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Laura
Level 1: 13 points
Alltime Score: 138 points
Last Logged In: September 6th, 2010

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The Beautiful Letter by Laura

February 9th, 2007 1:07 AM

INSTRUCTIONS: Create a love letter (either real or ficticious). Figure out a way to distribute it such that either:

(A) it is viewed by a great number of people, or
(B) it is viewed by a very small number of people but as a result it completely blows their minds.

As an example of (A) consider the following:

Spiral Love Letter: Helen has vanished, and one of her admirers writes her a love letter. To impress her, he divides the letter into eighteen parts, and prints each part on a separate US Priority Mail sticker. The letter contains prose, poetry, a brief play, e-theory, and several hyperlinks (printed in blue) to significant project websites. He places the stickers on street corners in downtown Chicago, starting at Washington and Dearborn and ending at Monroe and Wabash. There are four of the same stickers per intersection, one on each corner. Each sticker lists the intersection before and after, such that readers can follow the chain of stickers to read the letter in its entirety. The path they must follow forms a spiral that progresses past the Art Institute to the Palmer House Hotel. There, the letter indicates that the reader should "go up" and contains instructions for ascending to the roof of the hotel. On the roof they find a piece of paper with more plot information in a ziploc bag.

As an example of (B), consider if the love letter were inserted into a random file in an office in which you do not work.

My first attempt I found it unclear that this was a task that was meant to actually be done. So, this was my original scenario (I am currently in the process of redoing it):
A,
I am so desperately yours, how can you not see this day to day? What is it about me that so appalls you? Why is it that we cannot look into each other's eyes anymore. I feel as though I could waste away every waking moment dreaming about your face, smell, hair, fingers. Can't you see what you're doing to me? Leading me on?
You are everything. Everything. I'm not one for sap and mush, but you bring it out in me, darling. Why can't you see?
You are beautiful. You are kind. You are smart. You are incredible. Love me. Love me.
always and forever your love, requited or not,
B


B cannot necessarily imagine having A read the letter, but at the same time cannot imagine letting the letter go unread. So, B, being as in love as they are with A but still fearing A's response to the letter goes on a flight to New York, goes to the first copy shop to the airport and prints thousands and thousands of letters for A. B then goes to the roof of every building B can find and throws the letter down into the streets of down town New York City, where B knows A will never find them.



Update:



I re-did my letter
I wrote a letter saying, simply:

I love you, and you know this. I always will and always have.
L


I hid it in a closet in a book that he will never be so inclined to read.

- smaller

Emerson's Prose and Poetry

Emerson's Prose and Poetry

I don't know what's wrong with my camera or why it takes backwards pictures. The letter is coming out of the top.



1 vote(s)

5

Ink Tea


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6 comment(s)

(no subject)
posted by Ink Tea on February 9th, 2007 5:42 AM

Did you actually do this? Which buildings?

Isobel T.
posted by Laura on February 10th, 2007 1:06 AM

No, unfortunately not. I couldn't actually do something like that myself... just an active imagination. I suppose I could have done that, but I am certainly more afraid than my fictional "B."
I also live in Phoenix, which is probably why I chose New York... if I were to do that (put out thousands and thousands of letters) it would have to be far away where no one would ever know who I was.
If this task was meant to actually be performed, I most certainly will come up with a way to do so... get over my fears and whatnot. (My letter would be much different though).

(no subject)
posted by Ink Tea on February 10th, 2007 3:00 PM

I know the text of this is vague, but I kind of think completion actually involves writing and distributing a letter, not just writing a scenario. I think the letter can be truthful in its birth, or can be about a ficticious love, but the letter itself exists and is distributed.

If you look at the other examples of completions of this task, you'll see actions being taken. This not a criticism- I see how you read it- I just think that you've got a creativity capable of executing this task in a particularly clever way, and would like to see you do it.

Please don't be offended- I'm going to suggest a do-over.

(no subject)
posted by Laura on February 11th, 2007 1:18 AM

awesome. thank you so much for your feedback. i wasn't sure if that was what i was supposed to do or not... so I suppose I'll be working on that now :)

(no subject)
posted by Ink Tea on February 13th, 2007 10:49 AM

Send me a message when you've completed this. This is one of my favorite tasks, so I like to see them completed, and am impressed that you're actually undertaking a do-over.

Good job!

(no subject)
posted by Ink Tea on April 13th, 2007 10:57 PM

Thank you! It takes balls, even to do something you know will never be found.