Back to Basics ~ handwritten letters

Whenever I receive a letter, cards or postcards from people my day seems to brighten just a little more. I am able to hold something in my hand that someone took the time to write to me; not cut and paste after typing it on a keyboard and emailing or texting to others. I know that the person actually thought about me as they personalized a little note, placed the card in an envelope and took it to the post office ~ instead of just being part of an email group receiving a generic card via email or text.

Yes, technology enables us to send communication at lightening speeds, while a mailed envelope can take a week or more to arrive, depending where you live. But there is something technology can not give...you will never see the beautiful penmanship which only a handwritten letter can show, or the struggle which only through handwriting you can feel by seeing the scribbled words on paper, of an elderly or ill loved one {who despite the difficulty - cared enough to out pen to paper just for YOU}. From a child, handwritten letters and notes will let you feel the excitement they are experiencing by the way their writing becomes large in certain places.

To me there is just something warm about a letter, its really like receiving a hug.

How many times have you heard of someone regretting an email or text they sent in the heat of the moment.
Well, if they had handwritten it, they would certainly have calmed down by the time they wrote it; placed it in an envelope; addressed it and mailed it. Perhaps allowing them the time needed to decide NOT to send, what they just wrote.

One of the greatest things about writing a letter the old fashion way...

No internet connection is required!

And you can write it anywhere!!!

When was the last time you wrote a letter?

Why not surprise someone today and let them know you are thinking of them, with a card or handwritten letter, mailed at a post office...

How about joining BLOGLAND Pen Pals ...
you will be matched with someone who also is looking to exchange handwritten letters, cards and postcards mailed via post office (not email, msn, texting etc.). Not only will you be contributing to keeping the Art of Letter Writing alive, you will make a new friend and possibly learn about the way of life in another part of the world! To learn more about BlogLand Pen Pal CLICK HERE.

There are no costs for joining or being matched!!

And for the cost of a stamp, the smile you will bring to someone's day PRICELESS!!!

Make A Difference ...

Make a difference in someone's day send them a letter...

It's easy just email your mailing address to fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com That's it !

You will be partner with an other BlogLand Pen Pal participant .

To participate in February, please email your mailing address before February 25, 2011.

You can read more about BlogLand Pen Pal HERE

Joining various Blog Hops ...

See Blog Hop tab under header and join the fun...

If You Could Make A Difference ...

Would You?

Now that all the festivities of the holidays are behind us and most of us are settling in for winter, imagine how wonderful it would be to receive a letter in the mail that is not a bill. Well, if you are a BlogLand Pen Pal , you could certainly be making a difference in some one's life, your letter could be what brings a smile and warm feeling to some one's day. Much like a simple smile and hello from a stranger can turn some one's otherwise lonely, sad day around.

BlogLand Pen Pal, was started on this blog in November 2010 to help keep the Art of Letter Writing Alive, but I feel it does much more. In this wonderful world of technology where we can often be made to feel like a number or just another "duplicated/generic/computer generated" email recipient ~ a letter is actually written by some one's hand; to a specific individual; the writer made the time to write you. How special and wonderful would that make you feel? Now imagine how wonderful it would make you feel to know that you could make a difference in some one's life ... and all that it would cost is a few minutes of your time and the cost of a stamp.

Starting this month I would like to welcome you to participate in BlogLand Pen Pal, all you need to do is email your mailing address and blog URL (if you do not have a blog - you are still welcome to participate, just please include a couple things about yourself  in the email- so that we can match you with someone with similar interests) to fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com please include BlogLand Pen Pal in subject line.

 At the end of the month all participants will be matched and emailed their Pen Pal for that month. You can participate each month and by the end of 2011 potentially have 12 new friends who you can exchange a hand written letter or note or post card with.

For more details on BlogLand Pen Pal click the here...

The Power of the Written Word

Long before IM, texting, emailing, calling , Face Book, Twitter,

and even Blogging ~

The Written Word, was how the world communicated.

Yes, some could argue the written word is what powers much of  modern communication. However, words or parts of words clicked from a key board onto a screen and then sent with the push of a button lack personality. What??? You may be asking yourself. Well think about i,t when you come across an old letter how you examine it; the words used; the penmanship; the paper; and the age of the letter. Take things one step further and imagine the recipient's emotions at having been given such a gift ~ the written word. Something that they can go back and read many times over, when they are moved to ; a memory that passes from generation to generation.

The same cannot be said by today's modern communication methods. How many times have you accidentally hit delete on something in your computer ~ something that will forever be lost. I know have done it at least ONCE with an email that to this day I will never be able to recapture the words. Lets not forget the computer crash that renders everything "gone".. a friend recently lost a couple of treasured poems she had written on her computer .. poof gone. The emotions she felt when originally writing can not be recaptured thus, she may rewrite the poems one day, but they will be empty of the passion and emotions of that original moment. 

Think how you felt the last time you received a letter from a friend, old or new. The smile that came to your face; the gloomy day that all of a sudden became better, just by knowing that someone cared enough to write

to YOU ! And most important ... the time you took to sit and read it. A little moment in your day, just for you.

When you take the time to write a letter, note, or card to someone, the Universe also gives you something back. You are able to take a few moments of quietness into your day. You will feel good just knowing that you are going to gift someone what a few moments of quietness too!

There is also much more that one can gain from writing, especially if they and the recipient live in different parts of the country or world. Each letter you exchange will be like stepping into a different way of living. If you have children they too can become involved in writing and exchanging letters with your PenPal's children. If you want to participate in BlogLand Pen Pals and bring a smile to some one's day, all you need to do before the last of each month is email me your mailing address at fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com ; include your blog address if you have one (you do not require to have a blog to participate) and on the 1st of the month I will email all participants there BlogLand Pen Pal information.

There are no rules to participate ~ all I ask is that you have your first letter out to your new BlogLand Pen Pal by the 15th of the matched month. After that it is up to you how often you write each other. If for whatever reason you become unable to continue writing to your BlogLand Pen Pal, please drop them a quick not letting them know, please do not just stop writing.

WHY AM I DOING THIS? .... One of the things I had to re-learn post accident was how to read and write. I'm still learning (believe me there are days that the simplest post takes days to write, if not longer) for me the written word is something very special. So, if I can do just one thing such as connect people and encourage them to write real words, I feel I'm helping to keep the art of letter writing alive.

Help spread the word ~ Add the button above to your side bar with a link back to this post (link is optional), so others can discover the world of BlogLand Pen Pal and participate. The more the word gets out the more participants from all over the globe will take part and the better opportunity to match people with others from a different part of the world will exist.

3 Days Left to get your mailing information in and participate in

December's BlogLand Pen Pal Match..

It's in the mail ~ BlogLand Pen Pals

Thank you to Everyone who is participating in

November's BlogLand Pen Pal!

18 Participants from 7 countries

(USA, Canada, Spain, India, Mexico, Germany and Sweden)

Please check your email for your BlogLand Pen Pal's  mailing address. Where available blog URLs were also included, this is to give you a little idea about whom you are writing to and to help you with writing your first letter. Below are some tips you may also find helpful.

Tips for Writing Introductory Letter to a Pen Pal

The first letter is probably the most difficult one to pen. Here are tips I hope will be helpful.

• Start with basic information about you- i.e. your name, age, and date of birth.

• Perhaps say share something about your family. Do you have Pets; Children; Siblings? Etc.

• If you have a career; are a stay at home mom; go to school. Try to give a little insight into what a day in your life is like.

• Share interesting facts about where you live. This might be especially interesting to pen pals who live in a different country or a different part of the country you live in. How you get around (bus, train, bike, car, boat); do you have 4 seasons.

• Write about hobbies you enjoy, perhaps share why or how you became interested in this hobby. Who your favorite author(s) is, what type of books you read. What sort of music do you listen to? What's your favorite movie? What do you do in your free time – do you volunteer?

• End your letter by asking your new pen pal some questions. As you get to know each other with each stroke of the pen, your letters will become easier to write.

Happy writting everyone!

If you would like to participate in December BlogLand Pen Pal please email me at fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com  before November 28th. Please include your mailing address, blog URL (you do not need to have a blog to participate). Exisiting participants can sign up to receive an additional Pen Pal for December.

BLOGLAND PEN PAL ~

KEEP THE ART OF LETTER WRITING ALIVE

BE A BLOGLAND PEN PAL!!!

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up;

this month so far we have participants from:

USA, Canada, India, Spain, Germany, Sweden

IT's not too late to Participate in

Novemeber's Pen Pal Match

(you have until the 30th of October)

There are no rules or costs to participate!!


Each month I will collect the names and addresses of persons interested in participating.

Then on the First of the Month I will email you the mailing information for your PEN PAL.

You can participate every month and keep adding PEN PALS.

The only thing I ask is that your initial letter to a new Pen Pal go out by the 15th of the month that you were matched. After that it is up to you how often you correspond.

If you decide you are no longer able to participate in writing your PEN PAL, please send them a short note letting them know you are no longer able to participate.

If you are interested in participating email -

your mailing address

your blog URL

To me at Fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com

Help Keep This Endangered Species Alive!!

In this fast paced world of e-mail, text and other electronic forms of communication, the art of letter writing and all that goes with is becoming lost. When was the last time you actually wrote a letter, addressed the envelope, affixed a stamp and dropped it in the mail box? Now, think how the last handwritten letter you received, made you feel?

Are you interested in keeping the Lost Art of Letter Writing Alive? If so, I have an idea ~ I would like to start a BlogLand Pen Pal Club. How great would it be to correspond and get to know someone and about the city/town they live in, through the simplicity of letter writing? And with the state of today’s economy, wouldn't it be great to look forward to something other than bills in the mailbox.

There will be no fees, or rules to joining my BlogLand Pen Pal Club, all I ask is that if you choose to participate that you write to the person you are partnered with. Ideally it would be great to be able to partner everyone with a partner in another country; this of course will be dependent on who chooses to participate. I will try and match people as far from each other as geographically possible.

HOW IT WILL WORK…

Email me fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com   letting me know that you want to participate, in your email be sure to include your mailing address.

~ This should be done prior to the 1st of the month

~ On the first of each month you will receive an email from me with the contact info (mailing address, email address and Blog link) for your BLPPC partner.

~Please try to have your letter out to your partner by the 15th of the month.

~You can keep just the one BLPPC partner or join again next month to receive an additional partner.

~After your first letter exchange it is up to you how often you write each other. If you feel the person whom you were partnered with is not a good match or perhaps you are unable to keep up with writing and you wish to discontinue exchanging letters ~ please let them know (a quick email would do.), do not just stop writing.

~ There will be a Blog Roll on my Blog containing the Blog names for BlogLand Pen Pal Club ~ keeping the Art of Letter Writing Alive, participants; with a link to your Blog.

I’m sure like with any new ideas there will be some tweaking to be done along the way with this. But I truly think it will be both fun and rewarding for all.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Lets get this started for November 1st ...

email me at    fallingoffahighheeledlife@gmail.com   and together lets keep the art of letter writing ALIVE!!