San Francisco Chronicle Archives - Social Correspondence

Postcards in the Mail

Sending picture postcards in the mail is a tradition of somewhat recent vintage. And now, even as the practice fades, who does not enjoy receiving a postcard in the mail? Postcards and notes in the mail The development of postal cards dates back to the late 19th century in Austria/Hungary and shortly after, in Britain. Such cards were standardized in format and did not feature images. Postcards, on the other hand, in which the design features a picture or image on one side, with space for the recipient’s name, address, and a message, on the other,…

0 Comments

March 17, 2024

2023 / books / email / Handwriting / junk mail / Letter writing / Mail / Post cards / Post Office / Social Media / U.S. Postal Service

It’s That Time of Year

The catalogs have been arriving in the mail for months, because it’s that time of year. The solicitations for charitable and political donations come in multiples every day, and even a few early holiday cards, letters, and invitations are trickling in. The holiday season is upon us! The best holiday mail, of course, is personal: the letters and cards that keep us in touch with family and friends, near and far. I treasure these communications, and have trouble recycling them, even years after receipt. The typical holiday letter has evolved over time. These days, few people…

0 Comments

December 4, 2023

Grandparenting / Handwriting / Letter writing / love letters / Mail

Time to Write a Letter

Time to Write a Letter: Mailboxes, Sausalito, CA. Photo by Tibby Storey While most of us are still staying at home, helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, isn’t it time to write a letter? Teleworking requires concentration and organization. Job-hunting, caring for children without the usual support systems, grocery shopping and cooking at home, and fitting in time for exercise can be exhausting. But when you are taking a break, consider using the time to write a letter. It is good practice for your writing skills, provides an alternative to electronic communications, and a letter…

0 Comments

May 23, 2020

Birds in Winter. Image courtesy of USPS

Letter writing / Mail / Memorabilia / Post Office / Postal Service / Stamps / U.S. Postal Service / War letters

More About Stamps

Stamps have been in the news recently. The surfacing of a rare inverted Jenny stamp, a dispute over the use of an image of the Statue of Liberty, and new releases of novel, innovative and popular stamp motifs have all received media attention in recent months. New stamps, now on sale at post offices or online through USPS.com, include four new holiday stamps as well as re-releases of past popular images; a World War I commemorative stamp; Hot Wheels; Birds in Winter; Dragons; the much anticipated John Lennon stamp; and others. John Lennon The John…

0 Comments

October 17, 2018

Street level window for Local Edition

books / Digital Publishing / Fake News / News / newspapers / Social Media / Typewriters / Typing

The Reveal

The word “reveal,” according to Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, means “to make (something secret or hidden) publicly or generally known.” Or, according to Merriam-Webster online, reveal means “to disclose, divulge, or tell.” In screenwriting, “the reveal” generally comes near the end of the script, when the viewers finally become privy to hidden information that explains all that came before. The most interesting stories written by professional journalists include a reveal. This can happen in a feature story or profile, but in investigative journalism, the reveal can make or break a story, not to mention the reporter’s…

0 Comments

March 8, 2018

Digital Publishing / email / Politics / Technology

A Post-Truth World

Actions throughout the world, as reported in the daily news, are disturbing. War, famine, violence, aggression and poverty are ongoing staples in the news cycle. Unfortunately, a significant new victim has emerged in recent times: the truth. We now live in a post-truth world, at least in the political sense. Most of us grew up, I believe, with the admonition by our parents and teachers to always tell the truth. The truth would always win out, and things would go worse for us should we be caught in a lie. Perhaps the fear of being caught…

3 Comments

December 6, 2016

Handwriting

Handwriting Matters

In my ‘tween years, living in what then was a small Midwestern town, conformity was an important thing, especially for a “westerner” like myself. And all of the girls (or so it seemed) defied convention when it came to handwriting. It was absolutely de rigueur to slant one’s letters to the left rather than to the right, in a style mysteriously known only to young women as “backhand.” As an outsider bitten by the conformity bug, it never crossed my mind to develop a handwriting style that was different from that of my peers. Flash forward…

3 Comments

October 15, 2015

Uncategorized

Addenda

Addenda is an occasional Social Correspondence post that features updates to previous posts, adds brief comments, and makes note of related items. Addenda: Stamps A ceremony was held in Cleveland, Ohio, Paul Newman’s hometown, on September 18 to celebrate the first day of issue of the new Paul Newman stamp. Those in attendance included Clea Newman Soderlund, senior director of special initiatives, SeriousFun Children’s Network and Paul Newman’s daughter; Robert Forrester, president and CEO, Newman’s Own Foundation; and other charities supported by the late actor and philanthropist. Paul Newman founded both SeriousFun Network and Newman’s Own…

0 Comments

September 29, 2015

Mailboxes, Sausalito, CA Photo by Tibby Storey

Letter writing / Mail / Mailboxes / Postal Service / Twitter

Mailbox Magic

The magic of a mailbox is not necessarily what it looks like, but what it contains. That special envelope, perhaps a baby announcement, a love letter, an official job offer, or even a much-needed tax refund check, are all pieces of mail that can brighten one’s day. When I left home for the first (and last) time at the age of 17 to attend the University of California, Berkeley, a mere ten miles from my home town of Lafayette, California, it was a given that surprise in-person visits from family were not allowed. This was my…

2 Comments

March 16, 2015

Mail / Postal Service

Mail Privacy

Americans value their privacy, and the privacy of the U.S. mail is, for the most part, not only guaranteed, but also taken for granted. It is spelled out in the privacy policy of the U.S. Postal Service, and is codified through various federal laws and regulations. Recently, however, new information has emerged about the mail cover program, through which the postal service makes copies of the exterior of every piece of mail processed in the United States. First noted by The New York Times in 2013, this practice apparently dates back more than a century. Letter…

0 Comments

November 11, 2014