Did You Correspond Today?

[Dreck]

I know nothing about tim-tams, & do not care for Samoas *at all.* However, back in the day I used to feed a 4-color OMCSA for a Brit who insisted we shut down the press every morning for "tea & biscuits.". To this day, I cannot resist a Lorna Doone.

2 out today, & my reply pile is empty. If The Princess goes into work today, I'll start some laundry & compose letters to pen pals regardless of reply status.

[mrcharlie]

And, welcome to Biscuit Talk, here on the InCoWriMo forum. Today we have ...

No, really, this was all supposed to focus on how awesome my letters must be to merit a dozen packages of cookies, not to talk about the cookies. But a handful of people here already know my letters aren't all that so it didn't work.

To summarize, Tim Tams are Australian biscuits, despite being named after an American horse. In the US we'd call them cookies. They consist of two flat rectangular "cookie" pieces with a filling between, and the whole thing coated in chocolate. They are made by the Australian company Arnott's, and have been around for 50 years. At some point they started making different flavors, and at the moment there are even more done in conjunction with an French-Australian TV celebrity chef named "adriano zumbo" (his name is in all minuscule on the packages; no insult intended).

Two or three "flavors" of them are made in America under license by Pepperidge Farm, but only in the winter months (I think starting in October; RSN anyway). I have had these, they are fine, but not exactly the same. The real Aussie imports are sold at US "Cost Plus" stores under the name "Arnott's Original", but it is the original flavor and maybe one or two others only; I'd had a package of these a couple years ago also. There are gray market importers in the US with a wider selection, such as SimplyOz.com. In Aussiestan, there are a couple dozen flavors. What is available in other nation-states in unknown, but we've had reports in this thread of them in Canada at least.

You can carefully bite the very end on the two short sides off, and suck up warm liquid using the cookie like a straw (coffee, tea, cocoa). This is called a Tim Tam Slam, and seems to be a youtube meme thing.

The original and particularly the caramel flavors taste somewhat similar to Twix, but with more/better chocolate coating.

I now return you to your originally scheduled correspondence programming.

Yesterday I mailed my second letter to my prisoner cousin, and picked up three envelopes (two from the same person) from my PO box.

[Jon Szanto]

I have nothing to contribute to biscuit talk, but I did pop a letter in the mail today.

[Inner Prop]

Letter out to my Mom and one to my 82 year old aunt. Her sister and brother (my Dad) are dead so she is the last link I have to that side of the family. Based on suggestions on this forum I started asking both about family history.

[Holsworth]

Two more written today, one a repeatish of something that wasn't delivered back in May!

[Mags]

One written today to ALC321.

[kataish]

I think I'm going to have to hunt down some tim tams!

4 letters went out yesterday, one came in.

If you can't find any, let me know. I can send a small care package! Probably not until I get back to working, but even still. Tim Tams must be experienced!

[Jon Szanto]

One done, ready for the mail on Tues. Going to try to do a couple more today.

[Holsworth]

Another one written when I got home. I think that's 8 out this weekend now.

[Holsworth]

I think I'm going to have to hunt down some tim tams!

4 letters went out yesterday, one came in.

If you can't find any, let me know. I can send a small care package! Probably not until I get back to working, but even still. Tim Tams must be experienced!

Thanks! I think Cybercandy will sell them, next time I'm in London or Brighton.

[kataish]

Another one written when I got home. I think that's 8 out this weekend now.

You are a machine, woman. I have a total of ONE out for today (so far). I need a nap then back at it *hopefully* to finish another 1-3 letters.

[Holsworth]

Another one written when I got home. I think that's 8 out this weekend now.

You are a machine, woman. I have a total of ONE out for today (so far). I need a nap then back at it *hopefully* to finish another 1-3 letters.

A few were quite short, if that helps!

[Bogon07]

2 out 7 to go.

[betsypreston]

Trying to put a dent this weekend in my pile of letters waiting for responses. So far, I've gotten three letters ready to go (well, two and one is almost done). Hope to get a few more.

Texas, Cincinnati OH, and British Columbia Canada.

Edit: One more almost done to Wisconsin.

[TerraNoir]

Lets see... I have gotten two done so far, with another one half way done. I am tackling that mountain of letters. I am hoping to get at least THREE letters done tomorrow. Hopefully.

[Tracy Lee]

6 so far for yesterday and today. One more at least tonight.

[inkyletters]

I FINALLY have defeated my penpal writers block. Dearest penpals please excuse my long absence, I was having a twenty year old freak out. I finished three today with another two on the list for tomorrow so a grand total of five will go out Tuesday morning due to the holiday.

[inkyletters]

Two more written today, one a repeatish of something that wasn't delivered back in May!

My spidey senses are tingling.

[betsypreston]

Twenty year freak out?

Heh. Today I replied to a letter from December 2013. I'm not sure what your 20 year issue is, but take comfort in the fact that it has eased my mind about my 9 month lag!

I FINALLY have defeated my penpal writers block. Dearest penpals please excuse my long absence, I was having a twenty year old freak out. I finished three today with another two on the list for tomorrow so a grand total of five will go out Tuesday morning due to the holiday.

[betsypreston]

So...y'all who are writing 6 or 7 letter in a day...

How do you do it? How long is your typical letter? How do you crank out such volume?

It takes me about a day to write an 8-14 page letter. I admit, I write in front of my computer with FPGeeks forums and email and Facebook open. I watch what comes in electronically and get distracted by related searches triggered by stuff I see coming in. But I to also truly try to write long letters with humor and substance that that flat out takes time.

What tips do you have for being more efficient? Shorter letters? Fewer distractions (not gonna happen, but maybe you have some tips for minimizing the wasted time)? Other?