to us up to date or pop off a funny card when the mood strikes, but it isn’t really the same. We miss getting mail….
Perhaps our blogs have replaced this gentle art – they have become our virtual diaries, daily journals, the place where we expose our secret thoughts and that which we sometimes wouldn’t dare to expose to the light of day otherwise. The code that brings our words to life and sends them off to those who love, appreciate and yes, even wait for, them is both a blessing and a curse. This week, the Two Cents Tuesday Challenge puts it in – Writing.
“What form does writing take for you?” – Feather and quill, a typewriter still, texts and tweets, parking tickets in the street, a child’s first scrawl or graffiti on the wall …
We would love to see your vision…. write something today!
For all those who are new readers to Across the Bored, here are some guidelines for the challenge: HOW DOES THIS WORK?
- I will post some commentary on a random topic that pops into my head (such as the above) and then ask you to respond on the same.
- Your point of view on the current week’s challenge can take any form: a quote, a motto or saying, an essay, poem or opinion of yours or attributed to someone else, a piece of music, a song, a video, a work of art, photograph, graffiti, drawing or scribble – but it has to be about the topic!
- Please, don’t just link to an old post… challenge yourself.
- The Challenge will be open for 14 days (there will be a reminder post at the 7 day mark) after which I will post another.
- ENJOY, have FUN and TELL your friends and fellow bloggers.
SO – Create your Two Cents Tuesday Challenge post
- Then add a link to your blog in my comment box.
- To make it easy for others to check out your post, title your blog post “Two Cents Tuesday Challenge” and add the same as a tag.
- If you would like your reader to see what others are presenting for the same challenge, add a link to the “Two Cents Tuesday” challenge on your own blog.
- Feel free to pick up your badge on the Two Cents Tuesday Challenge page
- Remember to Follow My Blog to get your weekly (hopefully) reminders.
ACROSS THE BORED 
Sadly and in contradiction I cannot take the time to write something but I completely miss the tactile feel of MAIL too ! I did get a journal that I keep in my car that requires ONE line a day !
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Yes, it is the same here too and I got myself one of those “fill in the rest of this line” a day journals as well – I am loathe to admit that I never kept it up whereas I do blog every day… perhaps I should use all those unfinished journal entries as posts!
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Well, I keep it right beside my milage book so they are somewhat symbiotic SO FAR : ) Let’s keep trying!
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Oh Yay–this one is “write” up my alley–thanks! I may linger over the assignment a bit…. And by the by, I too grieve that people don’t write much anymore–penned letters, or notes in greeting cards–it’s sad. Blog are….different; harder to read, less personal than holding something in your hand–even when they bleed with the author’s secrets.
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I have a terrible problem with tone in the virtual world – so hard sometimes to tell whether people are being serious or satirical, angry or ardent – until you get to know their “voice” and don’t worry about insulting them with our return comments! I wonder if people choose their words more carefully when they have to write them out on paper?
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Hmmmm. I know the virtual tone problem well, and we were blessed to “get” each other’s voice right off. Not sure about how different that is, when penning a letter–I think word choice has a lot to do with it. The emoticons (which drive me nuts, sorry) seem to be most folks’ way of signaling when they’re kidding, bummed, whatever.
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Emotic-offs … Still haven’t figured them out completely!
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http://spumonicaddo.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/two-cents-tuesday-challenge-writing/
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Thank you for your very eloquent definition!
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You’re always welcome!
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Oh this is a good and thought provoking challenge!
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It came upon me suddenly…
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I love it when that happens.
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