Saturday, August 29, 2020

Easy for the PO scanners


This envelope caught my eye on Instagram (for the layout, not the lettering). I took a screen shot, so you can go to the person's IG account. I didn't see much mail art - but this one works for our plan to make our exchange envelopes easy for the PO scanners to read. I hope that jorosie doesn't mind if I make some observations about her lettering. Her E has a quirk that has always perplexed me. The center cross bar on the E is shorter. Same thing on the F. Where did that come from? I used to see it all the time when I taught. I remember being 4 years old and making the crossbars on my little black board - and then doing two vertical erasures - to insure that the crossbars were equal - and then I would add the vertical stroke.

Maybe it's because there are some Es with serifs where the center crossbar needs to be shorter.


I could nitpick at some more letters - but will restrain myself because we need the update on Chuck. There was so much in the news about how bad Cedar Rapids and Marshalltown were hit by the derecho that I forgot to check in with Chuck in Newton. It's only a half hour from Des Moines. He was without power for a week - and was still waiting for internet and cable to be restored last time we emailed. And our California exchangers are suffering through fires and heatwaves again. And I'm guessing it's hot everywhere. 

Bah.

Listing all the hardships isn't a very good way for us to take a moment to distract ourselves.

And my alternatives tend to be plague, ticks, and mosquitos. I'll be working on some better distractions. Maybe ranting about somebody's capital E's is a *good* distraction. If you are the person who made that envelope, I hope we have not hurt your feelings. You have provided a lovely layout idea. I don't like to critique the work of the exchangers. Although we have an issue with some lowercase r's that I am going to bring up. Brace yourselves. Do you already know who you are? 

3 comments:

  1. I have had no cable or internet since the 12th

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  2. I have had no cable or internet since the 12th

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  3. Hello from Rebekah in the UK. I rather enjoy your eccentric manner. It’s refreshing to read a real voice. Regarding today’s blog and the letters “E and F” As a child, here in the UK, we were taught to form these letters with a shorter cross bar. I think perhaps you were a little harsher today. It’s the quirks and our own styles that make things more interesting. Like your blog. Regards Rebekah

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