Here is a fun fact that I found that gets to the heart of Jessica’s point.  Does anyone know where the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” came from and what it means?  I looked on Dictionary.com and here is what I found out:

“A graphic illustration conveys a stronger message than words, as in The book jacket is a big selling point—one picture is worth a thousand words. This saying was invented by an advertising executive, Fred R. Barnard to promote his agency’s ads he took out an ad in Printer’s Ink in 1921 with the headline ‘One Look Is Worth a Thousand Words’ and attributed it to an ancient Japanese philosopher. Six years later he changed it to “Chinese Proverb: One Picture Is Worth Ten Thousand Words,” illustrated with some Chinese characters. The attribution in both was invented; Barnard simply believed an Asian origin would give it more credibility.”

Jessica talked me into downloading the Penless app and I think the QR code writer is really a great thing.  Every greeting card, invitation or thank you note I send is unique because I will add the QR code Penless sticker with a picture or video directly from me.  It can be really spontaneous or it can be very thoughtful, but it always includes the personal touch of being on paper with the added dimension multimedia.  There is nothing like this app on the planet.  Just last week my girlfriend’s younger brother was playing baseball and he hit a home run.  I happened to capture the image on my phone.  Knowing that my girlfriend had a birthday the following week, I waited to send her that picture.  Then the following week I sent her a birthday card and wrote, “I hope your birthday is a homerun.”  And I attached the video to a Penless sticker.  I then put it in the greeting card.  It was easy and she loved the greeting card, and now she has the app on her phone.  She said that the card and the Penless app was a better gift than the bracelet I got her because it was a one of a kind.  And the thing about Penless messages is that a card and a message can always be one of a kind.  And if a picture is worth a thousand words, I think that would mean that a Penless video must be worth a bazillion!

In fact, I have a GoPro Camera.  I don’t know if you have ever had a GoPro camera, but the Penless app is the perfect complement to a GoPro camera.  In fact, I call GoPro is the Ying to the Penless Yang.  I am an outdoor guy and my adventures often take me to places that are indescribable but for a picture or video.  I don’t think some people would believe what I have seen if I did not have a picture or video.  Last summer I hosted a party with my mountain and off road bike club buddies.  I used a Penless Sticker on the invitation and used the GoPro video of our trip to Durango, Colorado.  According to National Geographic, Durango, Colorado is one of the top ten places to mountain bike in America.  The trip was fantastic, the video was awesome and the party was a hit.  And everybody loved the Penless Message invitations!

So, if you are an outdoor person or even if you are not, but you like to take videos, be creative and use a Penless message to tell your story on paper to a friend.