lili krakowski on thu 24 dec 09
Some of us remember when longhand on good paper was de rigeur for =3D
invitations, thank you notes, get well notes, and letters of condolence.
When the ball point pen came in real ink still was preferred for serious =
=3D
communication.
We then progressed [?] to greeting cards that spoke for us. While we =3D
used to write: "I am so sorry that Bouncer your dear old Airdale =3D
died...." we now can get a card with a dog on it, and a little verse....
Invitations, and thank yous by telephone are relatively new. =3D20
Now we have cell phones for instant communication, with no space =3D
between thought and action; and e-mail which some people spit out the =3D
way cotton candy machines produce fluff. (I do a draft of serious =3D
messages)
Alongside this, people do not learn to write anymore. I have SEEN, with =
=3D
my own beadies, term papers written by college seniors who had no idea =3D
about spelling, punctuation, even meaning.=3D20
The charm of conversation is not just getting the message out, it is a =3D
facial expression, a gesture, a tone of voice, a stance--as well as the =3D
surroundings. If you notice the cloying ads on TV, the engagement ring, =
=3D
the anniversary gift, and like that are not handed out at the town dump, =
=3D
but in a "special" location, at a "special" time.
We "complain" all the time that people do not buy our mugs, but buy them =
=3D
at Walmart. Well, why the heck not? When a recent cabinet meeting was =3D
televised the participants had PLASTIC BOTTLES in front of them, NOT =3D
glasses. On TV shows people drink coffee from paper or styrofoam cups. =
=3D
Half the time we "see" people eating out of paper wrappings, standing =3D
up to eat a meal..look, Ma, no plates!
I laugh (No, no little pictures of accents and parentheses)when we =3D
write about having our morning coffee out of our favorite mug... WE ARE =3D
A TINY MINORITY. The majority of people today want to gulp =3D
overpriced despicable coffee from a disposable container! They do not =3D
WANT to have a $25 mug that needs washing or care or whatever....
I am planning to write to some of our more serious TV shows: the PBS =3D
and Sunday talking heads symposia--and say: "Why are you using cheap =3D
Chinese mass produced mugs on your show? Since you make a lot of money =3D
why not get each regular a decent mug, and have them to give as =3D
souvenirs to guests? "
Cannonball wishes to add that unless she is hunting, and picnic-ing on =3D
fresh kill on a field of grass, she sits down to eat, eats out of a =3D
handmade plate, drinks out of a handmade bowl. (Unless of course she is =
=3D
drinking out of an industrially made toilet bowl! )
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
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