The postcard, that cheap and venerable souvenir for the last 120 years, is slowly but inexorably fading from the scene.
Blame it on the surging popularity of digital photos, text messages and those 5,000-word dispatches e-mailed to weary friends and family from Internet cafes the world over.
Source: SF Gate: Perceptive Travel
Nooooooo! As much as I loves me some blogging and some digital photos, I still adore postcards, getting them, writing them, sending them off. I love them so much that I’m going to send one to you. But you have to send ME one, too. Tacky, gorgeous, vintage, just plain used, a picture of some place you’ve never been or went 12 years ago and still have postcards from, send ’em my way and I’ll send one to you.
In a nod to technology, we first have to trade addresses via email: [pam (at) nerdseyeview (dot) com] Send me yours, I’ll send you mine. Don’t be shy; I won’t send you anything inappropriate and I’m not stalkerish or weird. (Well, not weird in a scary way.) I have some postcards that we’ve made ourselves over the past view years, some that I never sent out, and, if I run out, well, who knows what I’ll send you.
Long live the postcard!
What a great idea. This really made me think about the pleasures of the old fashioned postcard. As a child, I remember how exciting it was to get a postcard from someone traveling abroad. It was cool to know that the other person actually touched this card and wrote on it from ANOTHER country and sent it all the way to you. And I know my mother would always send postcards to her family members and workmates, even if we went to some lame resort in the Poconos! I think it was a sign that “we still remember you,” even during our vacation of fun. It was almost insulting NOT to send a postcard. It is too easy to send an email, so it has little meaning. It is the difference between getting one of those Flash movie birthday cards sent to your email vs. someone mailing you a birthday card in the mail.
That’s fab, Neil, but where’s the email with your address?
Great idea. Count me in. Address in it’s way via email…
Hi Pam!
I just sent a quick e-mail to your e-mail address but wanted to comment here on what a cool project this is. I adore postcards; I think I learned/inherited this postcard adoration from my mother who never fails to send postcards after all these years. I would love to send one from my vast collection your way.
You might be interested in checking http://www.postcrossing.com – it’s an online community that exchanges postcards. Have a look – I’ve the impression you’ll love it.
Your lovely project inspired today’s post at:
http://teachermeetsworld.blogspot.com/
I linked my post back to your site. Thanks for the inspiration.
This is a wonderful idea! I am enthralled! I will send you something in the tacky funky category:)
I’m sending the first ones off in tomorrow’s mail…one to Spain and one to France. Postage in the US? 27c. Overseas? 94c.
Also cool? Via Flickr, you can get Moo postcards, they’re about a buck a piece. It’s what I’ll do if I run out.
Awesome idea. I’m in. I’ll send you an e-mail.
Just checking in to see how your postcard revival project is going. I’m going to post on postcards again, so thought I’d see what you were up to and if you wanted me to mention it.
Hi Pam and everyone
I just wrote another post on my blog about your project, and I also re-posted on the story about people’s for passions that I’m writing for publication. I’d love to get some comments from anyone participating in Pam’s project, or anyone who just loves them as much as we do, so please take a look at my post and leave comments there (http://cooltravelguide.blogspot.com/2008/08/postcard-stories-share-your-passion.html) or email me via the blog.
Pam – I’ll have questions for you at a later date! 🙂