Rex Reed: 'Tarnation'
Sunday's column is about David Grossberg, an Ontario man who sent letters off to a bunch of older famous names to get their opinions on the decline of handwritten correspondence in favor of e-mail.
Snippets from their replies are in the column. Here are a few others I liked:
* Rex Reed: "What significance in a sophisticated society does a 'smiley face' have, and what in tarnation does LOL mean?"
* P.J. O'Rourke: "Rudeness and sloth in the guise of 'informality' exert their perennial appeal ... When words had to be carved in stone, we got the Ten Commandments. With the quill came William Shakespeare. The fountain pen produced Henry James. The typewriter, Jack Kerouac. And all we have to show for the computer is the blog."
Hey!
* Lee Iacocca: "Writing a personal letter to someone has always been important to me. I have the original handwritten letter I wrote to my father the day I was made president of Ford Motor Company."
* Hugh Downs: "Etiquette is after all, kindness, and it can be manifest in the terse realm of e-messages."
* Jack Kemp: "While I do email and messaging on my Blackberry, there's nothing like a written letter to convey sincerity, honesty and the integrity of meaning."
* Andy Rooney, who wrote a column about Grossberg's letter, also sent him a typed reply. Referring to Grossberg's insurance office address in downtown Ontario, the letter's last line grouses: "'211 West 'B' St' is one of the most characterless addresses I ever wrote and if I lived there I'd move."
Until the downtown redevelopment project forced him to move his office, Grossberg had an address on Euclid Avenue, a name Rooney would probably like. Grossberg got a kick out of Rooney's column and letter and plans to frame them and hang them prominently in his office.
Look for my column in the paper or online on Sunday.
Obviously these "elites" have never seen an enormo-mail.
[Ha! -- DA]
I wondered about the origin of the signoff "LOL". I thought I must be the only one who didn't know what it means. My husband says it means "Lots of Luck", and my friend says it means "Laughing Out Loud".
[It means Laughing Out Loud. -- DA]
As an old crock I, too, lament the paucity of handwritten missives.
Oh, sure. I can e-mail with the best of them. (And type a reply to on-line blogs!) But I still send actual greeting cards to friends and family and the thoughts inside the card as well as the address is written in legible cursive.
I use truncated language on some game chat sites - wtg, Oldtimer, gga - as well as the occasional LOL, but for personal correspondence nothing beats good old fashioned handwriting.
Which brings me to another gripe. Cursive is deader than the proverbial doornail. If one is fortunate enough to receive a note from someone under the age of "older than dirt" it's PRINTED!!!
These folks are probably the same bunch who use Comic Sans as a font in their inter-office communications.
Sorry for the lengthy rant but you've touched a sensitive nerve.
Texting shortcuts? Don't get me started!
Ramona
[Several of Grossberg's correspondents lamented the decline of cursive writing as well. I take notes as a journalist by printing (after a fashion -- a hurried fashion) and admit I never write cursive anymore except on my checks. -- DA]
Am I the only one who thinks that Grossberg skewed his data by only consulting men over 60?
For my own part, I've had email since the late 1980s and a blog since 2003, but I still spend $10-15 a month on stamps, which I use for correspondence, not bills -- those I pay online.
[He did write to some (older) women, as seen in Sunday's column, but definitely to more men than women. And no, his results aren't scientific. I'm impressed at your volume of correspondence! -- DA]
Oh Ramona! I just loved your comment!!
Especially the rant about people who use Comic Sans in their inter-office memos.
I've never seen such venom unleashed at a font choice! That's hilarious!
Speaking of cursive as a lost art, what about those women / girls who dot their "I's" with hearts!!!!
I actually wrote a large amount of female recipients. For some inexplicable reason I did not get as many responses back.
The concept behind the letters was just to get a "range" of opinions. The article, and ultimately, a book will be looking at everything from technology changes from telegraph to emails, from quills to roller balls, and from Spencerian penmanship to what is taught now.
David Grossberg
Thank you, "Hal", for your support. If I had an "i" in my name I'd dot it with a heart just for you.
Part of the venom for the Comic Sans font comes as a result of working with a 40-year-old woman who used that type style in the company's business letters! She also drew little smiley faces and hearts on some of the memos that left her office. Of course, they were created by printing.
Did I mention that she was the boss's daughter?
David Grossberg can stop looking for a replacement for Spencerian penmanship. Nothing much comes after teaching the kids to print in early elementary school.
Rant over - again. (For now!)
Ramona
Ramona, I love you! How do you feel about Lucida Handwriting?
But isn't there an "i" in your last name? Or are we on a first name basis already?
Hope you're not too old of a crock to dig a little Chuck Berry tribute to your youth:
"Ramona, Ramona, Ramona, where'd you get that dress?
The neckline's down south, the hemline's way out west
All in favour of Ramona's style, say yes
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes
"Ramona started shaking in her brand new short tight dress
The band keep blasting, but Ramona, she never rest
All in favor of Ramona, keep hollering yes
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes
"Ramona looking good in her brand new short tight dress
Wow, Ramona, Ramona, how'd you learn that mess?
All in favour of Ramona, just say yes
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes"
Yeah, I know I skipped a verse, but don't worry.
Rock on Ramona! To hell with the boss' daughter. Bet she takes long lunches that bleed into Happy Hour too!
Just tryin' to lift your spirits!
"Hal", "I Think I Love You" to quote another oldie but goodie.
I wonder how David feels about us turning his blog into a My Space wannabe. First names? You betcha!
I absolutely loved your Chuck Berry remake. Picture me in that outfit dancing wildly. Or maybe not.
I've copied all our comments on a Word doc using MS Sans Serif. The other fonts are just a distraction unless one is creating something really special or unique. Want someone to read what you wrote? Use a legible font.
Thankfully, I don't work with that nitwit any longer. Long lunches? Oh, yeah. And . . . but, again, don't get me started!
You definitely lifted my spirits by half.
Love ya, "Hal"
Ramona
Ramona Fredericks said: "You definitely lifted my spirits by half."
Huh? Only half? I must be losing my touch.
Tell you what .... I'll show you my font if you show me yours.
We need to fluff up this calligraphy and your mood all the way.
Keep wearing those provocative outfits and twistin' and shoutin'. Shake it up baby!!!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh! Oh Baby it hurts so good!
[Take a cold shower, "Hal." -- DA]