All Mixed Up

Confessions of a bloggy nerd: once February and the (self-imposed) pressure to mail something every day were over, I decided to scan all my blank postcards. The picture quality was vastly improved, plus I figured having them all in my computer would make writing more spontaneous and less of a process. Except that I keep discovering postcards that weren't scanned (invariably after I've written them, but usually before I drop them in the mail). And it's getting harder to remember what I sent if I don't post about it right away. And so it is that a mystery postcard was sent into the world last week without its proper documentation. A moment of silence for the unknown postcard.


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I went to Canada for the weekend, and managed to get a little old fashioned touristy correspondence going.

Written May 27 (mailed May 29):

"Smoke Rings (January 28, 1999)" by Donald Sultan

Written from a sunny deck in the lazy stretch of afternoon after a long bike ride. I love this photo - it reminds me of Laurie Anderson's epic Smoke Rings from her concert film "Home of the Brave". I didn't have time to go to the post office in Canada, so I brought it back to the US to mail.

Written and mailed May 28:

At the train station there were these postcards that had international postage already included. The cost was probably a ripoff, but what a thrill to just send it, eh? <---- note the Canadian slang  Of course, I then could not find a post box in the train station, and I would have felt a little silly having to mail my fancy Canadian postage postcard from the US (probably with US postage!), but I did find a mailbox outside the station. 

I always hated geography in school, but lately I am very interested in maps. People in the know have informed me that geography is actually not about maps at all, but I'm not letting that deter me in my newfound interest in Where Things Are.

School Spirit aka Vaults #6

Last weekend was my 25th high school reunion (eex). I didn't go, but in honor, here is a postcard from my 11th grade roommate Abijah, whose postcard writing skillz rival My Awesome Sister's.

Summer 1985 [sic throughout]:

Don't Play With Your Food

J,

Hi! I hope your summer is getting better. I just got back from "Landhope" where I saw 2 of the people I least wanted to see from "Upland" - they are "popular" and trendy & they just got their hair cut so now they think the're "Punk" - OH WELL - I saw '16 Candles' last night - it was pretty good - MB called and said she is "sooo sorry" and "will I ever forgive her?" - HA - I talked to Susan & Missy & it was good to talk to Susan again - we're trying to get a party together for Fri. YOU SHOULD COME - the SMITHS concert is tomorrow night -> I almost got us a ride with MB's friend :( - you left your shoes here (I sure you know) I should get them to you somehow - I want to go to the beach - I want U to come! - My cat misses U! <- me too. This concert for Africa sounds good. but the one in London has the only good groups - ELVIS COSTELLO will be there! I won't :( why can't he come here? why can't I go there? - OH WELL. this is a boring note but it's something.

-Love, Abijah

summer - HA!

P.S. we should get together. W/B

the news guy said "the" "U2s"

The use of quotation marks really makes this postcard. It reads exactly the way she spoke. I have no idea who Susan and Missy are - they didn't go to our school. MB was Abijah's friend from home that I knew a lot about but I don't remember if I actually met her. I also have no idea what MB did that made her so sorry, but they're still friends, so they clearly managed to muddle through.

And that concert for Africa? That would be Live Aid, of course. It is to my eternal shame that I grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia and did NOT attend Live Aid. Even if ELVIS COSTELLO wasn't there.

All of May is Mother's Day

It's been a chaotic couple of weeks, but I haven't abandoned correspondence entirely.

First: I got this sweet postcard in the mail a couple of weeks ago

"Are you my mother?"

So cute right? I immediately assumed this was a card from my friends M&J due to the cow content, but it was from my mom...reminding me that Mother's Day was approaching!

Then, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a while and we talked about going to Paris. I had already sent out the few postcards I bought in Paris, but I was able to appropriate one of the cards my mom sent me a while back.

Mailed May 6:

And finally, I just got back from a trip to New York where I got to spend Mother's Day with my mom (are you sensing a theme here yet?) and other family members. At least I had my senses about me and managed to mail at least one postcard.

Mailed May 15:

I didn't go to Times Square while I was in New York, but I walked just about every place else. I even got to ride the tram to Roosevelt Island!

ETA: how did I manage a post about Mother's Day without posting my card? I was happy to find another of the wooden cards - not made by the same company. I could have mailed it as a postcard, but I put it in an envelope so it would be a surprise. Plus, I arrived about 10 hours before the card did.