Why is this so hard?

As I begin on this card giving journey I'm learning a lot that I wasn't really after on the offset of the project. Today was my first time giving cards directly to another person. The first was my mother, who I see all the time, and the second was a waiter. I just left the card with the tip.

I don't understand why it's so hard to initate the giving of a card? I mean, I'm just offering them a Christmas card. If they were to reject it, that would be ok. Heck, even if they were to open it up and throw it on the ground that wouldn't be too bad. For some reason reaching into my pocket and pulling out a card and offering it to a complete stranger is socially the hardest thing I have ever done.

It's a direct result of our society I think. We build up walls around ourselves and find it "ackward" or "weird" to reach out to someone we don't know. It's just another person, just like me. We both had two hands, two feet, a Head, two ears... I would challenge everyone to try to do this if you don't believe me. Pick a person in a store and walk up to them and hand them a card and say something nice while you do it. I said "Merry Christmas" as I handed them a card and the social anxiety was huge.


I'm not sure why but I am sure I was uncomfortable. That may be the whole point though, that just may be what I didn't know I was looking for. As people in today's world we spend too much time on our cell phone and not enough time sitting across our dinner tables and talking to those we love. We see people everywhere we go but we are falling into a much more lonely time to be alive. A couple of months ago we had a very bad wind storm and most people lost power for about a week. I noticed that people were outside then, no one could email or text message their friends or neighbors. They had to stand and talk across the fence, or drive to their house and see what they were doing. When is the last time you had a real conversation with your wife? When is the last time you visited a friend just to talk to them? I bet you that you could get through most of your day without speaking a single word outloud. In this world of noise and constant movement we are too busy to live life. Turn off your tv's and have dinner together, invite your friends over while your at it.

This project is teaching me more about myself then I ever thought it would, and I'm getting the feeling that it's going to change my life forever....

I got another card given out last night.

It went to our waiter at the restaraunt that I got to take my better half to. He seemed like a really cool guy. When we got their the place was backed up and I'm sure his job was very stressful but when he talked to us he seemed very calm and collected. During the holidays I'm sure this guy is worth his weight in gold doing the job that he is.

I also shared my idea with my friends over at the Garden Web forums and there seemed to be alot of interest. Here

Have some more cards ready to give out today, It's my goal to give all that I got ready out today. I'll update more tonight

The first card to be given has been!

It went to my wonderful mother. A good first place to start I would think. Her car isn't working at the moment so I got to swing by and pick her up from the middle school where she works.

Tomorrow is another day and I'm hoping to get some more of these out.

Beginings have to start someplace

So here it goes....

Something has been bothering me for the past week or so, I relized that if I didn't text or email I'm not sure how many people I would really communicate with. What ever happened to just going to see your friends, or even dialing a phone when your not driving car? This world of fake conversations over myspace and quick to the point text messaging is really starting to effect us all.

so, I started this;

The hand written card project is a project started to spread the dieing art of hand written cards. The project begins on Monday, December 15th, 2008 with Christmas cards. This blog is a place for me to record the people that I give my cards to. I went out and bought a box set of 24 cards and here's to seeing what can be made of this.

Initally this may just be a 10 day Christmas project, but who knows.

Feel free to join in on the fun, there are only 2 rules....

1. Cards MUST be have something hand written inside. Be it just a quick message and a signature or more. Thats up to you.

2. Cards Can't be mailed, only handed out. Thats part of it. The idea is to lose this inpersonable-ness (if that is a word) that the world of online networking website and text messaging is bringing us.


Leave comments here if you do join the fun, or even if you got one of the cards. We would love to hear your experences.