Even though there is an excessive heat warning out at this time I’ve taken a moment to get out to one of my favorite spots. Plus in the shade where I sat to write this was pretty nice albeit 109 out…I always start to ask myself why I stay in the desert when it gets this hot.

this space is wonderful, you get a great mix of passers by, the monotonous drone of the highway in the distance and a lovely mix of birds chirping, ground squirrels skittering by and the occasional lizard scurrying from rock to rock Oh! & cute lil’ bunnies hopping by.

So, as I sit under a majestic mesquite tree on a concrete bench taking all of this in I write to you hoping that you and your family are still safe and sane. Me and mine are doing well, thanks for taking a second to think about the person on the other end.

I’m stoked to have finally been able to contribute to the more love letters movement. I recently learned about it from Lindsey Bugbee (@thepostmansknock on social) and I highly suggest that you join the rest of us. Each month a handful of people are nominated to receive a bundle of messages encouraging them to be happy and feel the embrace of love through letters in their time of need. Hannah Brencher (@hannahbrencher on social) is the lovely mind behind this movement. I encourage you to watch her short TED talk about it here.

I got some quality time with the minuscule letter a. It is executed starting on the baseline with the left curve, stopping 1/4 space from the x-height back down to the baseline with a modified left curve, back up with the right curve this should close the bowl of the a, then back down to the baseline following the main slant turning slightly to the right into the exit stroke with a right curve.

I suppose you’d think it would be super simple to execute, I mean it is the first letter most of us learn. Not to mention the countless years we spent writing it daily. However I still struggle with it or at least chaining three of them consecutively. I rely too heavily on the guides. So the first one turns out pretty great, while the second and third suffer small imperfections, sometimes a little bit more than small…

Overall I am still happy with the progress, I will keep practicing and encouraging you to join me in this adventure and can’t stress the importance of making the first three Spencerian principles the 52º main slant and the right and left curves priority in your practice. they are imperative to the proper execution of the majority of the minuscule alphabet.

Until next week; Happy Practicing!