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.

Kristopher Geda Kristopher Geda

I feel… (California)

This may be the last postcard from Kimee and Michael’s trip to Half Moon Bay, and it’s a pretty grand one!

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Oceano Hotel & Spa (California)

What a fan-fucking-tastic postcard to receive! There’s a scribble on the back of this postcard, which had been left in the hotel room. Kimee and Michael made the absolute best of it; ask me and I’ll show you the observe next time we’re in person! I literally laughed out loud.

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Adam loves Ben (Australia)

I’m glad to learn that Bobo Bear made it all the way to Australia for Matty to send this to me. I told him about the vacation we booked for next year and he’s in support of it! Of course he is; he’s a great friend.

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I like what I like (California)

Michael asks the real questions with this postcard: “How much would you pay for a printed meme on a postcard?” Apparently, the stores in Half Moon Bay are doing a brisk business, as they charge an exorbitant $4!

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Funicular de Fuentedé (Spain)

Mi amiga Maribel me envió esta postal desde un viaje que hizo a Cantabria. Me encantan los funiculares, y éste me parece genial. Gracias a Maribel y Nacho por el recuerdo bellísimo!

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Nägelsförst (Germany)

Voici une autre carte postale envoyée par Dominique le 10 août, donc presque deux semaines plus tard qui est arrivée au même temps que le dernier. J’adore les cartes tardives. Ce vignoble en Allemagne, écrivent Dominique et son ami Stéphane, produit des très jolis exemplaires du Pinot Blanc et Tempranillo.

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Huber Weinmanufaktur (Germany)

J’ai reçu le même jour deux cartes postales de l’Allemagne envoyées par Dominique; celle-ci a été envoyée le 30 juillet! Ça m’étonne car la poste allemande est normalement très comprehensive. Dominique écrit que ce vigneron est dans la ville de Bühl, ce que nous avons traversé dans notre petite journée en Allemagne.

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Lego whale mountain (Germany)

LOL the caption I wrote sounds like a strong password! Here’s another great whale postcard from Andy’s trip to Germany last month. <3

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Half Moon Bay stamp (California)

Kimee and Michael traveled to Half Moon Bay earlier this month to escape the city but ended up running into some SF staple restaurant branches and someone describing their startup!

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Bridge of Flowers (Massachusetts)

Katie and Mejdulene took a leisurely drive to Boston, stopping at places they’d been meaning to visit. This beautiful postcard comes from one such stop!

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glittery rainbow Berlin (Germany)

My brother-in-law was also in Berlin recently and he sent us this postcard. Interestingly, it was mailed a week before Andy’s arrived!

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German diving whale

Andy has a rule when he travels: he sees a whale on a postcard and mails it to me. I love it.

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shower couple (Australia)

Matty sent this postcard in an envelope, which is why I’m posting an edited version here. Strangely, the envelope had been opened when it arrived; I wonder if it triggered an inspection of some sort?

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German stamps

Andy was traveling for work and then stopped in Berlin over the long weekend to visit a friend. He managed to find the time to send me this terrific postcard even though he was only there for like 48 hours!

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Historic Parry Sound (Canada)

Our dear friends Quinn and Lorris took a trip around Ontario with their son, paddling into the back country while canoeing. They know how to live life to the fullest these three!

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another Warsaw view (Poland)

Andy sent me another postcard from Poland; I can’t believe it since he was only there for like four days! He really enjoyed his meal at a Georgian restaurant, complete with an impressively multilingual server who was quite knowledgeable about the wines!

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More to come from the past…