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.

Take this job and shove it

OK, I'm being a leetle dramatic, but this work week was just rude! To commemorate, this week's postcard is career-oriented.

Mailed April 28:

I love that the embodiment of "prestige" is wearing a snappy bowler hat and smirking so hard that rays of smugness emanate from your head.

Frankly my dear...(vaults #5)

I'm feeling lazy, so here's an old postcard:

(postmark 29 December 1985)

"J!
I LOVE the tape, especially the two songs by the Flying Lizards and Yello. (Believe it or not!) Chicago is very cold, but it has good chinese food. Everyone in this hotel is an English professor, seriously. I've never seen so many wire-rimmed glasses in all my born days. I purchased some red patent leather boots, but who knows whether or not I will wear them. Auf wiedersehn, MAGS"

I grew up in a small town where everyone pretty much knew everyone and anyone you went to school with could be described as a friend at some point. This girl and I had been sorta kinda friends in elementary school, but somehow reconnected for a brief time in high school, even though I was going to a school in a different town by then. We probably would have been good friends if I'd stayed in my original school, two awkward smartypants new wave freaks with a love of unknown music and an aversion to spritz and Jams(tm) and other '80s staples. I wonder what she is up to now.

Sent on 4/20...if you know what I mean by 4/20

Salvador Dali's work is probably more associated with LSD than marijuana, but this was mailed Friday:

Dali Atomicus, Philippe Halsman, 1948

I was able to go to the Theatre-Museum Dali in Figueres, Spain in November - it was fantastic, as expected. Of course this photograph was not there, since it was not Dali's work, but I've always loved this picture and how it captures Dali so well.

In some ways I regret how accessible the answers to everything are these days...but that didn't keep me from looking up how this picture came to be. Here is a version where you can see some of the effects employed to get this shot....but the cats were really thrown!

Dead Letter Office #1

Since I so narrowly avoided adding another half-written/never sent postcard to my pile, I thought I should do penance by posting one I wrote to my sister a lifetime ago that she never received.

Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait with Braid, 1941

"23 February 1992
Dear A -
Hola! After our talk last weekend, I've been very curious how your talk with your advisor went and if you solved the mystery of the missing cat vomit. I sent in my financial aid form but I am dreadfully afraid that it is too late, which means I can't go to school until Fall. How typically irresponsible of me, right? I am quite angry at myself over this, but oh well. What else is new? We will have a niece or nephew very soon! xo J

Hi MEEP + CINE!"

Oh dear.....I'd love to muse about the missing cat vomit (we've all been there, right?), but I am already imagining the reply my mom is going to leave about this. You see, in February 1992 I was preparing to return to college after an extended sabbatical, and as I feared, I had sent my financial aid form in too late to qualify for spring quarter aid. But I didn't wait until Fall quarter to return. I honestly don't remember if I knew when I flew back to Ohio in April that I had missed out on financial aid or maybe I was hoping they'd just give it to me if they saw I was serious about my education (this seems more likely), but let's just say there was an unpleasant conversation halfway through the quarter when a bill arrived at my mother's house. And that I never missed a financial aid deadline again.

Love you, mom!!! Sorry I was so flaky 20 years ago! xoxoxo