100 letters

Closing down

2008-03-12T12:01:00.004Z

Hello all, it is with a mixture of reluctance and relief that I have decided to stop this project. Realistically, I just don't have the time and proper head space required to keep this up. However, since I have only received a 50% response to the letters I sent out, I don't feel to badly about this.

For those who showed an interest and even took part for awhile, thank you.

I know, I know, this is taking longer than I thought it would

2008-01-21T19:45:00.000Z

I can't believe that 5 months into this project, I've only sent out 10 letters. The thing is, sitting down and writing a good letter, a truly good letter that comes from a truthful place, a personal place, takes more than just time, it takes an active commitment to allow yourself to be in that space that isn't superficial and just wanting to get the task over with so it can feel like you've done something. It also takes knowing that the person you write to, the person you make the time and commitment to share something of yourself with, may not even write back (I've had responses to about half the letters I've written). So, it also takes letting go. And I am struggling with that too.

But, I ain't giving up. As long as it takes, I am gonna get these 100 letters, good letters, honest, truthful letters, written.

No. 10

2008-01-08T22:24:00.003Z

Sent: 4.1.08, UK

Notes: Letter received but no reply

No.9

2007-12-22T14:59:00.000Z

Sent: 12.12.07, UK

Notes: Response received!!

Not forgotten

2007-11-20T23:14:00.000Z

I know I have been neglecting my letter writing of late. One reason is that I became a bit of a crazy person and tried to cram far too much into my days. Another reason is that quite a few pieces of mail I sent out over the last two months never arrived at their destination, including at least one of the letters that are part of this project. Boo! But I will catch up soon. I have removed the one year time limit to make things easier on me. After all, the important thing is writing and sending the letters, not that they are done by next August.

If by any chance you would like to be the recipient of one of these 100 letters but I don't have your address or even know you, then feel free to contact me! If it would honestly make you happy or at least tickle your fancy, then I will happily pen at least one missive to you! Email me at: fairycakes72 at hotmail dot com. If you are prepared to write back, then all the better! It would also help if you could tell me something, anything about you. It's not easy to write a letter to a TOTAL stranger, not knowing who the heck you're opening up to.

Thank you to those of you who have been checking back and commenting.

It really does keep me going. And look, I have a new editor who will keep me on the case... as you can see, she can be quite commanding.

No. 8

2007-10-29T23:05:00.002Z

Sent: 30.10.07, UK
Notes: Letter received but no reply

No.7

2007-10-29T23:00:00.002Z

Sent: 30.10.07, Europe

Notes: Letter received but no reply

No. 6

2007-10-16T22:19:00.001+01:00

Sent: 12.10.07, UK

Notes: Letter received but no reply

No. 5

2007-10-03T18:28:00.000+01:00

Sent: 4.10.07, UK (just as the postal strike was starting...oh dear)

Notes: Response received Jan 08!!! Yay!!

No. 4

2007-09-22T12:27:00.001+01:00

Sent: 20.9.07, UK

Notes: Response received 1.10.07!!!!!! Yippee!!!!!!!

Jakey keeps me company while I write...

No. 3

2007-09-22T12:25:00.001+01:00

Galvanised by the receipt of two letters this past week, I am carrying on with my project.

No. 3 sent 26.9.07, International
Notes: Letter never arrived at destination

moomin mail!

2007-09-08T15:09:00.000+01:00

This week I received this lovely postcard from a friend. I'd sent her a recipe and a postcard and she wrote back! This has made me reconsider the whole "only proper letters will count" rule. I hadn't even included what I sent her as part of this project. And so I am going to be a lot more flexible about this. After all, the reason I'm doing it is to revive good old fashioned snail mail paper correspondence. So we'll see how this proceeds.

why am i doing this again?

2007-08-31T10:43:00.001+01:00

So, I'm only one week into this and already I'm having doubts. I had a moment of clarity, or crisis, depending on how you want to look at it, when I remembered why I stopped writing letters all those years ago. Even back then, in the time before email and mobile phones, I stopped writing letters because hardly anyone wrote back. People loved receiving letters, but weren't as willing to put pen to paper to reply. I remembered that old feeling of chronic disappointment so clearly this week it made me wonder why I want to make the effort to write all these letters. Surely now, in the age of abrupt and often abbreviated, acronymical e-communication, there will be even less of a chance of people responding?

Also, good correspondence isn't something that can be forced. True, someone has to start it, and it does take two people to keep it going, but it can't be forced. And maybe this project is just a bit too much like forcing. Also, truly good correspondence is rare. So maybe sending 100 letters will be the equivalent of shooting myself in the foot maybe 96 times.

Hence I'm not sure if I will carry on with this, or carry on in a modified format.

We'll see.

If anyone can think of good reasons to carry on, then that might help.

No. 2

2007-08-22T14:07:00.000+01:00

Sent: 23.8.07

Notes: Receipt acknowledged and displayed on Envelope Collective website

No. 1

2007-08-17T21:04:00.000+01:00

Sent: 20.8.07, UK

Notes: Response received 12.9.07

the sort of rules

2007-08-16T21:09:00.000+01:00

1. I will send 100 personal letters. I will try to do this over one year, but the time limit is not as important as sending the letters.

2. Birthday cards and other greetings cards that I'd normally send out will not count towards the 100. Neither will anything official.

3. None of the recipients' names or addresses will be posted on this site, except for the envelope collective, whose details are already public.