Snail Mail My Email Project Works, With Fun Results

07.08.2011
Last month, GeekTech art project , which looks at the lost art of letter writing in exchange for the "instant graticification" of sending an email or IM. Seeing as it is a free to use service, I decided to give the service a try.

Setting up a letter to send to a friend was pretty easy--just email the project with the recipient's address (which can be ), your note (no longer than 100 words), and the best bit: You can also request a doodle, a lipstick kiss, a flower petal, or even a spritz of perfume on the letter. After picking my recipient--another GeekTech writer--and requesting a doodle, my part was done.

Unfortunately, my recipient still has not received his letter, but mine appeared in a week, complete with very tidy handwriting and a well-shaded sketch of a . there's definitely more excitment in receiving a written letter than an email. Interestingly, the project has a large number of letter-writers based in various countries, meaning you don't really have to wait very long for your letter to be sent--for instance, the letter I received had been sent deom within the UK, despite the email sender being based in the US.

So, if you want to surprise a relative or have fun with a friend, certainly give Snail Mail My Email a try, as it is running until August 15. However, it comes with a warning: not only are letters not tracable, but not all of the writers are good artisits or handwriters. Still, I do believe that the gratification the project is aiming for is certainally achievable by sending or receiving the letter, if not more so than an email.

Check out the website's to see some of the best letters sent.