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Post by mailartist on Aug 17, 2016 22:38:51 GMT
All envelopes are not created equal, it seems.
I just bought a large box of envelopes from a thrift store. I liked the color, and the feel of the paper, which reminded me a bit of watercolor paper.
Well, we've had an unusually humid and muggy summer (more so than usual), and one envelope that I put out in the mailbox at night had, by the next morning, picked up enough moisture from the air that it was buckled and bloated, and as wet as if I had pulled it out of the washing machine after the spin cycle.
I couldn't send the letter as it was, since I feared it would get mashed up in the postal machines. So I brought it inside to weight it down. It's now flat, but definitely wrinkled, although an excess of packing tape should allow it to be delivered as planned.
I hope.
Our mailbox is generally dry, so the only thing I could think of was that this paper will suck up every molecule of moisture that's in the air, like those silica gel packets that come in boxes of new shoes. Most business envelopes feel like they have a plastic coating of sorts to prevent this sort of thing from happening, but maybe that's why someone got rid of the whole box.
Anybody else had problems with damp or wet envelopes? Usually they would come from rain storms, or puddles, or spilled pop, but did they travel okay? And does anybody know the best way to save a damp letter? In this case, I didn't want to chuck the wet envelope because I couldn't reuse the international stamps that were on it.
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Post by mailartist on Aug 13, 2016 13:07:21 GMT
Awesome idea! I just came back from Mongolia and I can totally see why they are doing this. Btw, in the capital of 1.5 million people there are literally 3 places to send mail from (post office, airport 18 kms outside the city and some other place)... Definitely makes me consider that "the ability to send/receive mail" is not a given around the world. In fact, I wonder if everybody on the planet has conscripted mail-sending opportunities (regardless of how robust their country's postal service is), largely because it's not equal around the world. We may have no problem sending mail from our country, but if the recipient country doesn't deliver it, that letter is dead. On the online snail-mail boards, you'll find some countries heavily represented (US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Brazil, for example), but other countries you never see (Africa, Middle East, Central America, etc.) Some of this could be due to lack of Internet, or foreign language literacy, but a middling postal service (perhaps an outcome of political upheaval and instability) could contribute, too. Sad to think, though, that not everyone has the freedom to search for a pen pal and exchange regular letters. Makes me grateful that, in at least a country-limited sense, I do.
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Post by mailartist on Aug 11, 2016 19:41:28 GMT
Received a letter today entitled "PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE," ostensibly from one of the major candidates for the 2016 US presidency.
Needless to say, there was nothing "personal" about it. A mass-printed signature, maybe, but otherwise it was maybe a 50-word request by the associated political machine for contributions. Oh, and I should give them all other methods of contact, which (by providing this info) will give my consent to be bothered by calls, texts, emails, robo calls, etc. from this political machine whenever they like.
For all the ill-will and name calling from the current contenders, as well as accusations of being unfit to lead, it also seems that at least one candidate has no idea what "personal correspondence" even is.
This letter is "wolf in sheep's clothing." "Personal" is isn't. "Junk": yes.
At least people on this forum "get" what a personal letter is . . .
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Post by mailartist on Aug 11, 2016 13:18:47 GMT
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Post by mailartist on Jul 23, 2016 4:37:31 GMT
It's like the thing is collecting sent-from locations more than either interesting postcards (which would be fine in an envelope) or interesting communications (which don't fit). I mean, if you don't like it you don't have to do it, but sending mail that doesn't say anything just baffles me. I never thought about the "collecting" aspect before, but that makes sense, given my experience. Thus Postcrossing may be less about "saying anything" or even sending mail than it is about the allure (gamble?) of collecting the exotic. Makes me remember the toy surprises in the old cereal boxes (any other nostalgic folks remember those?), where I knew there'd be a cellophane wrapped toy at the bottom of the box, but I never knew which one. (It would bug my mother to no end: impatient me, with a newly opened box, with my arm sunk up to the elbow, rooting around the crunchy cereal to extract that cherished cellophane bag.) Invariably, I'd never manage to collect one of each, and I remember the disappointment when I'd get the same one that I had before. The first time I got that particular toy, I was jumping up and down in excitement, but the second (or later) time, it was "meh . . . blah . . . pooey." Maybe that explains some of the malaise from some Postcrossers. "Oh, bummer, another card from ____ " (fill in the blank, but usually most US locations).
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Post by mailartist on Jul 23, 2016 4:21:51 GMT
I did something like that back when ham radio operators would send QSL cards to people they talked to. Ah, yes! The QSO! Joanne (aka KA8DGL)
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Post by mailartist on Jul 22, 2016 22:00:15 GMT
Of course, I don't know, would they actually complain if you did send a letter? I can put a postcard in the envelope with it. One plus for Postcrossing for English learners is that they can participate with only minimal language knowledge. It's easy for a native speaker to send a letter, but if someone is at the "This is a cat. The cat sees the rat." stage, "Happy Postcrossing!" may be all they can manage. Their focus may be more on reading real English used by real English speakers (even though those other speakers may be second language speakers as well). Even when I kept that thought in mind, however, the expense made me appreciate the domestic letter even more.
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Post by mailartist on Jul 22, 2016 21:54:26 GMT
I dropped out after about a year, since for me a letter is better value for money; the same (expensive) postage for a single terse postcard would send a letter replete with my fulminations and boring stories, along with the occasional tuck-in. I was also deterred by the very specific and demanding postcard specifications. Plus, I'm more interested in getting to know people, rather than merely being wished "happy post crossing". I could have written this response myself, even down to the "dropped out after one year." I found it interesting for a while, but the cost-to-benefit ratio was skewed too heavily toward "expense." Lots of postcard "collectors" or very young snail mail "voyeurs," but very few folks interested in writing, communication, or stories (boring, or of any other type).
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Post by mailartist on Apr 22, 2016 21:23:50 GMT
I've found that my incoming mail drops off quite a bit during the summer months, i don't think folks want to be sat writing so much when the weathers good, plus families tend to get busier in general. Anybody else experienced this Yes, for sure on the "outgoing" end. I call it the "summer crazies," and it's a function of grass that needs clipping, and family reunions spread out all across the continent. (I imagine that Brits don't have nearly the same "road trip" travel buggers that us Yanks do.) As much as I hope to consistently write over the summer months, fall/winter is just better. So, I end up more of a seasonal pen pal, since fall (with its apples and pumpkins and falling leaves) seems to feel more "cuddle under a blanket and write." Summer has too many temptations ("fun and sun" and all that).
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Post by mailartist on Mar 25, 2016 18:55:14 GMT
I noticed that many people have left their addresses in the "Seeking penpals" section. Even if it's not visible to non-members the barrier to get access to it is not too big. Therefore I'd suggest to replace the address by a "Please contact me via PM" note. Unless you're very old and ugly, of course... Yes, removing your address from your previous postings here is probably a good idea (there is an "edit" feature), although the wrong type of folks could still PM, too. It's simply an added step for them to screen an address, but (as kalliope said) it's still not that great a barrier. Your info could still end up places you don't want it. If you want penpals going forward, it might be better for you to be proactive. In other words, lurk around some sites, looking for folks who have been active penpals for a while (like, "the middle-aged guy in Cleveland"), and send THEM the first letter. You approach them. That's a way to screen out the voyeurs from the serious folks, and if you pick right, you won't have any problem getting good responses. And as for the 5Q5L board, you could respond to people's letters, and include your own five questions, indicating that you've had problems listing your address publicly, and so are doing so privately. Your February questions were very insightful, and I wanted to write, but the month ran out before I could. These are just my thoughts on the subject. Sincerely, "Very Old and Ugly"
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Post by mailartist on Mar 25, 2016 14:39:20 GMT
Ieahleen, I just connected this thread with what I knew about your before, and my guess is that you're address was pirated for two reasons: one, you're not old, and two, where you live (which I won't repeat here. You know where that is). Simply put, if you were a middle-aged man from Cleveland, Ohio, it's likely no other site would want your information. On the other hand, if you were, say, an 18-year-old woman from Fiji, your address will show up everywhere.
There's an erroneous assumption among folks in general (and casual snail mail people) that a letter from a unique, geographic locale will be better than one from down the block. But the quality of the letter depends more on the person writing it, and good writers, and bad writers, are everywhere. However, pen pal entities are under the gun, perhaps, to publish as many exotic addresses as possible. It establishes them as more "legit" of a penpal site, and generates user traffic.
I think you were the victim of your locale more than anything, but be vigilant going forward.
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Post by mailartist on Mar 22, 2016 14:39:37 GMT
Leahleen, I would simply "offer" such persons the benefit of your trash can, giving it the same "respect" that one does junk mail (toss it), adverts in the newspaper (recycle it), spam phone calls (delete it), sales folks on the doorstep (say "No. Thanks"), and those emails that read something like "HELO, THERE! I AM RICH KWEEN! SOON TO DIE. WITH WILL, AND I THEEK YOU ARE MY NEFEW!"(which might be comical to continue reading, but which are probably best not even opening).
You're not in a position to know whether any of these folks are legit, as they are portraying themselves, or as fake as that generous KWEEN.
I wouldn't encourage the originator by sending anything back. In the future, open any unfamiliar letters near the trash can, and at the first feeling of creepiness, dump it without further thought or ado. You may want to note, in a general sense, the return address, so if future letters arrive, you can toss it directly, without even bringing it into the house.
I rather suspect that such "wife wanters" have probably tried that line on dozens of other addresses this month (and may even be married already, to boot), and that they are sad manipulators who are less looking for friendship or love than money, resources, or a fantasy. It's a line (or business, or scam), or even if someone is misguidedly read, mail order brides are not how courting and marriage is done.
I invoke something my mother always said: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." Pitch it, and move on.
In closing, count your blessings. Be grateful for the good apples in the pen pal barrel, rather than dwelling on the occasional rotten one. And yes, there will be bad ones occasionally, but don't give them greater influence over you than they'd like already.
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Post by mailartist on Mar 19, 2016 14:17:32 GMT
This sounds like a universal, if occasional, problem.
On another site this month, the blogger told folks how to remove their address from the public mail list, if desired. Apparently some have lately received unsolicited, unwanted mail. I don't know what that was (the post didn't specify), but I'm assuming that it was something other than ordinary correspondence, or exchanges of mail art.
I have had minimal problems over the years, but do occasionally get mail that straddles the line between correspondence and marketing. I take a dim view of "letters" that feel like: "Hey! look! at what! I sell!" So, business cards and promotional material, are not "letters" to me. Most of those get round-filed.
So whether one's address is reposted elsewhere, or misused once for commercial ends, I suppose what's critical is the quality of the contact. The person who wrote you may have no idea that the address was a pirated copy. This person was probably just writing a letter, and if it's a good letter, and you're up for another pen pal, then reply. Good friendships have started under weirder conditions (just ask some long-time married couples how they met for interesting stories in that regard).
I know the underlying ethos of snail mail is that one responds to whatever arrives, for as long as it arrives. Unsolicited mail is an interesting case because people don't always indicate where they found your contact information, so it can be impossible to tell whether a letter is "annoying" or "legit."
However, I don't think one has to respond to known unsolicited contacts. A simple postcard reply back, of course, thanking for the letter and explaining that one is not currently taking on new penpals because one doesn't want to neglect either one's current ones, the dog (who needs walking twice a day), and the floribunda bushes (or whatever). You may not even need to dwell on the fact that your address went viral. Just say that you're maxed out in penpals, and leave it at that.
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Post by mailartist on Mar 10, 2016 17:26:25 GMT
This lovely letter was written on October 23, 2015: It has a postmark from Virginia on October 24 (the very next day). It arrived in Minnesota today. Today . . . is March 10. By my calculations, this letter has been in transit for 138 days. By Mapquest calculations, there are 1160 miles (1866 km) between the two cities. By my calculations, this letter averaged 8.5 miles (13.5 km) a day (!). The letter has not been even remotely damaged, nor is the address incorrect or hard to read. No idea WHAT it's been doing for Halloween, AND Thanksgiving, AND Christmas, AND New Years, AND Valentine's Day. But lots of news in it about Halloween, which seems weird, since we're going on St. Patrick's Day.
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Post by mailartist on Feb 7, 2016 23:46:54 GMT
I'd love to receive an actual letter sent via surface mail no matter if it took a month or two. I do believe that Minnesota to Oklahoma IS surface mail. Not sure how else a letter COULD travel down the globe. Below-ground, maybe? "Mole mail"?
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