Re-discovered a font brochure while cleaning my desk. It features award-winning handwritten styles from House Industries (a collection named “Studio Lettering). I see a lot of potential for future uses (and abuses) of this style.<br><br>However, it also brings a question to mind: What happened to actually writing notes, postcards and letters?<br><br>Have we become so techno focused and dependant that we are turning away from an activity so human? Imagine if DaVinci, Shakespeare, Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt and many others had used a computer.<br><br>How has the impact of text messaging, emails and “twittering” affected our ability to convey thoughts and ideas in written form?<br><br>I recall the weekly letters my mother received from her mother and sisters. Since long distance phone calls were reserved for special notifications and occasions; my mother sometimes set aside a unopened letter to be read later… a fresh cup of coffee and no interruptions.. <br><br>Our household was never out of stamps or writing paper. My mother truly believed in written correspondence and instilled in us the duty of thank you notes, a letter and picture to a distant relative and birthday cards.<br><br>How many women have saved love letters in a shoebox hidden under the bed?&nbsp; Would a love letter inkjetted by your printer have the same meaning?<br><br>After my parents passed I became the unofficial keeper of photos and other documents. I guess my siblings figured I would know what to do with everything. Among the boxes of unorganized “stuff” I ran across so many postcards, letters and saved cards. I’m not sure why I didn’t throw them away. I even got back a postcard I sent to my parents when I/we went to Europe!<br><br>There are so many hidden gems in these saved and forgotten documents. <br><br>A letter from my deceased cousin to my father poking fun at his mustache during his last days in flight training before shipping out to Vietnam. (Probably one of the last letters my cousin had written to anyone.)<br><br>A birthday card to my grandmother on her 100th from her sister back in Wales. &nbsp;<br><br>These notable are gems that should be saved and preserved.<br><br>Will everything we input via our keyboards be preserved and have similar humanitarian value? How can we bring back this type of personal contact?<br><br>I was browsing the small boutique, here in downtown in Traverse City that sells a variety of stationary products.&nbsp; I made note of some the product lines by Vera Wang, The Art Group and others plus the exquisite pens, paper weights. As a designer, I was interested these modern version of stationary, postcards and invitations<br><br>Personally, I think the value still exists and try to make an effort to hand write a letter or postcard at least monthly to a family member.<br><br>While reading one of Tom Peters books; he also talks about the value of a handwritten not, if even on a Post-It. “Great job!” “Excellent initiative” etc.<br><br>To whom can I send a note today? A colleague who gave me encouragement?&nbsp; The associated I’m meeting later today at a local coffee house? &nbsp;<br><br><br> 2008-08-11T14:44:55Z -19.2993 358 1406 true 15 6522 handwritten-note-personal-communication 7 2008-08-11T22:53:39Z 2008-08-11T22:53:39Z

Have we become so techno focused and dependant that we are turning away from an activity so human?

1 2009-02-24T09:45:28Z