Today's Communications

[Henry]

Sent a note to a soldier in Afghanistan yesterday morning and got an answer back yesterday afternoon.  When I was a kid I remember mothers waiting months to hear back from their sons and when they did the letters came in bunches.

My youngest grandson is leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for his class trip to Washington, DC.  My daughter tells me that he will be communicating on a daily basis through something called Wikpedia - I have no idea what that will be, but hopefully will learn - He probably will be back home before I catch on.

Both my youngest and middle daughters have blackberries or something similar to that where they can read their e-mail and communicate with the web both by text and images.  It is great for me because I can get their messages and photos the simple way that I know, but to be honest with you, I haven't even mastered my simple Cell Phone.

We have come a long ways, however, it is effecting the old methods of communications we used to have.  None of us want to wait for the morning or evening paper anymore - We want the news as it happens - Thank God for The Internet -

[cedarman]

I talk with my soldier in Afghanistan at least a couple times a week, in addition to a few emails a week.  I still make it a point to send at least one hand written letter per week also in addition to care packages.  Despite the instant nature of e-communications, they still don't replace the feeling of caring that a hand written letter conveys.  The tricky part is not telling everything in e-communication, so the written letter will still have some new information, thoughts, etc.

[mirjo]

None of us want to wait for the morning or evening paper anymore - We want the news as it happens - Thank God for The Internet -

This is sad, but true. The internet is a wonderful, marvelous, useful tool and certainly has its place, however getting the news as it happens isn't always a good thing. The race to be first on the internet/24hr cable network etc doesn't always lend itself to accuracy. I'd rather have a well vetted story that is factual than one that changes constantly for several hours because no one knows for sure what the story actually is.

Some stuff actually CAN wait until later, but...Pandora's box has been opened... and the information/internet age is upon us. it is assumed that everyone has and or uses the internet, when that simply is not the case. I think it's unfortunate for the folks who don't that the world is just leaving them in the dust.

I asked for a change of address form at a post office the other day for my dad and the first response was "Can you do it online?" My answer was "No, it's not for me."
My father is one of many that I know w/o a computer. I don't know that he will ever have/use one. I think it's wrong to assume that everyone does.

Despite the instant nature of e-communications, they still don't replace the feeling of caring that a hand written letter conveys.

I couldn't agree more cederman! Writing to someone and using real words is a lost art and becoming more so as txt msg becomes more the norm! Kids are not taught to write in school anymore and now they no longer spell anything except for acronyms! My daughter had to write a story for her English class, I helped her with the editing and was amazed at all the u's in place of you there were.

People  really do like to receive mail--esp when away from home. E-mail is an ok substitute, but it's not the same. It really just comes down to not wanting to take the time to write a letter it's much easier to dash off a quick typed e-mail (if you can type quickly) That and most e-mails are short.

[cedarman]

"That and most e-mails are short."

Probably true most times - I tend to write longer emails than written letters, in part because I can type faster than i write, and can edit and correct without cross outs and scribbles. 
The fact I take the time to sit down, put everything else aside and put pen to paper (taking more time to write) makes the written letter mean that much more.