We often hear warnings about not leaving things unattended, like children, belongings, vehicles, and of course burning candles, but what about our thoughts? Don’t we all have something housed in our brain that shouldn’t be left unattended, but instead shared?
As bloggers, we’re each given an incredible opportunity each day to instantly communicate something with the rest of the world, or at least that part of the population with access to the Internet. What a powerful chance that is doesn’t escape me. Even more compelling, but unfortunately something our monitors and keyboards don’t permit us to enjoy, is the tactile experience that can go along with the sharing of thoughts, like being the recipient of a letter or card penned by hand, signed by the sender and sealed with whatever wishes the content contains.
I’ve really come to appreciate the sense of community our blogging circle continues to cultivate, and with this in mind I started thinking of how we all might collaborate while revealing a little bit more, maybe with subject matter we normally wouldn’t include on our blogs. I also wanted to incorporate snail mail, the method of delivery we don’t use in our daily posts, and put a little sense of anticipation back into going to the mailbox, hoping for what the day’s delivery may contain. Enter ‘Do Not Leave Unattended!,’ allowing you to write, draw, create a collage, or whatever method you choose for recording your contribution in a notebook to be shared with the rest of us.
10 initial notebooks were sent out to the first participants in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Greensboro, Orlando, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Madison, Houston and Atlanta, with over twenty more put into circulation since the project kicked off in August of 2008. Where they’ll travel and how many hands will hold them is unknown at this point, but please consider this your formal invitation to be a part of the project. If you’d like to participate, please send me an e-mail right here and I’ll add you to the list I’ll be keeping of anyone who wants to contribute.
While I’ve included ‘from the Blogosphere . . .’ in the name, this project is open to everyone who wants to participate, regardless of whether or not they hold the title of Blogger. In fact, I think I’m probably anticipating non-blogger contributions a little bit more, as they’ll be coming from people who may not be used to writing on a regular basis and who might give an extra amount of thought into what they want to share. I’m expecting great things from everyone!
Each notebook will have instructions printed inside the front cover, but the how-tos worked out so far will be:
What to Contribute
You’re in complete creative control, so what you write/draw/collage is entirely up to you! Be it a simple truth, lesson learned, the best of, the worst of, something to make us laugh, cry, or simply to think about and be aware; each contribution in whatever form is a singular statement of your choosing. Not all of the pages in each notebook are lined, but if one of the unlined pages is next and your preference is to write versus drawing or otherwise, please forge ahead! If you do write something, please paste/double-sided tape in an image that relates to, or has inspired, what you’ve written. There are no word or page limits so share as much or as little as you’d like. If you see you’ll be the last contributor to your notebook, please e-mail me and let me know so I can send out a new one. If you are that last contributor, instead of forwarding it on you’ll return the notebook to me at the snail mail printed on the instructions. Whatever you decide upon, please start or finish your entry with your first name, city and state (so we’ll know where it’s been).
How it Works
Upon your receipt of the notebook, please e-mail me so I know it’s made it to its destination. Keep the notebook for no more than two weeks before sending it on its way. You may send it to someone you know (a blogger or non-blogger alike) who wants to contribute, or e-mail me for the name and address of someone who’s interested in participating.
When You’re Done
Before sending the notebook on, please send a copy of your submission so no one’s efforts are lost! A high-resolution color scan e-mailed is preferred, but a regular old black and white photocopy sent snail mail is also perfectly fine. Whether you’re returning the notebook to me or forwarding it on to someone else, please also e-mail me about where it’s headed so I can keep track.
Compiling something like this is a first for me and I’m not sure what to expect as far as volume of participation, but no matter how many I promise to honor each and every contribution by immortalizing them here, posting all submissions as soon as they’re received. I’ll ultimately be publishing an online compilation, with hopefully a hard-copy as well.
While the original notebooks will be returned to me, after I’ve had a little bit of time to be selfish with them and turn and absorb all the pages firsthand, I do plan to make them available, possibly by offering them via auction with proceeds benefiting a non-profit. I’m really not sure how the project will evolve, but I hope you’ll all want to be a part of it and stick with me as we see how far things will go.
E-mail me with any questions you might have or if you’d like a notebook sent your way. Big thanks to all of you who’ve helped get this started.
