M is for Mail

Mail each day used to be dreary.  Bills. Advertising for local businesses.  Credit card offers. Catalogs (well some of those could provide a diversion...) More bills.

Now, I am a member of Postcrossing.  We still get these other things, but now I receive exotic postcards from distant lands.  Going out and getting the mail is fun!

A recent card from Brazil

About Postcrossing:
 "The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world....The element of surprise of receiving postcards from different places in the world (many of which you probably have never heard of) can turn your mailbox into a box of surprises - and who wouldn't like that?"

A recent card from Russia

It startled me, looking at my profile, that I have been a member for over 5 years! (My name there is Viridian also).  I have received over 1500 postcards, and in that time I have only received a couple pairs of doubles.  All others have been unique.  I have sent out more than 1530 postcards - most have been registered, some have been lost in the mail.  I guess the cost in postage does mount up (I don't want to think about it!) but it's one of my main hobbies and one that gives me pleasure.

More on mail and postcards and stamps are on my other blog: http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/.
I run a blog hop on stamps, called Sunday Stamps, as I started turning the postcards over and noticing the wonderful works of art on the other side!

Viridian

J is for Joy

I must admit right up front that I am stealing this idea for J from Marcie at Marcie's Postbox.

She writes about the joy she gets upon receiving a postcard from Postcrossing in her mailbox. And I admit I feel the same.  In Postcrossing, you send out postcards to people you are randomly matched with, and as the postcards arrive, they are registered.  Then your name goes in the queue to receive a postcard.  This is the joyous part for me - what surprise will be in my mailbox?  A pretty card, an interesting stamp?  A postcard such as:

 

Oh, just another German village.  But this is so different compared to the dull and new American Midwest. And some of the kind messages and good wishes that Postcrossers send are wonderful to read.  I try to pick interesting card and send good wishes out when I send cards.

 

Viridian

 

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Friday Fragments May 4

Friday Fragments for this week:*****
I don't have to count down how many more days of school there are - it's over!  My last final to give was yesterday and I just have some more correcting to do.  Yippee!

*****
I don't have to post marks until Tuesday morning.  In the interim comes the parade of college students, begging for a few extra points, saying they will lose their scholarship, whining that the final was too hard, etc.  I don't post my marks until the last minute to cut down on that parade.  I hate this part of the semester.

*******
#1 Son is back in school today because his suspension is over.  Let's hope he is having a good day.  With some careful and gentle questioning, my husband found out why he was collecting cigarette butts.  Son was pretending he was in NCIS and he was collecting "evidence."  Poor guy!  But state law says the school must take action.

*******

A pretty card I received from Postcrossing.  What is Postcrossing? "The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world."  This card came from the Netherlands.

Join Mrs. 4444 for more Friday Fragments!

You can follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948

Viridian

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Postcard Friendship Friday

I just love sentimental, vintage postcards. Especially ones with landscapes on them, or perhaps lush roses, or forget me nots. Not everyone's taste I know.
This one is posted for Postcard Friendship Friday, on the Vintage Postcards blog.

I sent this one to someone on Postcrossing. What is Postcrossing? A highly addictive project! "It's a project that allows anyone to receive postcards (real ones, not electronic) from random places in the world." More on that later.