Letters

I see there is no letter thread, so I'm making one. Yes, this is a little incoherent with lainchan as a concept since letters were rendered functionally useless by internet, but I still enjoy them to a great extent and would love to discuss them with you. Here are a few questions and topics to discuss; >Do you send letters lainon? To whom? Or maybe only just postcards? that's fine too! >Do you have pen-pals, how did you find them, and how is the experience? (additionally, is anyone interested in becoming pen-pals? I know some websites dedicated to finding them but I'd rather try here first given the chances that people here share more interests and ideas with me than most normal users) >what do you write your letters with? Do you use special paper, special pens, special ink? What I personally like about letters is precisely this delay, the absence of immediacy that cannot be found in other kind of discussions, both IRL and online. First, it forces me to think about what I'm saying, to reflect on it, sometimes for several days. Then, the process of waiting for a reply is frustrating in a good kind of way. Receiving a letter is a happy event, something to be intrinsically joyful about, more than you'll ever be happy about getting any (You) or private message anywhere.

Hey OP! I do indeed write letters, yet this is constrained to only one person, a dear friend of mine. I happened to meet her on a forum, and after chatting consistently for several years, she had broached the idea of sending letters. At first I questioned the redundancy, but went along with it anyhow. I'm very happy that I did, as I feel like I acquire a fuller understanding of who she is and why I find her to be such an engaging and friendly person. We often discuss our hobbies and ask one another questions, such as what countries we'd like to visit or why we insist upon certain preferences (e.g. minimalism.) What I like best about this format is how fluid and varied it can be, as we both branch out into discussions that can become fairly involved and extended for months at a time. As much as I would like to become your penpal, I'm far too paranoid. Regardless I find you to be pleasant, if only due to the fact that you have an interest in reaching out to others and sharing in the fondness that I have so freely experienced over the last three years. As for what I use, I happen to write with a Zebra G-series pen and use generic college-ruled notebook paper, equally blase stamps as well as blank white envelopes. After I seal everything up and place it in the mail box, it all looks overly bland and streamlined. Amusingly enough, I've discussed what I'd like to utilise in written correspondence with this woman, and as an avid hobbyist I find the idea of custom stationery enticing. Under ideal circumstances I'd have a drawer devoted entirely to such implements, like a tiny wax pot with an electric heating element, different colours of wax, a depressed sigil ring, smooth diplomatic letter paper, exclusive stamps from the post office catalogue, a rudimentary fountain pen and other trimmings. I'd probably go as far as leaving a tiny baggie of dry pipe tobacco near the letter paper, as I find it will give additional character and won't be as overpowering as a spritz of cologne. Do you use any special materials or techniques to personalise your letters, OP? As for what you describe about savouring the wait and eventual reciprocation, I couldn't agree more. My penpal has unlimited patience with me, and every time we reply our letters are headlined with statements about how truly happy we are to read from one another. I think hard over what I write, not in the least how I write it. I have to be in total isolation with no distractions, and spend at least three hours writing out several pages and carefully sealing the envelope. When I write, I reference the pages of her letters and mentally read the text in her voice, pretending I am in a conversation and transcribing my replies respectively. I even fixate on how I write too, and have been told that I use a draughtsman's font.

>>10655 used to hate that goddamn mouse to the core. now i think its cute, now it resonates. weird world. >>Do you send letters lainon? To whom? Used to. Friends and family, with an calligraphy pen with purple ink on my own letter paper with watercolour hedgehogs checking their mailbox. >Or maybe only just postcards? that's fine too! nowadays just postcards, yes. and letters for people who were special to me. a lady i attended theater classes to, i send her a jap cat bowing and she called me one day, months later and said she found the additional money i put in that envelope, just when she was broke and doubting her artistic life path and and crying. The letter paper was made in such a way, that it was not seen, that it is an envelop. inside it was my text being grateful to her and the money so she was quite surprised two times and felt very blessed. I like touching coincidences. >Do you have pen-pals, how did you find them, and how is the experience? I moved a lot back then and i liked writing, drawing, stickers and wanted to keep in touch. Also with my family, when we were apart, cause we were never growing up all together in one place. All the letters, I hold them dear. >what do you write your letters with? Do you use special paper, special pens, special ink? I have ivory letter paper and still coloured ink, but my pen broke so i will get it fixed one day. I also painted my own mail cover, to print. it was with fruits. for some time i had the background of my email change its themes, luckily they still do it. i feel the same about that time. like you wait for spring, or lunch or a birthday. they linger on the thoughts and their words have time to work.