Vent: Hand-written addresses and USPS

lkristenj · May 2014

I don't know if it's just me or if others have had this problem too. I just want to get it out.

I sent my Save-the-Date cards out at the very beginning of May (5/3/14) through USPS. So far, I've had three returned for unreadable addresses.

I'm not sure what about them is "unreadable". I have somewhat neat cursive handwriting that is easily legible (and by others besides just me). Is everything read by a machine at the post office? Do people not read cursive anymore?

I took the time to write each address myself for all of the STD cards and having them come back is not fun.

What really gets me though is that I had one come back yesterday. YESTERDAY! It's been floating around in post office limbo for three weeks. The kicker? This person lives in the same apartment complex as me. I know their address is 100% accurate. I visit them regularly. I even watched their cats two weeks ago. I KNOW their address (and wrote it properly). I wanted to send their STD through the mail because it's more formal and who doesn't like getting mail? Sure, I could have walked it over to them, but that's beside the point. The funny part is that it made it back to me and I have the same exact address as they do except with a different apartment number, so if it can find me, why can't it find them?

It's really quite ridiculous. The others I know are accurate as well and they've just come back because they were "unreadable". If I wasn't worried about their privacy, I'd post pictures to show you. Still, I can post a sample of my writing, right? (It's not a great quality image, but you get the idea.)

Am I crazy? Is my writing that bad? Yes, I know there are mistakes in it, but I did it quickly and didn't want to fuss with it too much. I took care and time with these envelopes. I just don't understand.

HisGirlFriday13 · May 2014

I think your handwriting is perfectly legible.

But I also think the USPS is run by minions who randomly take banana breaks and let machines try to sort the mail.

We had two STDates returned to us for addressing issues. We had three invites that never made it to their recipients (so when I called to be like, 'Are you coming?' they were like, 'We got the STDate but no formal invite, so we weren't sure if we were invited.')

Surprisingly, those three invites never came back to us, either, so I have NO idea where they are. Hanging out in Post Office Purgatory, I guess.

Jen4948 · May 2014

I can read your handwriting just fine, and most normal people probably can too, but they don't work for the USPS.

lkristenj · May 2014

At least I'm not crazy.

KGold80 · May 2014

Your handwriting is definitely legible.

One of my FI's coworkers never received their invitation. I know for a fact that my handwriting was perfectly legible, but it still didn't make it and I haven't had it returned as undeliverable.

USPS is stupid.

lkristenj · May 2014

HisGirlFriday13 said:

I think your handwriting is perfectly legible.

But I also think the USPS is run by minions who randomly take banana breaks and let machines try to sort the mail.

We had two STDates returned to us for addressing issues. We had three invites that never made it to their recipients (so when I called to be like, 'Are you coming?' they were like, 'We got the STDate but no formal invite, so we weren't sure if we were invited.')

Surprisingly, those three invites never came back to us, either, so I have NO idea where they are. Hanging out in Post Office Purgatory, I guess.

I've mentioned this in another thread, but thought it was appropriate here. I know you would NEVER do this, though. I actually was "uninvited" from a wedding in that way. They sent me a STD but not an invitation. I figured it got lost in the mail and used the wedding website info to fill in the gaps, planning to attend. It wasn't until 3 days before the wedding that another friend in this circle called to clarify because she hadn't gotten an invite after her STD either. Well, it turns out they had to trim the guest list for budget reasons and didn't have room for us! Talk about rude. That time it wasn't the postal service's fault. I bet many times it is.

I suppose 3 out of 100-ish (so far) is not that bad. It's just baffling to me.

CMGragain · May 2014

I hand addressed my daughter's invitations, and none came back as unreadable, but I live in a small city where postal workers really care!

MW5280 · May 2014

Holy cow! You're handwriting is awesome!

...Wanna address my invites later this summer?

lkristenj · May 2014

CMGragain said:

I hand addressed my daughter's invitations, and none came back as unreadable, but I live in a small city where postal workers really care!

Probably not the case in Houston. Almost makes me wish I had gone back to my tiny hometown to mail them. I might do that for the invitations.

phira · May 2014

Don't even get me started on USPS. Your handwriting is FINE.

mysticl · May 2014

lkristenj said:

I don't know if it's just me or if others have had this problem too. I just want to get it out.
I sent my Save-the-Date cards out at the very beginning of May (5/3/14) through USPS. So far, I've had three returned for unreadable addresses.
I'm not sure what about them is "unreadable". I have somewhat neat cursive handwriting that is easily legible (and by others besides just me). Is everything read by a machine at the post office? Do people not read cursive anymore?
I took the time to write each address myself for all of the STD cards and having them come back is not fun.
What really gets me though is that I had one come back yesterday. YESTERDAY! It's been floating around in post office limbo for three weeks. The kicker? This person lives in the same apartment complex as me. I know their address is 100% accurate. I visit them regularly. I even watched their cats two weeks ago. I KNOW their address (and wrote it properly). I wanted to send their STD through the mail because it's more formal and who doesn't like getting mail? Sure, I could have walked it over to them, but that's beside the point. The funny part is that it made it back to me and I have the same exact address as they do except with a different apartment number, so if it can find me, why can't it find them?
It's really quite ridiculous. The others I know are accurate as well and they've just come back because they were "unreadable". If I wasn't worried about their privacy, I'd post pictures to show you. Still, I can post a sample of my writing, right? (It's not a great quality image, but you get the idea.)

Am I crazy? Is my writing that bad? Yes, I know there are mistakes in it, but I did it quickly and didn't want to fuss with it too much. I took care and time with these envelopes. I just don't understand.

No they do not. Schools no longer teach cursive. If you are not taught how to write it then you don't know how to read it.

Also, the post office does specifically state that addresses should be printed.

beethery · May 2014

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

mysticl · May 2014

beethery said:

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

That's what I did. I ran them through my photo quality printer. I have horrible handwriting (and printing) and it causes me physical pain to write so my writing also deteriorates the longer I'm at it. Typing them was the best option.

VulgarGirl · May 2014

beethery said:

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

Shitdick, party of two! I'm printing my addresses right on the envelope. I dislike labels because I've seen them peel right off (especially here in the heat), but printing striaght onto the envelope works for me. And I doubt anyone will even notice.

HisGirlFriday13 · May 2014

MagicInk said:

beethery said:

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

Shitdick, party of two! I'm printing my addresses right on the envelope. I dislike labels because I've seen them peel right off (especially here in the heat), but printing striaght onto the envelope works for me. And I doubt anyone will even notice.

I think printing onto the envelope is a victimless crime, and is possibly not at all a crime.

Invites used to be hand-written and hand-address. Then engraving became popular as a way to mimic hand-writing in bulk. So why should envelopes be any different? If you're printing your invite, print the envelope.

But I don't like the little sticky labels, because (a) half the time they peel off in the weather and (b) half the time they smear and (c) they always seem to end up crooked.

VulgarGirl · May 2014

HisGirlFriday13 said:

MagicInk said:

beethery said:

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

Shitdick, party of two! I'm printing my addresses right on the envelope. I dislike labels because I've seen them peel right off (especially here in the heat), but printing striaght onto the envelope works for me. And I doubt anyone will even notice.

I think printing onto the envelope is a victimless crime, and is possibly not at all a crime.

Invites used to be hand-written and hand-address. Then engraving became popular as a way to mimic hand-writing in bulk. So why should envelopes be any different? If you're printing your invite, print the envelope.

But I don't like the little sticky labels, because (a) half the time they peel off in the weather and (b) half the time they smear and (c) they always seem to end up crooked.

Aside from peeling off, that's my other big gripe. I can never get them on anything just exactly right and it drives me batty. No one else gives a shit (that's not true, my good friend would be like..it's crooked...are you freaking out too, but she's weird like me) but it'd drive me fucking nuts.

HisGirlFriday13 · May 2014

MagicInk said:

HisGirlFriday13 said:

MagicInk said:

beethery said:

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

Shitdick, party of two! I'm printing my addresses right on the envelope. I dislike labels because I've seen them peel right off (especially here in the heat), but printing striaght onto the envelope works for me. And I doubt anyone will even notice.

I think printing onto the envelope is a victimless crime, and is possibly not at all a crime.

Invites used to be hand-written and hand-address. Then engraving became popular as a way to mimic hand-writing in bulk. So why should envelopes be any different? If you're printing your invite, print the envelope.

But I don't like the little sticky labels, because (a) half the time they peel off in the weather and (b) half the time they smear and (c) they always seem to end up crooked.

Aside from peeling off, that's my other big gripe. I can never get them on anything just exactly right and it drives me batty. No one else gives a shit (that's not true, my good friend would be like..it's crooked...are you freaking out too, but she's weird like me) but it'd drive me fucking nuts.

Aside from the fact I have really nice handwriting, that was one of the reasons we didn't do labels. I would have stressed over them.

Plusalso, you do a mail merge in Excel, load up the envelopes, and go walk away to have a cup of coffee, you come back, they're done. Easy-peasy.

lkristenj · May 2014

I just wanted to do the "right thing" by taking the time to address them myself, provided that I can. I don't have a printer at home and wouldn't even know where to start with printing envelopes anyway. My FI's grandmother designed and printed the STDs for us as a gift (she's doing the invitations too). I thought that by putting my time into addressing them myself, I was showing that I cared and doing what I am "supposed" to do. I know that there are many ways of doing things, including printing and labels. I don't really care for labels in this circumstance either.

So many things say to "hire a calligrapher" etc to address envelopes. Maybe they're just referring to the inner envelope for invitations or the invitations themselves. Hey, I'm new at this. What do I know? Still, it seems perfectly reasonable to me to address my envelopes by hand using cursive. I write in cursive regularly as it is faster than print. All my journaling and other personal writing I do in cursive. I know it's a dying writing style and that makes me sad. I'm glad it was taught to me in school.

I'm not THAT old (25), so if I was taught cursive in school, many who are of working age should also have been taught, right? I can't imagine that there are more people who can't read/write cursive in the world than those who can. My mom and grandmothers always use cursive when sending mail. Is it really that ridiculous?

It's been a learning experience, that's for sure. I hope most got to where they were supposed to go. I've gotten many calls/emails/texts from people saying they were happy to get it, so at least someone can read cursive.

Following "the rules" is complicated.

theartistformerlyknownas · May 2014

MagicInk said:

HisGirlFriday13 said:

MagicInk said:

beethery said:

I am probably going to be the shitdick that types addresses on the envelopes. I will not be doing sticker labels (that shit is for mass mailings only), but custom envelopes that I print myself, because I plan to do envelope artwork as well.

I have horrific handwriting that looks like 3 different people took turns writing most of the words. FI basically writes in dumbed-down phoenician symbols, so I think he's off the hook for addressing anything ever.

Shitdick, party of two! I'm printing my addresses right on the envelope. I dislike labels because I've seen them peel right off (especially here in the heat), but printing striaght onto the envelope works for me. And I doubt anyone will even notice.

I think printing onto the envelope is a victimless crime, and is possibly not at all a crime.

Invites used to be hand-written and hand-address. Then engraving became popular as a way to mimic hand-writing in bulk. So why should envelopes be any different? If you're printing your invite, print the envelope.

But I don't like the little sticky labels, because (a) half the time they peel off in the weather and (b) half the time they smear and (c) they always seem to end up crooked.

Aside from peeling off, that's my other big gripe. I can never get them on anything just exactly right and it drives me batty. No one else gives a shit (that's not true, my good friend would be like..it's crooked...are you freaking out too, but she's weird like me) but it'd drive me fucking nuts.

My beef with those is there is ALWAYS a finger print in one or two of the corners. Always, never fails. "Here's an invitation to my wedding, and some finger oil and a couple skin cells. Hope you can make it!"

beethery · May 2014

lolo883 said:
My beef with those is there is ALWAYS a finger print in one or two of the corners. Always, never fails. "Here's an invitation to my wedding, and some finger oil and a couple skin cells. Hope you can make it!"

But how else will we be able to test the DNA sample and make sure it's from you and not your evil twin????

theartistformerlyknownas · June 2014

lolo883 said:
My beef with those is there is ALWAYS a finger print in one or two of the corners. Always, never fails. "Here's an invitation to my wedding, and some finger oil and a couple skin cells. Hope you can make it!"
But how else will we be able to test the DNA sample and make sure it's from you and not your evil twin????

What makes you think I'm not the evil one?

Alyssa18o6 · June 2014

I was planning on self addressing mine as well! Well my Mom, my hand writing while pretty isn't always legible haha. My Mom has fantastic writing so I was going to have her to do it. I wouldn't know where to start either in printing labels

I should probably start looking into it!

carliealissa · June 2014

beethery said:

lolo883 said:
My beef with those is there is ALWAYS a finger print in one or two of the corners. Always, never fails. "Here's an invitation to my wedding, and some finger oil and a couple skin cells. Hope you can make it!"
But how else will we be able to test the DNA sample and make sure it's from you and not your evil twin????

A fingerprint, noooo!! As we've learned from thumbprint guestbooks, simply anyone could pull that envelope from the trash and use it to frame you for a crime. NO THANKS!!

ladybird29 · June 2014

That's crazy that they were returned. If the address is wrong, that's one thing, but your handwriting is fine. We had a calligrapher do ours (found a woman in New Orleans that did them for $1 an envelope!) so if it's an issue of someone not being able to read cursive writing, then all of them will come back.

atlastmrsg · June 2014

I didn't have a single envelope, done in calligraphy, returned out of about 80 sent.

I think it might be a regional thing? My Post Office actually felt like sorting them on a given day, and the OP's didn't?

futuremrsog15 · June 2014

OP your handwriting looks like mine actually! I think it is fine. I was planning to hand write my save the dates and my mom may either cursive or calligraphy my wedding invites. Question for you invite gurus ... do I need to hand write the response envelope also?

Vent: Hand-written addresses and USPS

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