Back in the day: The art of letter writing

When I was growing up in the 1950s and 60s, long before home computers made their way onto the scene, people wrote letters to each other. Actual letters with stamps on them...which we derisively call "snail mail" today.

But there was something exciting about waiting for a letter to arrive and then finally finding it in the mailbox, and there was something about its having been handwritten or typed, carefully folded and sealed into an envelope and then sent on its way that was more personal than electronic mail.

You could seal a paper letter with a kiss. Or douse it in your favorite perfume. You could imprint the family crest into wax on the envelope or write a P. S. on the back.

A few days ago I read about Project 88, a letter-writing campaign started by Keith Sharon, a journalist for the Orange County Register, who is trying to revive the art of letter writing. I decided to participate, partly because I miss the days when the postal carrier brought something besides junk mail and bills...and partly because I look for opportunities to use my cute little Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe typewriter.

Here is my letter to Keith, which was mailed via the United States Postal Service on July 18:

Letter to Keith Sharon as part of Project 88

Typed on a Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe