...but i'm so excited!

here is my story.


so, many many years ago when i was in 4th grade, one of our English assignments was to write a letter to the soldier whose name we pulled from a hat. it sounded like an easy assignment.
a few weeks ago, while clearing and cleaning boxes that had been in storage, i came across those same letters. back then, i just knew i was written someone i didn't know that was in the military. now, on the other hand, i realize i was writing to someone serving over in Desert Storm.
it hit me.

then again, a few months ago, my step sister went to jail. for her last month she finally added me to her visitation list. during the first or second visit, i asked what she most enjoyed.. what really brightened up her day. she said "hearing your name for mail call."
that's when the light came on.

after that visit, i came home and starting searching for sites and happened upon this one. i browsed through pages of inmates listed, opened their profiles in new tabs to read more about them, and narrowed down to about half-a-dozen that i thought we'd get along (personality, interests, etc..).

since it's my first time writing a first letter to say hi, introduce and tell a little about myself, and make a favorable impression, i'll admit, i was a little nervous as what to write. i picked three people to send letters to first, doing well to make each letter as unique and custom to the person receiving it as possible (i strongly dislike mass-letters with general topics addressed).

i kept them each 1 page with the "To:" & "From:" addresses at the beginning of the letter, just in case something happened to the envelope, i didn't know if i needed to send a stamp as i don't know if they have access to stamps but sent one anyway, and made sure to include a description and offered to send a couple pictures in my next letter if they asked.

figuring in a guess, i told myself if i didn't hear back in about 2 weeks, they weren't interested and to move on. days went by, then almost a week, and i tried to not get my hopes up. then one day, almost a week after i'd sent the letters out (holiday), there it was... my first response!
i was so excited i actually jumped up and down with a big smile on my face.

that night, i read that letter over and over before starting to write a response. with that, i just started writing and before i knew it, i'd typed out 4 pages! (yes.. 12-font, single spaced, times new roman)
i sized down and printed off a few pictures, cropped off the white edges, and added little notes or personal messages to the backs of each one.
..and to top it all off, because i thought they might enjoy being able to envision a better place, i sent an event in my life that took place on an island half way around the world (sights, sounds, feelings, etc.. to help another person imagine something i remember).

the next day, my second letter was picked up and headed on its way.
then, two days later, a response letter from a second person! while very excited and wanting to jump up and down, it'd been a long day. i set the letter right next to me while i took a nap so i could give it my full attention while reading it. a few hours later i wake up and first thing i do is smile when i see that letter. i read through it over and over several time with a smile on my face then go to write my response. while not as long as my first letter (still don't know how i pulled off that many pages LOL), i size down a few picture to print off. she had asked, though, for one with my eyes since i had mentioned i had "electric blue eyes with sparks and everything!" so after coming home from a job interview the next morning, i setup some of my photography equipment for a simple shoot, took a couple dozen pictures, and picked 2 to send. sealed up my second letter and had it waiting to be picked up for that day.

now... well now, it's getting close to when i should get my first PP's response and mid-next week when i'd predict to have a response from my second PP. each time, i make sure not to include questions or bring up whatever reason they are serving time... unless they bring it up and feel like sharing (yes, i know it's shown on the site, and sometimes i'll look, but i don't see it as "need to know" to make a friend).

it's weird though, in the digital age when everyone is so use to email and that instant send/receive with just a click, it's the anticipation of getting a physical letter i can touch i enjoy more.. the eagerly checking the mailbox for something other than junk mail LOL




well, i hope you've enjoyed my story of how i came to be here and my first few penpal responses. while i won't ask for it, you're welcome to leave feedback or even better, tell me your story of how you came to think and want to write an inmate, find this site, and so on.
later!


/Brad

I too had my first pen friend though grade school, mine was in Pakistan. Latter in life to stay sober I started writing gay inmates which has been a quarter century of education. I now write about 16 inmates weekly as well as 14 non-inmates. EXcel makes muy life so easy to keep track of birthdays and pen freind stats and "word" still colours all my phrases and words as I try to type a personal note. Sometimes it is just easier to send cards and pictures.
Welcome to WAP

hey Merrill!
thanks for the reply and warm welcome... it felt kinda weird coming back to see over 50 views here and no one had left a comment.

i was thinking of asking, how often to write penpals... i mean, right now, i just wait until i get a response and make sure to have a letter ready to be mailed by the next day.

Hi Reurbo,first of all
just be patient about getting a resposne sometimes it takes awhile.
But you will enjoy it...

I write when I need to which in some cases is daily, most inmates I try to see that they gte a letter each week. I do not expect 1-for-1 answers just the curtesy to say what letters they did get. One pp in Florida is ill and has been mailed a get well card with sexy picture last 21 days in a row! I am not a patient person so I need more to write and will just not wait on a reply! Yes some pp's will not write me becuase I write too much, go figure!

thank you tayla
yes, as an Aries.. patient isn't generally my thing, but making people smile and meeting new friends i do daily! LOL

Merrill.. yeah, i've thought of just writing either of them a letter when i think of them.. which is often LOL but seeing as i'd like to at least get past introductions first and don't want to scare them off, i'm forcing myself to take it slow for now.
2-out-of-3 of the first 3 people i wrote have responded... both were at the same prison, but like i said their letters were personal, not just generic copies of each other, they each got different pictures that i sent them of me, and i've gotten into the habit of having their profile up while i'm writing them and maybe a copy of the last letter i wrote them as reference.

since the topic is closed, i'll ask here... in the Nevada section (a 2008 post) it says one of the things you're not suppose to mail inmates is stamps. i've sent stamps in my letters but don't want to get them in trouble. do they have access to stamps or how does that work if you don't send them a stamp to reply?

thanks again tayla for the friendly welcome

"thanks again tayla for the friendly welcome"

You're welcome...
not sure but I think you can check the nevada doc webside NDOC:*Nevada Department of Corrections guess you'll find rules on there about the mail and visiting and other stuff.

If you are REALLY insistent, I will call you a "Dork."

But I think "Friend" is a much better name.

__________________
"I'm done with propagandists who are willing to use any issue - race, cost, deterrence - to spare murderers' lives. Their attempts to shame a country out of delivering justice are terrorism of the intellectual variety." Brian Hickey

"The right to bear arms is the right to be free."
A. E. Van Gogt
THe Weaponshop of Ishtar

Ya, You are a DORK, but so am i. I just started writing what was on my mind. I guess i will send pix l8tr. I don't really want him to know what i look like just yet.