Creative Writing

Being The Letter Writing Revolution blog creator, you would assume I have a plethora of stationary in every colour, weight, size and shape. You would be greatly mistaken. I have spent hours over the years perusing stationary stores buying loads of cards that I knew would come in handy at some point. I used to be employed by Canadian Art Connections (http://www.cac1.com/), a fine art publishing company in Victoria, BC that was the official publisher for the Trans Canada Trail posters and cards. I had a stock room filled with greeting cards at my disposal of fine art images by the likes of Ted Harrison, Linda Frimer, Roy Vickers, Graham Herbert and the late Emily Carr. When I was in any store where there were funky postcards or cards of any kind, I would buy a few and they would promptly go into my large and unusually deep "stationary drawer." After years of collecting stationary, I went through a cleansing period recently and decided that it was time to part with this extraordinary amount of writing paper, envelopes, cards and even hundreds of stickers. I bagged them and offered them to my nieces who gratefully accepted. That was a mere three months ago............

Had I known that I was going to launch The Letter Writing Revolution, I might have hung onto a few cards. Hence, the topic of discussion on this post...creative writing but not the creative writing you are thinking of. I am talking about the creativity required to turn a boring piece of paper (white or otherwise) into some cool stationary.

Thankfully, a trip last summer to Paper/Papier in the Byward Market in Ottawa, resulted in a stack of various colours of card stock sheets of paper with some envelopes, the majority being black. That's right, black stationary. I love black stationary because it is so unusual and unexpected. It is so easily jazzed up as well and silver ink shows up on black paper quite nicely. Recently, having to reply to a few letters from dear readers, I had to get creative. I was not about to send a letter on white computer paper stuffed in a standard, white business envelope. No way. Thankfully, I had hung onto my purchase from Paper/Papier and so I had something to work with at least.

I did something that I have always loved doing. I found a stack of old magaiznes (Alive magazine to be exact) and I cut out images that I thought would make interesting additions to my plain coloured pieces of paper. Here are some of the results:

Unfortunately, I own a crappy camera otherwise you would REALLY be able to see how wicked my creative writing paper is.

Other options for creating cool writing paper is using your own personal photos and cutting and pasting them onto a document, then printing. You can also find interesting images/pictures/photographs online which can easily be applied to regular computer paper. And if you're feeling really wild, throw on some glitter or stickers. I tend to lean more towards classic, simple creations. Plain paper can easily come to life with calligraphy or the use of coloured ink only.

Have fun creating your own stationary...........

The Challenge Update:
I have received a handful of mailing addresses from my followers. So far the challenge will be relatively painless since I only have a handful of letters to write. This misses the point, tho. When you have started a revolution about letter writing, the purpose is to write a lot of letters and encourage others to do the same. You only have to gain by participating in the challenge (see the post entitled "45 Letters in 45 Days Challenge"). Don't be shy!! Send me your snail mail address to keonjulie@hotmail.com and you will receive a handwritten letter in the mail. Simple and joyful. If you live within close proximity to me or you are a family member, I still would love for you to participate. Thank you in advance!

It's Friday and I Got Mail

If you're new to this Blog, please read the very first post to understand what The Letter Writing Revolution is all about: http://theletterwritingrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/06/one-of-these-days-im-gonna-sit-down-and.html

The weekend is upon us and finally a rainy day has arrived to break the extreme heat that has hit these parts in the last week. I believe it was 44 degrees Celsius with the humidity yesterday. Now, we are blessed with a slight breeze and rain...lots of rain.

I just walked to the post office to mail a love letter to a farmer. Lo and behold, I received three letters today! One of the letters was in a large bubble envelope containing a very cool cookbook. My friend, Sandra, who lives on the westcoast had been wanting to send me this cookbook for sometime. The Letter Writing Revolution prompted her to handwrite a very long and enjoyable letter which she sent with the book. Thank you, Sandra!!! I loved your letter and you will most certainly receive one back.

I LOVED the letters I received today and what they contained. I really forgot how amazing it feels to receive handwritten mail. So much more personal than an email and well, don't even get me started on texting. While I was in the post office, I chatted with our new Post Master. I told her about The Letter Writing Revolution (TLWR for short) yesterday and so we were chatting today about the loss of this wonderful art. I commented that young people today will have no real history of their life without letters. I have hundreds of journals of my life contained in the form of letters. Letters that I have written and letters that I have received over the last 30 years. Texting and email just doesn't cut it. It isn't a true connection in my books and it is fleeting. The Letter Writing Revolution has had me considering ending my Facebook account. I am tired of running into people whom I haven't seen in a decade who know all about my life. When I look confused they smile and say, "I read it on Facebook." It's too easy and kind of weird and a little creepy, too.

Trust me. I get the convenience of it all. I really do. I love it for advertising my business and for notifications and posting pics and of course checking out everyone else's business (without them even knowing!) BUT I am starting to feel that maybe if I wasn't a part of it all, I would have more real contact with the people I really care about and who care about me. Emailing, texting and Facebook gives us a false sense of connection. The more we are connected, the more we are disconnected. How wonderful it was to see the beautiful and unique penmanship of the writer's of today's letters. What a treat to receive an actual photograph of my friend, Sandra (which I promptly stuck on my fridge door). What joy to open the envelopes to find a variety of paper.....cream linen, $ store Japanese variety and paper adorned with butterflies, flowers and stickers :-)

The people who wrote the letters that I received today shared some interesting thoughts about this whole letter writing experience:

• Thank you for this outlet....it feels good to try and think with a pen.
• Your blog has been inspiring to say the least.
• I used to love receiving mail back in the day when emailing was non-existent
• Thank you for your letter. I was like the little boy on your blog when my letter arrived.
• I had to make an enormous decision~ what special place would I choose to read and enjoy my letter.

I like to tear open letters in the post office and sit on the steps or read as I walk home. This has resulted in close calls with other people walking and the odd car. Today, due to the rain, I had to be patient and wait until I got home. As soon as I had my shoes and jacket off, I sat down at the kitchen table and dove into my letters. I hope to provide this experience to my followers who respond to yesterday's post.

I have received a few emails from TLWR Blog followers with your addresses. Thank you!! You will receive a letter from me in the next few weeks. Please email me your snail mail address to keonjulie@hotmail.com so that I may complete the "45 Letters in 45 Days" Challenge which is technically the "46 Letters in 46 Days" Challenge now that I have another new follower :-)

Have a good weekend and be sure to write that letter to a soldier, a friend or your child or that love letter that is waiting to be written. The time is now. There's no such thing has a poorly written letter. Just write down your thoughts from your heart and that will be enough.

The "45 Letters in 45 Days" Challenge

If you're new to this Blog, please read the very first post to understand what The Letter Writing Revolution is all about: http://theletterwritingrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/06/one-of-these-days-im-gonna-sit-down-and.html

You might assume I live alone (with about twenty cats) and have a lot of time on my hands when you read my next brilliant idea.......
As of today, I see that I have 45 followers and I thought it might be fun (or maybe completely insane) to challenge myself to 45 letters in 45 days. This means that each follower would have to send me an email with your snail mail address so that I may write you a letter. This is assuming that the followers are actually "following" this blog on a regular basis.  Of course, you can always opt out of assisting me in my challenge (party pooper!).

How hard can it be? I will set aside 20 minutes per day to handwrite a letter. Each letter will be original and will be mailed the same day that it is written. You are not obligated to write me back but I suspect some of you have yet to experience the thrill of getting a handwritten letter. Maybe you used to write letters because you were actually alive before email and texting existed but perhaps it has been a long while since someone sat down and wrote YOU a letter. I would like to offer you this wonderful experience. It would be my absolute pleasure to spend time writing to YOU and mailing YOU a letter.....the old-fashioned way.

This is a free, no-obligation offer.

For those of you who do not know me personally, I will use your mailing address for letter writing ONLY. I am not into scams or stalking or anything of that sort. Perhaps you would like me to write a letter to your child.....just specify when you email me your address. I am happy to surprise your child with a letter. Just make sure you tell me how old they are so that it is age-appropriate.

So, for the next couple of weeks, I will be collecting snail mail addresses and I hope to receive all 45 addresses of my followers. I will begin the "45 Letters in 45 Days" Challenge on July 25th. Please forward your snail mail address to keonjulie@hotmail.com and put in the subject line: TLWR

You will receive a letter from me by early August..............I promise.
Thank you to my follower from Switzerland who surprised me with a delightful letter!!!

Letter to A Soldier

When I was a child, I remember hearing stories of my Great Uncle Stanley who fought in WW2 and who  became a Prisoner of War (POW). Apparently, as the story goes, my Great Uncle Stanley was a Navigation Officer and the plane he was in was in trouble. The pilot instructed them to jump out. After my uncle and his buddy bailed, the pilot managed to get the air craft under control and fly to safety. My uncle, on the other hand, landed in a body of water and then swam to an island. Soon after, the Germans promptly took him and his friend as prisoners. Here is one of the letters he wrote on August 3rd 1943. It is addressed to my grandfather (who wasn't yet my grandfather) and somehow in August of 1943, this letter from a war camp in Germany found it's way to the upper Ottawa valley with only 3 words as its guide: Sheenboro, Quebec, Canada.

And here is the other side:

I have managed to decipher the faded penciled words on this letter and wish to share them with you:

Dear Brother of mine;
As ever, I am in the very best of health but I am still looking forward to mail. I have nothing to worry about except my sun tan and my occupation after this war. Tell me all about the conditions upon our return and what the gov't expects to do for us. I also have two or three businesses in mind but they will take time to mature. I expect to be in England for some time after the war on a diet. But I never felt better than I do now. Send Delores an engraved compact for Nov. 5th and also initiate travelling logs for Christmas. I expect to get married when I return if I feel up to it. By now the Red Cross will have advised you about what you can send. Also tell all the folks to write. Had any news since Jean was married? Tell Gilbert that the demand for lumber will be very great after the war so buy your own mill. Send some snaps if you think they will reach me in time. Say hello to Father Harrington and all the folks. I will be with you all soon.
Love to all, Stan

As you can see, he had a sense of humour. They were fed a potato per day (if lucky) and sometimes there wasn't a thing to eat. The biggest crime you could commit in the camp was stealing food from another prisoner. This resulted in a harsh punishment that involved a head dunking into the hole that was used for voiding. Little did he know when he wrote the last line of "I will be with you soon" that he was just beginning a two year stint as a POW from 1943 to 1945. In that time, he wrote a few letters to his brother and sister-in-law who eventually became my grandfather and grandmother. These letters are an important part of my family history.

During WW2, the only option of staying in contact with your loved one was letter writing. I imagine the joy a young soldier would feel when the mail came in and he was handed a letter from home.....maybe from his mother or from his gal whom he left behind to go to war. How many letters were written in the quiet hours of the night by lantern and how many letters were worn out from being read over and over again? It is fascinating to me to handle this 67-year old letter and to know that my Great Uncle touched it as did my Grandfather and Grandmother when they were in their early 20's.

Today, when soldiers are deployed to places like Afghanistan, many families can stay in contact with their loved one through email and regular doses of Skype. Often, mothers (and sometimes fathers) are left behind to single parent their children. This alone leaves little time for handwriting letters. And who can resist the instant communication of email and the chance to view your loved one in real time on the computer screen.
Since this is The Letter Writing Revolution, I am going to suggest we all write one letter (at least) to a soldier serving in Afghanistan. If you would like to write a letter to a Canadian Soldier serving in Afghanistan right now, click HERE for instructions and addresses.

I have been told that it is their policy to answer every letter they receive so you should receive a letter back from the soldier who gets your letter. Tell them about you, your family, what you do, what you appreciate and let them know that you are grateful for their service (even if you disagree with this whole war thing).

And of course, I want to hear about it!!! This is a post that I hope will be spread far and wide and if you are reading this and you live outside of Canada, you can contact a military base close to you to find out how to get letters to your soldiers.

On that note, I am off to write a letter to a soldier.

Surrending Part 2

I've known James for my entire adult life. I think I first met him at a party when I was a teenager. Although James and I have mutal friends, we have never spent a lot of time hanging out together until recently. I was in need of some cool, quality photos of my casts and of me casting. I knew James was an avid photographer and since he has a unique style, I knew it would reflect in his photos. This is James:

James emailed me yesterday about some photography stuff and mentioned that he had been following this blog and that he liked it. I didn't think this type of blog would be of interest to him but it turns out, I was wrong. I am rarely wrong. Ask my husband.
He came by last evening and I jokingly asked him if he had written any letters since he was reading this blog. I expected the answer to be "No" but to my surprise, he told me that he had, in fact, written two letters. Actually, to clarify.......he had started but hadn't finished writing two letters. What surprised me even more was that one of the letters had been almost written to me. He then proceeded to tell me that after starting the letter, he realized that some things are better left unsaid. And you can imagine how I responded to that....."James!! You can't share that with me and then not tell me WHAT you were writing about...." Am I right??? Totally not fair. Okay, granted, life isn't very fair but this was really, really unfair.

So, I told James that he would be the subject of todays' post. This post is titled Surrendering Part 2 because as much as we need to surrender to our expectations of what happens to our letter after it is sent (see yesterday's post), I think that it is equally important to surrender our thoughts to another person who you think deserves to read them. Obviously, my friend James had something to say to me otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of almost writing the letter. I say he surrender whatever it is that is preventing him from sending the letter because now I am curious. I hate to think there is a half- assed, almost written letter out there waiting to be mailed ESPECIALLY since it is for me. Don't you agree, readers?
James: I will be patiently awaiting that letter from you :-)

P.S I know this post contradicts the post on Hard-to-Write Letters in that we always have the option to write a letter and never send it. I am encouraging James to finish and mail this particular letter because I don't believe it contains elements of the hard-to-write letter. At least I hope it doesn't :-)

Surrendering

I am well aware of my negligence to my blog. It isn't that I am losing steam nor have I lost motivation to carry on with my revolution. As I said two posts ago, I am in a major time crunch right now and so certain things need to be patient while I get my other work completed. Today I am sanding the Goddess of Abundance cast outside in 33 degree heat. I am procrastinating and so you get a blog post as I buy a bit more time in my air conditioned house.

I received an email from a mom who had a brilliant idea of writing her three children letters about how proud she was of them and to celebrate the end of another school year. She placed them in the mail box so that when they returned home from their last day of school, they were thrilled to find letters in the box addressed to them. BUT, as soon as they opened them and scanned the letter to see who it was from, their excitement quickly turned to disappointment when they realized their mother had written the letters. As you can imagine, this mother was also very disappointed by their reactions. She was certain they would surround her with love and hugs and gratefulness for her thoughtfulness. Not a chance. They quickly read the letters, tossed them aside and ran off to do other things.

An excerpt from the mother's email below:

"Here's something to be said of the expectations that come when you send a letter (especially a mushy, sappy one): don't expect the person to be bowled over by your words. Just find joy in the process of writing the letter and then let it go. I was a little crushed that my children didn't seem to really care, or be touched by the words I wrote. In any case, I know that the letters will be saved and I hope that one day, the full effect of my words will help the kids understand just

how much they are loved."

So, there you have it, folks. Write a letter and surrender it. Do it without expectation of reaction. Just do it and send it. Let it go....literally. It's like giving a gift. After the gift leaves your hands, it is out of your control. If the person you give it to chooses to put it in a yard sale or re-gift it, that is their choice and their right. The same can be said for the letter. Do not write a letter hoping to receive one back, compliments or gratefulness. Just write it from the heart and set it free.

Ottawa Citizen Article

In honour of Canada Day, I wanted to share this timely article that was in yesterday's Ottawa Citizen. Thanks, Em (and Tim), for bringing it to my attention. Enjoy!

One Sunday afternoon in 1965, Ottawa high school teacher Norm Sheahan woke from a nap with an ambitious Centennial project in mind: He would write to the country’s political leaders, asking them to explain why they were proud to be Canadian.
The father of four young boys wasn’t sure Canada’s then prime minister or the provinces’ premiers would respond. But when they did — some, including Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, with moving, personal letters — Sheahan had a memorable gift for his children on July 1, 1967. With Canada approaching its 150th birthday, Sheahan has reprised the project. He has again written to the country’s leaders, asking them why they’re proud of the nation; his cover letter included a photo of the current Sheahan family, which now boasts 10 grandchildren.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Governor General Michaëlle Jean and eight premiers have responded to the overture. Norm Sheahan, 75, and his wife, Diane, hope the latest letters will offer inspiration to a new generation. “We’re very proud to be Canadians and we’re trying to pass that on to our grandchildren,” he says. Only the premiers of Quebec and Alberta have yet to reply. Sheahan’s favourite new letter undoubtedly comes from Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams. The combative Williams, who once ordered all Canadian flags removed from provincial buildings during a dispute with the federal government over equalization, sent a thoughtful, heartfelt letter in which he compares the country to a family. Like the Sheahan family itself, Williams says, Canada is composed of members with their own strengths and dreams — individuals made stronger by their ties to one another. The country is one family, he says, united by its shared experience, good and bad. “In all families, there are times when you don’t see eye-to-eye and you challenge each other,” Williams writes in the letter, addressed to the Sheahan grandchildren, “but those are times when you can work out wonderful solutions that help you grow — solutions that provide opportunities to celebrate the kind of co-operation that binds families closer together than ever. Some members of the family are older, some are bigger, some are smaller — but all of you are equally part of the one family. This is how it is with Canada. We are one federation — one family.” Williams’ letter is the longest in the collection and stretches to two full pages, single-spaced. He invites the Sheahans to visit his province: “The stories we tell are so vivid, the ocean so blue, the whales and icebergs so huge, the music so lively and the people so eager to invite you in that you cannot help feeling a strong sense of family when you come here.”
Williams wrote the letter less than two months before travelling to the U.S. for heart surgery.
The letter brought tears to Sheahan’s eyes. “It’s just what we wanted to tell our grandchildren,” he says.
Diane Sheahan was equally moved: “It was beautiful, the whole thing,” she says.
The letter-writing exercise has given the Sheahans newfound respect for the the country’s oft-maligned politicians, particularly those like Williams who took the time to offer a meaningful response.
Sheahan, who spent 35 years as a science teacher and guidance counsellor in Ottawa-area high schools, calls his two sets of love letters to Canada a “treasure.”
He shared the first set with the Citizen in 1992 as the country faced a national unity crisis. He’s sharing the latest in response to the Citizen’s published request for readers’ stories about their Canada Day memories. Sheahan describes himself as a proud Canadian. He has travelled with his family to every province during summer camping trips.
“The people of Canada are very special and the country is magnificent,” he says. “We’ve gone to a lot of countries and I don’t think you’ll find any landscape better than Canada’s.”
In early July, the Sheahans will hold their annual reunion in Kingston where each family member will receive a bound copy of the letter collection.
2010
“I have been fortunate enough to travel the breadth of our vast country, and have witnessed firsthand the magnificence of our geography, the strength and the ingenuity of our diverse population, and the richness of our abundant natural resources … Each time I return from travels abroad, I am reminded of how truly blessed I am to live in Canada, a model of freedom, harmony and prosperity.”
Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
“I realize that this letter may be put away as a keepsake for a few years until a future Premier is asked to answer this important question for a new generation of Sheahans. Perhaps another 50 years will pass, or more. Just as the Sheahan family will endure, so too Canada will endure and Canadians will prosper as we continue to work together in the spirit of family.”
Newfoundland
and Labrador Premier Danny Williams
“As Canadians, we have many cherished values, but it is our collective belief in tolerance, respect and understanding that I see as one of the true cornerstones of our society. By embracing these values, we send a clear message to the world that we are a nation that is committed to protecting the rights and dignity of every citizen in every community.”
Ontario Premier
Dalton McGuinty
“We do have a lot to celebrate. From the evolution of the automobile, telephones, keyboards and coffee shops, the creation of the Canadarm and technological advances, we all have stories to tell and memories to share. The celebration will be a great time to stop and say, ‘Wow, we have come a long way!’”
B.C. Premier
Gordon Campbell
1967
“In comparison with many other countries, particularly those of Europe and Asia, our own country is young, yet it has quickly become a great nation. Providence gave us a great and beautiful land blessed with vast natural resources. These assets are a guarantee to a tremendous future, provided, of course, that all Canadians do the best they possibly can for that future by working together in mutual understanding and respect.”
Prime Minister
Lester B. Pearson
“In my opinion, the greatest single lesson which our Canadian history teaches is the need for tolerance and mutual understanding ... Each one of us must try to understand his fellow citizens of whatever race, language or creed they may be, respect them, love them and help them.”
Quebec Premier
Jean Lesage
“Sixteen years ago, after thorough consideration, we chose to become Canadians. There has not been a day in all the years since then that we have not been given another reason to be proud of our new country.”
Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood
“Love your parents, love your country and be proud that you are Canadians, free citizens of a free country under God!”
Saskatchewan Premier Ross Thatcher
“My conviction in Canada’s future rests on the growing recognition on the part of government and the people of Canada that the education of our youth is of the highest priority. With an educated citizenry, and possessing the natural resources which Canada has, from coast to coast, there is no question that this is the country of the future.”
Ontario Premier
John Robarts