Day 152: Old letters

February 25, 2011

Looked through some old letters today. I want to ( eventually) put all my grandma's letters in a book. I always like looking through old letters. It's a moment, frozen time. They bring back different feelings, siuations, times of my life, people I've known. It makes me appreciate all the wonderful people I've known and all the interesting things I've done. Reading them makes me slow down. 

I came upon some cards from my dad. He used to send them for all sorts of holidays. It's so wonderful to go back and read, in his handwriting, the sweet things he said. Letters are so much more of a full experience and one that is not common these days. With phones, email, texting, tweeting and facebooking, who writes letters anymore? And yet, they're visceral. Someone touched a piece of paper, wrote on it, put their energy into it and sent it. You can now hold it, smell it, read it again and again, see that person's handwriting, hear their voice.  

I used to write letters more often, but even I have fallen victim to the quick, meaningless facebook or texting birthday wishes. I am going to start writing cards again, even if it's just for birthdays at first. I have lots of stationery and love making my own cards. I should be using them! 

Fraser and I went to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat this evening. Our second date in a month, I think. Crazy. But with my upcoming trip and the show being in town, it seemed appropriate. We had such a great time. Had a beer beforehand at the Fanno Creek Pub in downtown Tigard. Tasty. The show was great. I mouthed all the words to Fraser's thankfulness. I had told him I would try my hardest not to sing along, knowing that people are coming to hear the performers, not me. After the show, I saw some of the cast members and told them what a great job they did. One of the brothers told me, "My favourite part was watching you sing along to the whole thing, even at the end." I told him that it was only at the end, during the curtain call, that I actually did sing. We had margaritas after show which seemed like a good idea then but not as much in the am. Blast.