Here are the postcards!

I’ve been collecting postcards since 2008. Since then, I’ve sent and received over 1800 postcards from all over the US and dozens of countries. I respond to every postcard I receive, so I’m always open for private swaps.

My origin story: Back when I was a young boy, I got the idea to write a letter to several world leaders, but I only ever ended up writing the US president and the Queen of England. I was so tickled to receive responses from President Bush and then Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II! Well, they weren’t directly from the world leaders, but rather from their staff members. President Bush sent me an autographed photograph (which I lost later in a show-and-tell accident).

One of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting sent me a very detailed letter, typed on Buckingham Palace stationery, answering all of my questions about the Queen’s horses and her corgis and her favorite foods. I marveled at the strangely-sized paper, the texture of the embossed coat of arms centered at the top of the page, and the stamps on the envelope. A real person had spent time reading my letter, responding to it, folding it and placing it in an envelope, and then more real human beings had taken the time and effort to transport it from London to some mail distribution center, to an airport in England, to an airport in the US, and back through the various USPS chains until it arrived in a plastic mailbox at the foot of my driveway in southeast Michigan.

I’m still fascinated by this process today, and all for less than the price of some chocolate! So I maintain correspondence with about a dozen penpals across the world, and send and receive postcards. At last count, I have a little under 2,000 postcards that I’ve received. Keep scrolling to see the most recent postcards that have arrived in my mailbox.

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River Tyne (England)

This terrific postcard comes from someone whose last cruise was out of San Francisco (before the pandemic). He writes how memorable was the trip and of course the sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf. In fact, he said that he recently pulled a random recipient who lives on the same street as I do in San Francisco! Small world!

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LGBT film fest in St. Petersburg (Russia)

I don’t speak any Russian at all so I have to rely on the sender’s word that this is a poster for an LGBT film festival in Saint Petersburg. That much I can read, I think: “15 - 25 November (?) 2017 | Saint-Petersburg” and then at the bottom above the URL “LGBT-Film Festival”. I love receiving such great postcards through PostCrossing!

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potted plant (Mexico)

Somehow this is the first postcard I’ve received from Mexico via PostCrossing! I’ve received others, but all from friends and family on their visits there. I find that really surprising given its proximity, its large population, and of course that I speak Spanish and even have distant family members from Guanajuato (the state where this postcard comes from).

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le grand eléphant (France)

Je ne savais pas de cet eléphant à Nantes, qui s’est paru il y a une douzaine d’années! Évidemment, il s’est changé en forme plus éco/verte maintenant, mais il continue d’attirer des milliers de touristes partout le monde! Merci à Dominique, mon ami à lettres très prolifique, pour m’avoir envoyée cette carte postale si intéréssante!

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Chimney Rock (Georgia)

Chimney Rock isn’t in Georgia (it’s in Nebraska), but the postcard itself was mailed from Georgia and I’m very happy to receive it. The sender wrote some very beautiful things about themself and their family. I really love PostCrossing!

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Mono Lake (California)

Our friends Greg and James are taking a road trip down US 395 and stopped off at Mono Lake to admire the tufa, seen here. Importantly, these geological formations provide a unique habitat for many different species, including osprey and eagle nests. I haven’t visited Mono Lake, but I hope to soon!

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poésie montréalaise (Canada)

Voici une carte postale de mon amie à lettres Corinne, qui me dit que partout la Ville de Québec on trouve des affiches jaunes comme celle-ci dans les vitrines de boutiques et de restaurants. J’adore l’idée de la poésie publique. J’éssaie de la traduire en bas (mais je ne suis pas de tout un traducteur!):

remember the miracle of our dances

their deep breath

along our extended necks

in our open, naked mouths

a nectarine-colored sap

a coming ringing

the noise will be loud

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Palm Springs is wild (California)

I love the colors and font of this postcard - it’s such a mood! It arrives from our friends Greg and James who spent the weekend in Palm Springs and took advantage of all it has to offer! It’s been on our list of places to visit for a while, but we haven’t made it happen yet. Maybe in 2022?

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greetings from Chicago (Illinois)

This stunning drawing comes from a new penpal of mine who lives not too far from Chicago! She reached out to me on Postcrossing to invited me to exchange postcards and I’m very glad she did! Here’s to a beautiful new friendship!

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Starferry Terminal (Singapore)

This postcard comes from a new penpal of mine in Singapore! I’m eager to continue exchanging postcards over the next months and year.

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handmade leaves (California)

This terrific postcard arrived just this week from two new friends whom I had the pleasure of meeting over the weekend. They crafted this hand-made postcard to send as thanks and I’m really touched! I love the green and blue together, which fit perfectly with our rainy weather.

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vintage Circus Circus (Oregon)

You already know how much I love a scallop-edge postcard, and this one is even more special because of its extremely vintage image of Circus Circus. I’ve been lucky to visit Las Vegas with some frequency, and the last time we stayed right next to Circus Circus. It’s definitely got that old-school vibe of Las Vegas, which is sadly being taken over by the somewhat character-less glass towers that permeate the area. I think I even remember hearing that Circus Circus was slated for demolition!

So this postcard is very meaningful to me, and it’s no surprise that it was sent by the incomparable Linda! Thank you, friend!

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colorful counties (Michigan)

Our dear friends Katelyn and Matt traveled to Matt’s and my homestate of Michigan recently and sent this terrific map of the lower peninsula’s counties! I love the color scheme; it reminds me of a math/geometry puzzle asking what is the fewest number of colors necessary to make sure no shapes sharing the same color touch.

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Berlin (Germany)

I do love a good night city view! This one from Berlin is really making me itch to travel, as this is a city I’ve been longing to visit for ages. I hope to be able to travel internationally soon, and Germany is high on my list!

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Fallingwater (Pennsylvania)

This postcard comes from my friend and erstwhile comrade-in-arms Fawn who was visiting our old stomping grounds of Pittsburgh and took a day trip with her mother to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s stunning Fallingwater house. I was lucky enough to visit it myself a few times back when I lived in Pittsburgh and the memories are strong and clear of its beauty and art. If you haven’t visited it in person, I absolutely recommend it!

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Divine (Maryland)

If you don’t know who Divine was, I’m not sure what you’re doing with your life. This postcard comes from my best-friend Mejdulene who writes that she was unable to resist purchasing this card when she saw it in a bookstore; they checks out. Divine is absolutely irresistible.

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American Indian Tribes (Arizona)

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This delicious postcard, oversized too which you can’t see in the scan, arrives from Arizona via Pennsylvania from our good friends Rich and Mary. They vacationed recently in Scottsdale to celebrate a milestone anniversary and enjoyed all of the art available downtown! I haven’t visited Arizona, but I have another South West state (new Mexico), so if Scottsdale is anything like Santa Fe, it must be truly magical!

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More to come from the past…