4 Page Letter
I'm not sure if I told you all about the mini revolution I've started, but I am actually really excited about it. A few months ago, my dear, dear friends Jill and Alex took me to the African American Museum in Exposition park.
PAUSE: Let me just take a moment to say something about Exposition Park... Whoever came up with the concept for this "park" is a GENIUS!!! For the mere cost of 8 dollars for parking, patrons get access to 5 museums, an IMAX Theatre (for an additional fee, but still very fly), a rose garden, a butterfly garden and hours and hours of trash talking about the U$C campus and now empty football stadium (haha) if you are anti-U$C as I am. Go Bears. There are also plenty of vendors around for all of your thirst, ice cream and hamburger needs and with the Southern California sunshine, there are plenty of photo ops throughout the day. I mean, really, you can't go wrong!!
AND WE'RE BACK: So we went to Exposition Park and I was absolutely blessed to see an exhibit by the great American artist John T. Scott. (http://www.leh.org/john_scott_art/johnscott_front.html). This man was amazing. He worked in absolutely EVERY medium you can think of. I mean honestly. We saw pieces from Acrylics and oil paintings, to giant wood carvings, to sculpture, steel, calligraphy, glass blowing... you name it, he did it. Absolute GENIUS!!! As we were walking through his exhibit, me with journal in hand of course, taking notes and writing down ideas that were inspired by this man's talent, I came across a series of encased boxes that held letters he had written to friends over the years. He created his own paper (Right...) and of course used the beautiful calligraphy making each letter a priceless work of art when really all he was saying was, "I'm really excited to be visiting you next month. I can't wait."
As I paused at each letter, reading his thoughts it hit me that letter writing is truly a lost art. Everything is instant, and yes, I am quite guilty of being utterly obsessed with all things Google, but what happened to the days of writing letters? I made a decision right then and there that I was going to bring this back. I sent out a message to my people on Twitter (which by the way I have reinstated @BeeNCeedotcom if you would like to follow) and started my own pen pal relationships. I got really inspired and creative and started dying paper in coffee and tea, mixing in food coloring, using special scissors and cut outs, I mean, I have gotten fancy with my letters. I had to go out and purchase stamps because honestly, who uses THOSE things anymore (and Sidebar #2...what happened to the Black Heritage series? I still have my 34 cent Langston Hughes Stamps and am waiting to get my hand on a Zora, Nikki and Alice stamp. Come on USPS...let's make moves..) and got to work.
After going through a few rounds of back and forth with my pen pals, I have discovered a few advantages to this process...
1. I have to tell you, there is definitely a certain joy that comes with taking the time to sit down and compose a letter. I find myself be a lot more honest and open when I do this and I just love the feeling of pen and paper in my hand.
2. The older you get, the less interesting your mail becomes. Matter of fact, there are many days when you breathe a sigh of relief because your mailbox is empty, but maybe that is just me. Yet, in the days of bills, credit card offers, election propaganda, magazines that pile up until you get sick and finally have some time to read, it is a wonderful feeling to open your mailbox and find a handwritten letter waiting for you. The sight of that alone can change the course of your day.
3. If you are a creative nerd like I am, you begin to enjoy the challenge of creating something different and new each time you send out a letter. It is actually fun and it is special because in a very quiet way, it shows the person you are writing that you care.
Each time I talk to someone about my idea they get excited. A friend of mine sent me a text asking me to send him a letter and I went next door and knocked on his apartment and handed him a post it. Don't do too much sir. LOL! But the point is, we need to bring this back. We are losing our history by depending so much on technology. Where would be be without the handwritten diaries of former slaves, or the letters between Zora and Langston? Take a minute and think about that. It is very important to find ways to preserve who we are now for future generations. With that said, I encourage you to call a friend that you haven't seen in a while and get their address! It doesn't have to be a long letter, but send them a quick note and let them know you are thinking about them. I'm telling you, it will become your therapy before you know it!
Peace Y'all and remember..."The Revolution will NOT be televised..."
Peace Y'all
B
PAUSE: Let me just take a moment to say something about Exposition Park... Whoever came up with the concept for this "park" is a GENIUS!!! For the mere cost of 8 dollars for parking, patrons get access to 5 museums, an IMAX Theatre (for an additional fee, but still very fly), a rose garden, a butterfly garden and hours and hours of trash talking about the U$C campus and now empty football stadium (haha) if you are anti-U$C as I am. Go Bears. There are also plenty of vendors around for all of your thirst, ice cream and hamburger needs and with the Southern California sunshine, there are plenty of photo ops throughout the day. I mean, really, you can't go wrong!!
AND WE'RE BACK: So we went to Exposition Park and I was absolutely blessed to see an exhibit by the great American artist John T. Scott. (http://www.leh.org/john_scott_art/johnscott_front.html). This man was amazing. He worked in absolutely EVERY medium you can think of. I mean honestly. We saw pieces from Acrylics and oil paintings, to giant wood carvings, to sculpture, steel, calligraphy, glass blowing... you name it, he did it. Absolute GENIUS!!! As we were walking through his exhibit, me with journal in hand of course, taking notes and writing down ideas that were inspired by this man's talent, I came across a series of encased boxes that held letters he had written to friends over the years. He created his own paper (Right...) and of course used the beautiful calligraphy making each letter a priceless work of art when really all he was saying was, "I'm really excited to be visiting you next month. I can't wait."
As I paused at each letter, reading his thoughts it hit me that letter writing is truly a lost art. Everything is instant, and yes, I am quite guilty of being utterly obsessed with all things Google, but what happened to the days of writing letters? I made a decision right then and there that I was going to bring this back. I sent out a message to my people on Twitter (which by the way I have reinstated @BeeNCeedotcom if you would like to follow) and started my own pen pal relationships. I got really inspired and creative and started dying paper in coffee and tea, mixing in food coloring, using special scissors and cut outs, I mean, I have gotten fancy with my letters. I had to go out and purchase stamps because honestly, who uses THOSE things anymore (and Sidebar #2...what happened to the Black Heritage series? I still have my 34 cent Langston Hughes Stamps and am waiting to get my hand on a Zora, Nikki and Alice stamp. Come on USPS...let's make moves..) and got to work.
After going through a few rounds of back and forth with my pen pals, I have discovered a few advantages to this process...
1. I have to tell you, there is definitely a certain joy that comes with taking the time to sit down and compose a letter. I find myself be a lot more honest and open when I do this and I just love the feeling of pen and paper in my hand.
2. The older you get, the less interesting your mail becomes. Matter of fact, there are many days when you breathe a sigh of relief because your mailbox is empty, but maybe that is just me. Yet, in the days of bills, credit card offers, election propaganda, magazines that pile up until you get sick and finally have some time to read, it is a wonderful feeling to open your mailbox and find a handwritten letter waiting for you. The sight of that alone can change the course of your day.
3. If you are a creative nerd like I am, you begin to enjoy the challenge of creating something different and new each time you send out a letter. It is actually fun and it is special because in a very quiet way, it shows the person you are writing that you care.
Each time I talk to someone about my idea they get excited. A friend of mine sent me a text asking me to send him a letter and I went next door and knocked on his apartment and handed him a post it. Don't do too much sir. LOL! But the point is, we need to bring this back. We are losing our history by depending so much on technology. Where would be be without the handwritten diaries of former slaves, or the letters between Zora and Langston? Take a minute and think about that. It is very important to find ways to preserve who we are now for future generations. With that said, I encourage you to call a friend that you haven't seen in a while and get their address! It doesn't have to be a long letter, but send them a quick note and let them know you are thinking about them. I'm telling you, it will become your therapy before you know it!
Peace Y'all and remember..."The Revolution will NOT be televised..."
Peace Y'all
B
