
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.
Miyazaki series 16/100 (California)
This postcard was sent after they saw their last Frameline film of the year: A Night Like This. I hope to see it and review it myself!
This one I knew, but I can't remember if I've seen it: Porco Rosso.
Miyazaki series 15/100 (California)
J&S received a postcard I sent from our trip to Oregon and they were impressed I'd written the full Zip+4. I have these written down for all my penpals!
This is from The Wind Rises.
the Joy of Cooking (Colorado)
Kimee and Michael report — appropriately for this postcard - that Amtrak food was better than expected! I have yet to take a trip in a roomette, but I'd really like to. Sadly, Amtrak does not permit large pets on board. :-(
meeting in the middle (Colorado)
This is the California Zephyr train 5 and 6 crossing each other in the opposite direction! Michael and Kimee are the most dedicated to public transit-people I know! As part of this, they took the Amtrak to Colorado and back and have lots of stories to tell!
Miyazaki series 14/100 (California)
Julian and Salvo updated me on their wine country tour with a 5-star review of Antinori! Great views, great wines.
This postcard comes from Castle in the Sky.
Ballarat (Australia)
The sender of this postcard lives in Ballarat and although we're in the summer here, of course it's winter there. I feel bad but this city has 120,000 people (perhaps incongruous with the images on the postcard) but I've never heard of it! It's only 1 hour outside of Melbourne.
Miyazaki series 13/100 (California)
Sent the night after seeing Plainclothes at Frameline, Julian was having residual thoughts about Russell Tovey. Who can blame him?!
This postcard is from Kiki's Delivery Service.
the land of Oz (Colorado)
No justification was needed whatsoever to get this great postcard, but Kimee and Michael offered one anyway: “Just climbing stairs at altitude feels like going over the rainbow.”
Miyazaki series 12/100 (California)
This postcard was sent on Juneteenth, so you can now see how far behind I am in posting (or how quickly the postcards arrive!). I've seen this film and it's truly lovely!
Sacred Rock of Acropolis (Greece)
Dominique a voyagé en Grèce, Athènes et il m’a envoyé cette carte postale. À première vue, je n’ai rien noté de special, mais maintenant en la révoyant, je vois que c’est une réprésentation des anciens bâtiments dans leur époque!
Miyazaki series 11/100 (California)
Julian and Salvo saw their first Frameline film about the time this postcard was sent: Four Mothers. They really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Miyazaki series 10/100 (California)
Another from From Up on Poppy Hill, J&S were getting excited about the impending warm weather when they wrote this. Now, they must be quite disappointed that June Gloom has returned!
Cardboard Cathedral (New Zealand)
My penpal Matty is on another great trip, revisiting New Zealand for the first time since 2011. He got to visit this new cathedral, which looks pretty great!
Pullman Car (Colorado)
Everyone should look up the Pullman Cars; what a sophisticated way to travel (for those who were permitted to do so, of course)! Thanks to Kimee and Michael for this great card from a stop over in Breckenridge.
Miyazaki series 9/100 (California)
They were looking forward to a three-day work week, thankfully! Why do we - as a society - just accept that we have to work five days per week when there's so much abundance?
This postcard is from From Up on Poppy Hill.
Café Campagne (New York)
What a lovely embedded postcard! This is from the Café Campagne in Pike Place Market (Seattle) sent from New York City by our friend's mother. It emulates a French café, too!
Miyazaki series 8/100 (California)
LOL I can't imagine why this postcard of all of them should make J&S think about father's day! Let's ponder that for a bit, shall we? ;-)
Kahlo por Juan Carlos Espejo (Nevada)
This lenticular postcard arrived from Las Vegas, sent by my brother-in-law. Terrific.
Miyazaki series 7/100 (California)
Embarrassingly, I have seen this movie, but I have to admit I didn't recognize the still! I'm just noticing now the earring, too!
Miyazaki series 6/100 (California)
Ha! I love this image; it tells such a complete story (and reminds me of my childhood)!