I can always count on my daughter to bring to light topics I would otherwise be oblivious to. Just the other night, while watching my grandson’s baseball game, she leaned back and murmured, “I was going to post this on your timeline (on Facebook), but I didn’t because I know how you are with links…half the time you say, ‘what the hell?’ and ask why I have time to look at stuff like that.” My daughter knows me well.
She knows me so well, she knew I’d take the bait. So yesterday morning she sent me the link to an article on something known in certain circles as ‘penmanship porn,’ a current online distraction, and I must say, I’m intrigued. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that handwriting, in and of itself, could land in a virtual centerfold of the worldwide web, but then again, most things found on the internet nowadays surprise me, so why should this be any different? I just might have to put the to-do list aside and allocate the day to writing. Both blogging AND for real because my penmanship is pretty darn good.
The article highlighted the entertainment and social news networking service, Reddit, and in particular a subreddit, Penmanship Porn, that features a seemingly unending train of images of handwriting samples, some so dazzling that they could be mistaken for computer fonts.
There are even video clips of various writing instruments–calligraphy pens, flairs, and the like– held skillfully and masterfully by some writer, who then guides the instrument along the paper, sometimes spelling words that might be associated with sex and sometimes simply making the same letter–typically letters with ‘tails’ such as lower case j’s and p’s–over and over again, as if either action would or could make the viewer hungry for more. To satisfy those voyeurs, there are those repetitive clips of a different fountain pen tips, some pointed, others blunt, being dipped over and over into an ink well…after-drips included, as well.
I know it sounds weird, and I really think it is, but it’s precisely subjects like these that have me wondering–with all she has on her plate: homeschooling the kids, taking care of the house, overseeing much of the work being done on the brewery, Girl Scouts, teaching yoga, and God only knows what else–how she manages to find the time to read about stuff like this! I’m glad she does, though; she introduces me to things that would elseways escape my notice.
In my family, good penmanship was especially valued, especially by my father. His was uniquely beautiful, and he occasionally practiced the art of calligraphy, fountain pen, black ink, the works. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of my older brother, who was probably around 9 or 10 at the time, being made to practice his penmanship most Sunday mornings, after Mass and before being allowed to go out to play with his friends. How he must have hated it! I can still envision the lined paper with line upon line of loops…long ones (lower case l’s) and big, voluptuous ones (upper case o’s.) Even at 67 years old, my brother’s handwriting is stellar, and I’ve always thought it better than my mine, probably because I wasn’t made to practice like him.
These days cursive isn’t even taught in most schools anymore, which is precisely why such a subject could be contrived into something that would entice someone (and apparently many, many people) to watching it being done. Over and over. Again and again. Which is probably where the association with porn comes from.
At any rate, I’m going to dig through the attic and try to find my dad’s scripts. And if I do, I’ll be sure to post them on that site….they would be a fabulous addition. My daughter was right ; she knew I wouldn’t be able to let this one go. After all, she knows I’ll try anything once (and sometimes twice!)