Friend,

It’s been unseasonably cool here in Chicago most of the early summer but it’s mid 80’s today and the heat is getting to me as I write to you from the top floor of a 3-flat that doesn’t have central AC. I know chatting about the weather is the most banal of topics, but I’d still be interested to hear what the afternoon is like in your neck of the woods.

Before the heat set in I was reading the news with a cup of tea and thinking how nice it would be to read a letter from you instead. Although it was obviously a good morning for news reading with all the drama going on with Wagner / Prigozhin in Russia. At some point it would be great if you feel comfortable enough with me to share your WaPo / other news passwords since I’m too cheap to subscribe to anything but the NYT at the moment.

Did you come across any interesting articles yourself today? Or maybe you want to tell me what book you’re currently reading. I’m just assuming that you’re a lover of the written word since you probably wouldn’t take the time to read this whole post and send me a missive in return if you weren’t. And that’s fantastic news, because you’re exactly who I’m looking for!

Specifically: I want someone who is willing to trade letters and hopefully skilled at constructing them! Which isn’t to imply I’m not happy to text / chat / call if we end up establishing a rapport, but I’d like to build that through longer messages. I want to feel clever writing you a witty commentary on a current event or recounting a community development meeting I attended and then enjoy the anticipation of waiting (with appropriate understanding for your probably busy schedule) for a response.

And obviously I want to learn all about you too. I’m sure your brain ticks in a fascinating pattern. And your family or at least your relationships with them are probably interesting to hear about. It’d be great if you were single or some flavor of attached that allowed for encouraging and supportive compliments with some romantic subtext. But that’s not a hard requirement! And I won’t pressure you for a ton of pictures or turn the conversation sexual in either case.

Let me know why my post intrigued you and tell me about your week to get the ball rolling!

Cheers,

W