...old school...

Old school is cool. That's a notion I've always had. I remember the term always used in contexts that figure in the cool category. It's associated with cool alternative music we listened to while we're still in school, the nonchalant hippie attire that cool people wear or the snobbish who-gives-a-damn attitude that cool people have.

But when I was looking for a term that meant backward-looking, surprisingly old school turned up.

I was only referring to going back to posted mail or snail mail in the era of hi-tech communication. With the inherent convenience of e-mail and text messaging, communicating by snail mail definitely qualifies as backward-looking, at least for me. It is slow, it's tedious and may seem just down right absurd sometimes. Make that doubly more so to a person who hasn't sent a letter by post in over a decade.

 It doesn't help that most of what people receive by mail are just bills anyway. So I am not a fan of mailed  letters. Yet I know a friend who may be. Some people still believe that a handwritten letter is more personal, intimate even. That part I'd have to agree. Yes, it is indeed more so because of the effort put to it. Writing a letter by hand is time consuming making it more special, I guess. Plus the physicality of holding a piece of paper, maybe even touching the words written, adds  to the drama. It works well in movies. Receiving a handwritten letter is always uplifting, be it expected or not.

But it's funny that the thought of sending one can be very daunting for me. It is not solely to be blamed on my lethargy, though it's also a great factor. It is because of my ignorance of the process.

Sending a letter by post in Singapore is very simple, that is if it's already your second time to do it. Unfortunately for me, the opportunity to learn the process never presented itself before. And I never pursued the knowledge as I never thought it was necessary. So I had to fumble my way though my first. I know I looked awfully dumb asking my friends how to do it, and they in turn trying their best to impart their knowledge, in vain as what they say just fall on deaf ears, with me having no clue at all.

"You can buy the stamps from the automated machine. Just follow the instructions. It would ask which country you're sending to, show you the rates and you can pay via Nets. Very simple." These are self automated machines that people use to pay their bills; utility, phone etc. So you can only imagine the long queues on a good day. With the infamous patience of people from around here, it doesn't take a minute before you hear grunts from behind you wondering why you're taking so long. I gave it a shot. Yes. One attempt. Very simple instructions indeed. A five year old may very well have been the one who gave out the instructions. It's quite wanting, really, especially for someone who claims to be forward-looking. I left the machine and googled the nearest post office.

Old school way of buying stamps. Just go back to the basics, that is if you need to send a letter, visit the nearest post office for stamps and for the drop box as well. Old school eh? Really cool. I'll leave the SAM for another day, if I get a reply.