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November 12, 2007
Thank-you notes, gratitude, real life.
A good thank-you--a real thank-you--means something. It is notable, memorable, important.
--TS, April 2007
Last April Esquire Magazine's Tom Chiarella wrote a piece on thank-you notes; as part of his unlikely experiment in doing them, he wrote 91 handwritten ones in one week. It's called "A Little Gratitude: How to Change the Way the World Sees You, One Thank-You Note at a Time". We liked it 7 months ago when it came out, and we like it now. For the same issue, Chiarella also wrote "How to Write a Thank-You Note".
Posted by JD Hull at November 12, 2007 12:09 AM
Comments
Thank you notes: a lovely way to evaporate some of the collected cynicism that the world seems to labour under these days.
On the subject of handwritten notes, since its coming up to Christmas, anyone who sends me a printed typewritten letter of the events in their and their family's life over the last year will have the card immediately binned and be struck from my card list forever. A typewrittn circular tells me that you think you time and life is more important than mine. If you you can't be bothered to write me a personal note, then please don't bother. I don't even care if you write abuse: at least you made the effort to think about me personally, and hey, who knows, I might even deserve it. :-)
Posted by: Ruthie at November 11, 2007 01:45 PM
Until I spotted this post, I was just about to lament the end of gratitude as I notice increasingly how few people bother to say those two magic words, let alone commit them to writing. Who's raising these people, wolves?
Dan, in case I don't say it often enough, thanks for the great job you're doing on this blog -- it's an oasis of good old-fashioned common sense and honesty served straight up. (Although I have to admit that Ruthie's comment is making me feel guilty for not conveying this message via a handwritten note on premium stationery. But then the whole web surfing public wouldn't get to see it.)
Posted by: Diane Levin at November 16, 2007 11:50 AM
Why not send Dan a letter anyway. :-)
I predict not only the resurgence of nostalgic letter writing but also real photos: the kind you carry around in your wallet.
Incidentally if you want some real proper English writing paper, go to Smythson of Bond Street. www.smythson.com . Their paper is more expensive than cocaine, and for real class get some personally embossed. Oh and naturally, proper letters need to be written with a fountain pen, otherwise it doesn't count.
Posted by: Ruthie at November 17, 2007 02:33 PM