Official 2014 InCoWriMo Participation Thread

[Type40]

now that Feb is over, thought I would dedicate more time to work than letters…hahaha…

Oh foolish first timer. The letters never stop. :)

[Saintpaulia]

Here we go! (I'm on the spreadsheet, but I wanted to be sure so I posted here, too) :)

Lori Bravo
2321 Lockhill-Selma #216
San Antonio, TX 78213
I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

[Saintpaulia]

After going without for days during InCoWriMo today the spigot was wide open! Five in my mailbox today, March 3rd. During InCoWriMo I wrote a different person every day in addition to my usual suspects from last year. 30 letters all told so my conscience is clear. Thanks again to all "old timers" and the new correspondents for these and more. Breck

[Type40]

Here we go! (I'm on the spreadsheet, but I wanted to be sure so I posted here, too) :)

Lori Bravo
2321 Lockhill-Selma #216
San Antonio, TX 78213
I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

I got the same result for the letter I sent her as well as the one I sent to Bill


Sounds like fun. And I just bought some more ink!

Bill Kelley
387 Madrona Ave SE
Salem OR 97302
USA

Return to sender...

[Bogon07]

After going without for days during InCoWriMo today the spigot was wide open! Five in my mailbox today, March 3rd. During InCoWriMo I wrote a different person every day in addition to my usual suspects from last year. 30 letters all told so my conscience is clear. Thanks again to all "old timers" and the new correspondents for these and more. Breck

I see Writingrav added an -0407 to your zip code.
Did that make the letter go faster or slower?

[Mortiana27]

I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

I got the same result for the letter I sent her as well

Hm, I have a letter going to that address too. My fingers are crossed that it magically gets through ;)

[Mortiana27]

To everyone who wrote me a letter ... thank you so much!! It has been great hearing from each and every one of you, and I've got to admit ... a letter in the box makes me squee every single time (something I've never done for any electronic communication). I'm am now tackling replies :bounce:

[Saintpaulia]

Dear Type, odd. Lori couldn't have posted her address and then moved. Must be a post office messup.




Here we go! (I'm on the spreadsheet, but I wanted to be sure so I posted here, too) :)

Lori Bravo
2321 Lockhill-Selma #216
San Antonio, TX 78213
I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

I got the same result for the letter I sent her as well as the one I sent to Bill


Sounds like fun. And I just bought some more ink!

Bill Kelley
387 Madrona Ave SE
Salem OR 97302
USA

Return to sender...

[Saintpaulia]

I see Writingrav added an -0407 to your zip code.
Did that make the letter go faster or slower?

Ken, neither. But it insures that it gets there! You can actually send a letter to someone with just those numbers and it should get to the recipient in the US, b/c that is an individual number for the recipient's address.

[mrcharlie]

Here we go! (I'm on the spreadsheet, but I wanted to be sure so I posted here, too) :)

Lori Bravo
2321 Lockhill-Selma #216
San Antonio, TX 78213
I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

If you feed that address into the usps zip code tool minus the zip code, it suggests:

2321 LOCKHILL SELMA RD # 216
SAN ANTONIO TX 78230-3003
You will note the first five of the zip code are different; that might be enough to get it returned, although I would expect that to just cause it to take longer. I doubt the lack of "RD" would matter much.

FWIW, I always run any new addresses through the usps zip code tool (https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action) without entering any zip code, and use what the tool gives me as the standard form of the person's address. If it does not agree in some major way with what I was given I try to go back to the person who gave it to me to find out why; a couple times the tool has rejected the address as not existing and that was because it was messed up in transmission to me. Yes, I am an anal jerk.

[mrcharlie]

I see Writingrav added an -0407 to your zip code.
Did that make the letter go faster or slower?

Ken, neither. But it insures that it gets there! You can actually send a letter to someone with just those numbers and it should get to the recipient in the US, b/c that is an individual number for the recipient's address.
Zip+4 is not unique per address, although it is for most USPS PO box addresses (ie anywhere where the PO has no box numbers above 9999).

[ypsilanti]

Here we go! (I'm on the spreadsheet, but I wanted to be sure so I posted here, too) :)

Lori Bravo
2321 Lockhill-Selma #216
San Antonio, TX 78213
I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

The return address on the letter she sent to me is 2313 Lockhill-Selma, Suite 216, San Antonio -- with a different ZIP. The 2313 address is a Mailboxes Etc location, so might be worth a try. The correct ZIP is 78230 for both addresses.

[Type40]

FWIW, I always run any new addresses through the usps zip code tool (https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action) without entering any zip code, and use what the tool gives me as the standard form of the person's address.
Thank you, I normally just drop it into google maps to confirm and get a since of where they are in the world. Sending out an updated letter to Lori today.

I looked at Bill's again and it isn't a bad address it's an incomplete one. There are multiples at that address and it needs an apartment or suit type of number.

[mrcharlie]

The return address on the letter she sent to me is 2313 Lockhill-Selma, Suite 216, San Antonio -- with a different ZIP. The 2313 address is a Mailboxes Etc location, so might be worth a try. The correct ZIP is 78230 for both addresses.

That must be the right answer. In my experience a wrong zip code will result in a delay but not "undeliverable", but getting the 2313 wrong would give that result.

Lesson: when signing up for pen-pal/letter exchange kind of thing, make sure to list your correct address!

[Tuppergal.Victoria]

Here we go! (I'm on the spreadsheet, but I wanted to be sure so I posted here, too) :)

Lori Bravo
2321 Lockhill-Selma #216
San Antonio, TX 78213
I got my letter to you returned "attempted - not known -unable to forward".
I checked the address and it was correct, so ... ?

The return address on the letter she sent to me is 2313 Lockhill-Selma, Suite 216, San Antonio -- with a different ZIP. The 2313 address is a Mailboxes Etc location, so might be worth a try. The correct ZIP is 78230 for both addresses.

I also had my letter returned. I thought it was bad hand writing my part, so I resent it. Oh well, I will resent once again if it comes back.

[alc3261]

28 sent, now up to 7 replies!!

[VertOlive]

FWIW, I always run any new addresses through the usps zip code tool (https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action) without entering any zip code, and use what the tool gives me as the standard form of the person's address. If it does not agree in some major way with what I was given I try to go back to the person who gave it to me to find out why; a couple times the tool has rejected the address as not existing and that was because it was messed up in transmission to me. Yes, I am an anal jerk.

I have to track specimens for our lab; I find just typing the address I have into Google will often give me the correction I need. I think of this more as a variety of "genius" than "jerkness". [See my signature]

:cool:

[LunaAzurina]

102731027410275


Thanks everyone for a wonderful introduction to fountain pens. I thought I would share these impressions of InCoWriMo with you.


LunaAzurina's
InCoWriMo 2014 Stats and Lessons Learned

Forty-six outbound/ twenty-one received

It takes nearly a month for correspondence to take a round-trip from Australia & Thailand
A letter can reach CA from NY in 3 days
" " Chicago in 2 days
" " Utah in 1 day!

One pen is not enough. Nor is one ink. Must research and remedy.

People are insanely kind & willing to mentor @ fpgeeks!

Young grasshopper bought Crane paper for InCoWriMo (which is good for ball point, FPs not so much). Quickly converted to 'R' by Rhodia paper with an eye on Tomoe River.

LAMY is a good starter pen - rather like a gateway drug of FP world - Noodlers' Ahab too.

Definition of:
-- 'flex'
-- *'Wet Noodle'
-- 'sac'
-- 'italic'
-- 'stub'
-- 'eyedropper'
-- 'bulletproof'
-- 'Goulets'
-- 'NOS'
-- 'squee' upon spying letter-carrier
-- 'pen show (!)'
-- 'piston filler'
-- 'nib'
-- 'nibmeister'
And so on.... *my favorite

Eye-popping assortment of inks
Jaw-dropping assortment of pens

It's ok to make a mess

I want to keep writing - I didn't get through my (InCoWriMo) list!

Life is not all about work.

FPens are not just tools and can inspire pleasure. Slow down, take a break, and write something sort of pleasure. Someone may read it & write back sort of pleasure.

Some people are incredibly artistic - for fun!

Inks behave differently in different pens/ nibs

Evernote/ FIFO are my 'system'

A stranger made me laugh.
A stranger made me cry.

I sat down on the couch with the TV OFF and the rain coming down outside and read your letters out loud to my husband, who enjoyed them too, and said,

"When are you going to let *me* get some chickens?" "Or a hedgehog?" And "Why the rhino?"

[Mags]

I hope Anderson Pens will also soon be part of your first impressions. Great to sit and enjoy reading your impressions list.

[yonahnah]

I love classic literature, animals, taxidermy, and cooking.
Thank you to anyone that writes. I will write back for sure.

Seriously, I sound disgusting! Why did no one say to me "don't put those interest in that order"? I don't like to cook taxidermy animals... lol.

[cwent2]

LunaAzurina

If why a rino is a question watch this video by lisa anderson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2hkayfgFEc

Thanks for the smile and a couple of lol's your post brought, your InCoWriMo letter wasn't bad either.

Cw

[VertOlive]

102731027410275


Thanks everyone for a wonderful introduction to fountain pens. I thought I would share these impressions of InCoWriMo with y


LunaAzurina's
InCoWriMo 2014 Stats and Lessons Learned

Forty-six outbound/ twenty-one received

It takes nearly a month for correspondence to take a round-trip from Australia & Thailand
A letter can reach CA from NY in 3 days
" " Chicago in 2 days
" " Utah in 1 day!

One pen is not enough. Nor is one ink. Must research and remedy.

People are insanely kind & willing to mentor @ fpgeeks!

Young grasshopper bought Crane paper for InCoWriMo (which is good for ball point, FPs not so much). Quickly converted to 'R' by Rhodia paper with an eye on Tomoe River.

LAMY is a good starter pen - rather like a gateway drug of FP world - Noodlers' Ahab too.

Definition of:
-- 'flex'
-- *'Wet Noodle'
-- 'sac'
-- 'italic'
-- 'stub'
-- 'eyedropper'
-- 'bulletproof'
-- 'Goulets'
-- 'NOS'
-- 'squee' upon spying letter-carrier
-- 'pen show (!)'
-- 'piston filler'
-- 'nib'
-- 'nibmeister'
And so on.... *my favorite

Eye-popping assortment of inks
Jaw-dropping assortment of pens

It's ok to make a mess

I want to keep writing - I didn't get through my (InCoWriMo) list!

Life is not all about work.

FPens are not just tools and can inspire pleasure. Slow down, take a break, and write something sort of pleasure. Someone may read it & write back sort of pleasure.

Some people are incredibly artistic - for fun!

Inks behave differently in different pens/ nibs

Evernote/ FIFO are my 'system'

A stranger made me laugh.
A stranger made me cry.

I sat down on the couch with the TV OFF and the rain coming down outside and read your letters out loud to my husband, who enjoyed them too, and said,

"When are you going to let *me* get some chickens?" "Or a hedgehog?" And "Why the rhino?"

Wait. You got chickens ? I didn't get a chicken....

[Toulouse]

Wait. You got chickens ? I didn't get a chicken....

Your chicken is in the mail VertOlive....

[ceramic_pizza]

I feel like I'm missing something with this chicken thing...

[LunaAzurina]

Haha, a FPG in WA has chickens... and one in Chicago has a hedgehog. As an animal lover (and egg-eater) my husband is quite jealous!

[alc3261]

So I had a re-count 36 letters sent to "new" people, letters to existing penpals not counted in that number.
12 replies so far!! :)

[VertOlive]

Hold on. I sent hedgehogs.

[TerraNoir]

Hold on. I sent hedgehogs.

This is true. You sure did!

[Dad Of Sapling]

You don't need that much room for chickens, just an 8 inch plate:pound:

[Bogon07]

You don't need that much room for chickens, just an 8 inch plate:pound:

Which makes me think of the "Ugly Chickens" episode of Drabblecast only you would need a much bigger plate.

http://www.drabblecast.org/2014/01/16/drabblecast-310-ugly-chickens/

You can read it but it is so much more fun to listen to Norm Sherman.

[alc3261]

36 sent, now up to 15 replies.

[alc3261]

Do many countries got mail on a Sunday?
We don't in the UK and haven't for many years.

[Dreck]

Do many countries got mail on a Sunday?
We don't in the UK and haven't for many years.

Not here in the U.S.. I don't know as we ever have.

[mrcharlie]

Not here in the U.S.. I don't know as we ever have.
The US had Sunday delivery until 1912.

[Dreck]

The US had Sunday delivery until 1912.

I wasn't writing letters then

[Bogon07]

The US had Sunday delivery until 1912.

I wasn't writing letters then

Not even in the Dreamlands ?

[alc3261]

Now up to 17 replies!!

[Dad Of Sapling]

It's amazing how the mail slows up once March arrives. Even my writing has slowed down now that the pressure is off.

[AndreasDavour]

Hi

I'm in.

I'll keep writing my pen pals from last year, but wont mind the frenzy of some more for February.

I have so far replied to all letters sent my way, so send it to:
Andreas Davour
Marmorvagen 9A
752 44 Uppsala
Sweden

Hi

My February didn't pan out as expected, and now I've had an accident which have wiped out all tracking info of whom I've answered and not. I don't have the energy to go back and reply to everyone again, so I might have missed someone. My offer to reply to all might then not be fulfilled. Sorry about that.

I'll back to the regular correspondents as time allows.

[caribbean_skye]

Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope everything is okay

[writingrav]

Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope everything is okay

Me too!

[Tuppergal.Victoria]

Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope everything is okay

Me too!

Sorry to hear that, just take care of yourself.

[L'ETALON]

feb 26 letter returned yesterday,address appears correct.p.o. sas apt number incorrect and zipcode incorrect/patlandon5@ymail.com

[alc3261]

Update 36 out, now 20 replies. :)

[alc3261]

36 out, 21 replies!! They are still coming in :)

[Lady Onogaro]

I sent several out this week, and got a reply today.

[tiffanyhenschel]

I sent several out this week, and got a reply today.

I received mine today! :)

[Mags]

I think at some point 2014 InCoWriMo morphs in to pen pals because I have several letters a week all of which I enjoy reading as there is something about pens, ink or stationary in each letter.

So my pen pals know three are written, one with postage the others need stamps for US or overseas destinations and I have three more replies to compose later today.

I will try to post it all on Tuesday.

[andrewsmash]

Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope everything is okay

Me too!

Sorry to hear that, just take care of yourself.


Really sorry to hear this , take care of yourself and i hope everything is okay.

[DMurphy]

I would really like to start participating this year!

David Murphy
3944 N Narcissus Ave
Broken Arrow, OK 74012

[ypsilanti]

I would really like to start participating this year!

David Murphy
3944 N Narcissus Ave
Broken Arrow, OK 74012

Welcome, David! If you're looking for an ongoing correspondence, please post your address in the InCo Pen Pals thread. Then pick a few addresses there and write some letters!

InCoWriMo is in February. Someone will start a 2015 participation thread in January.

[AKnight]

Dropped off last year but I'm back for more...I'm in!
Anwar Knight
402-340 Lonsdale Road
Toronto, ON
M5P 1R2
Canada

[youstruckgold]

I've moved. New address is 1 Mayfield Grove. Caulfield North 3161 Victoria, AUSTRALIA [emoji198]