May 18, 2023 — Recently, my hoot of a handyman Bob took a break and asked to see Cardthartic’s selection of note cards. The guy is always full of surprises but, gotta say, this interest I did not anticipate.
Just so you can picture it, Bob is a lean six-foot-two, with his love of beer showing a bit in the belly, still-blond curly hair, and eyes that are a stunning blue. You can look at this strong and active 70-year-old and easily imagine him as the lifeguard he was from ages 20-32, working surfing hot spots along both US coasts. And, oh, the stories he does tell!
Bob explained that he wanted to find the right note card in which to pen a quick hello to an old surfing buddy who’d moved away decades ago. “Back before email, all of us guys who used to work together would keep in touch by dropping notes to each other, and it’s been awhile since he and I have talked. I’d just like him to know I was thinking of him.”
As I sat dumbfounded by this guy’s guy’s thoughtfulness, Bob went on, “We couldn’t waste good beer money on cards or stationery, so we’d write our messages on bar napkins or the back of surf shop receipts. Then we’d rip a page from one of our surfing magazines and fold it into the shape of an envelope.” He chuckled, “I remember trying to make sure to get one of the boards positioned just-so across the front so there was clear space for the address. A little tape and off it went.” Honoring emotions at its finest! 🤩
Bob’s due back here tomorrow and — after offering him the Day at the Beach and Mermaid boxed notes — I’ll ask if he remembers the sort of stuff the boyz wrote. Meanwhile, his envelope ingenuity made me consider that there is an art to writing great notes, those that people will receive and consider “keepers.” I grabbed my own stash of thoughtful notes from caring Cardies and considered what kept them in my “do not toss” box.
As it happened, notes from masterful Contributing Cardie Toni Hoepf were on top, and they quickly revealed what I feel are four valuable note-writing tips:
1. Rather than just “report” what you’re up to, share your feelings about it. For example, Toni wrote, “I had thought of retiring at the end of June, but not quite there yet. I’ll know when it’s time, and I need a plan so I don’t fail retirement!” (Haha, that last line has the makings of a great new retirement card message, doesn’t it?!)
2. Share something you value that may also enrich the reader’s life. Toni wrote, “Don’t know if you are into folk music. I’m on the board of a local organization that presents contemporary acoustic music (sixstring.org). We hosted Mary Gauthier last night and she blew it out of the water. Check her out if you’re unfamiliar.” (I created a Mary Gauthier Radio station on Pandora and enjoyed listening the whole time I was writing this.)
3. Show that you truly know and care about the person by including what we call an “I see you!” line. For example, Toni sent me our Laughing Buddha card and, inside, kindly penned, “I thought this was an apt card to send. You have a bit of the Buddha in you and it shows in the way you run your company.” (Reading this, I felt seen as well as appreciated!)
4. Lift hearts, whenever possible. In the Great Blue Heron card, Toni wrote, “This was me during the shut-down. I swear my fridge was giving me the stink eye every time I opened it!” (Hahahaha!)
We may not all be as clever and thoughtful as Toni, or as Bob as Bob, but there are lots of folks in this lonely world whose hearts will be filled by whatever we have to say.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
May 18, 2023 — Recently, my hoot of a handyman Bob took a break and asked to see Cardthartic’s selection of note cards. The guy is always full of surprises but, gotta say, this interest I did not anticipate.
Just so you can picture it, Bob is a lean six-foot-two, with his love of beer showing a bit in the belly, still-blond curly hair, and eyes that are a stunning blue. You can look at this strong and active 70-year-old and easily imagine him as the lifeguard he was from ages 20-32, working surfing hot spots along both US coasts. And, oh, the stories he does tell!
Bob explained that he wanted to find the right note card in which to pen a quick hello to an old surfing buddy who’d moved away decades ago. “Back before email, all of us guys who used to work together would keep in touch by dropping notes to each other, and it’s been awhile since he and I have talked. I’d just like him to know I was thinking of him.”
As I sat dumbfounded by this guy’s guy’s thoughtfulness, Bob went on, “We couldn’t waste good beer money on cards or stationery, so we’d write our messages on bar napkins or the back of surf shop receipts. Then we’d rip a page from one of our surfing magazines and fold it into the shape of an envelope.” He chuckled, “I remember trying to make sure to get one of the boards positioned just-so across the front so there was clear space for the address. A little tape and off it went.” Honoring emotions at its finest! 🤩
Bob’s due back here tomorrow and — after offering him the Day at the Beach and Mermaid boxed notes — I’ll ask if he remembers the sort of stuff the boyz wrote. Meanwhile, his envelope ingenuity made me consider that there is an art to writing great notes, those that people will receive and consider “keepers.” I grabbed my own stash of thoughtful notes from caring Cardies and considered what kept them in my “do not toss” box.
As it happened, notes from masterful Contributing Cardie Toni Hoepf were on top, and they quickly revealed what I feel are four valuable note writing tips:
1. Rather than just “report” what you’re up to, share your feelings about it. For example, Toni wrote, “I had thought of retiring at the end of June, but not quite there yet. I’ll know when it’s time, and I need a plan so I don’t fail retirement!” (Haha, that last line has the makings of a great new retirement card message, doesn’t it?!)
2. Share something you value that may also enrich the reader’s life. Toni wrote, “Don’t know if you are into folk music. I’m on the board of a local organization that presents contemporary acoustic music (sixstring.org). We hosted Mary Gauthier last night and she blew it out of the water. Check her out if you’re unfamiliar.” (I created a Mary Gauthier Radio station on Pandora and enjoyed listening the whole time I was writing this.)
3. Show that you truly know and care about the person by including what we call an “I see you!” line. For example, Toni sent me our Laughing Buddha card and, inside, kindly penned, “I thought this was an apt card to send. You have a bit of the Buddha in you and it shows in the way you run your company.” (Reading this, I felt seen as well as appreciated!)
4. Lift hearts, whenever possible. In the Great Blue Heron card, Toni wrote, “This was me during the shut-down. I swear my fridge was giving me the stink eye every time I opened it!” (Hahahaha!)
We may not all be as clever and thoughtful as Toni, or as Bob as Bob, but there are lots of folks in this lonely world whose hearts will be filled by whatever we have to say.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Thank you for sharing these stories. It lifted my heart💕
You’ve inspired me to reach out in a new way.
Thank you for your stories and suggestions. They always warm my heart, make me smile, or give me a new ways to connect. Your note writing tips will be used whether I’m sending one of your cards or writing a long-overdue email to a good friend. Thank you.
Enjoyed the story about Bob & his creative note & envelope abilities. Emails & texts are great but there’s nothing like having a pretty card that you just can’t part with. Like you, Jodee, I have boxes of cards that mean so much to me. I will take the box off the shelf & just sit with those notes & the wonderful sentiments inside.
Knowing Bob and his stories of his life adventures, oh how I wish I had been there when Bob came for a note card! I am sure I would have luv’d his version of how he and his buddies would write notes using receipts and envelopes fashioned out of magazine pages. It brought back memories of my dear mother Luvie and her note writing. When I was in college….about a hundred years ago….Luvie would jot a note to me on the back of a used envelope that had contained a bill that arrived in the daily mail. Luvie would pull out the bill and put it in the “to be paid” pile. Then she would use the used envelope to write me a note. If she had an extra $5.00, which she didn’t have very often, she would enclose the WAM (Walking Around Money) and send it off to me at the dorm. Luvie would use a clean new envelope from her stash and I luv’d seeing her handwriting. I HAVE SAVED THEM ALL! EVERY SINGLE ONE! My father, Chief, was famous for his notes on index cards. With his slanted block handwriting, I always knew his notes would be short and to the point. Sometimes there would be a bit of advice, sometimes a reminder, and often times a joke. I miss them both terribly, and this story about Bob and “notes” made me smile yesterday.