When Did You Last Write A Handwritten Letter?

Discussion in 'Reading & Writing' started by Ken Anderson, Oct 21, 2022.

  1. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    When was the last time that you wrote a handwritten letter, and what was the occasion? Did you print or was it written in long hand?
     
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  2. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Probably the mid-1990's. I used to correspond with my grandmother who was deaf, so I wrote to her until she died at 89 years old. I wrote in longhand and so did she; I still have a lot of her letters since they are a time capsule of family events in some ways.
     
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  3. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    For me, it was four or five years ago. My father-in-law was ill and had said something once about how he missed getting real letters from people now that everyone was on their cell phone, tablet, or computer, so I wrote him a fairly long letter. I printed it, actually, because I thought that might be easier to read than my long hand.
     
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  4. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Probably 1968 when I was in Nam…..But…..

    It wasn’t a letter but very recently I did sit and try to do some real writing. It was a bittersweet occasion in which I was fascinated by how much muscle memory I have lost but totally disgusted at the nearly unreadable scribblings that could have belonged to a child no older than 5.

    I used to enjoy practicing my handwriting and was often complimented on it but then, I don’t know. It left.
    Like the aged Peter Pan who had forgotten his youth, I forgot how wonderful writing used to be and how it felt and, and….I want it back!
    So much so that just yesterday I was perusing Amazon’s extensive list of fountain pens and when I find what I like, a new calligraphic trek begins.
     
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  5. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
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    That is funny. I was going to start a thread asking who still has a pencil in the house.
    I sent a birthday card to my middle daughter last week.
    If it is not a ball point pen, there is no reason for me to write because no one would be able to read it. I need to be able to use that much pressure.
     
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  6. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    My handwriting has always sucked, even as a kid (cursive or printed.) Learning to type was a Godsend in so many aspects of my life. But I know I've sent a handwritten letter since I learned to type in the 70s because it's more personal that a typed message, but for the life of me I cannot recall the specific occasion. I'm thinking it was probably a condolence note to someone who lost a spouse.
     
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  7. Al Amoling

    Al Amoling Veteran Member
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    The last letters were when my youngest son(now dead) was in the military. Late 80s.
     
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  8. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    I do not remember either, but my guess would be when I was still sending out actual Christmas cards to people and writing in those. However, I did have a friend who resisted anything to to with technology, or a computer. I think that I might have written to her even within the last 10-15 years, and sent her pictures; but I am not sure.
    Usually we chatted on the phone, and when I wanted to send her pictures, then I put them on the walmart photo area and had them for pickup at her Walmart out in Oregon where she lived at the time.
     
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  9. Krystal Shay

    Krystal Shay Very Well-Known Member
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    I don't hand write letters anymore. But I do write (or chicken scribble :rolleyes:) a few words in wedding or birthday cards on occasion.
     
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  10. Lois Winters

    Lois Winters Veteran Member
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    I don't remember, and I am ashamed to admit that.
     
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  11. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    I have a few pencils since I do cross word puzzles. And even more pens from filling out envelopes mailing bills.

    Our last letter was just a few says to our granddaughter in prison, we replied to a letter from her.
     
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  12. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Sorry about your son Al.
     
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  13. Al Amoling

    Al Amoling Veteran Member
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    Thanks Mary
     
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  14. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
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    Yeah, as Marie said, we wrote one each, to our Granddaughter in prison, just a few days ago; other than that I was probably in school, the last time I was writing letters. This new technology or the internet stuff, has changed everything from the way things used to be, people either have phones in their faces texting or writing on a computer. :rolleyes:
     
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  15. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    About 25 years ago to apologize to an old girlfriend, but after dropping it off where she lived, found out that she had a new, and very rich, boyfriend. I couldn't compete with "rich", so that ended that.
     
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