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

“Ruff!” (Michigan)

It’s great to receive postcards from children so you can track their literacy through time! I hope to share these with Jasper some day as he grows older and comes to appreciate it.

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Books for Cooks (Oregon)

This is the combination of two of my greatest loves: eating and reading! We have one of these in San Francisco, too, and it’s one of my favorite shops ever: Omnivore Books. Thanks to Linda for sending this to me!

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Janet Echelman, 1.8 (Washington, DC)

This postcard was one of few casualties of the US Postal Service, who otherwise does a very fine job delivering the large amount of mail that I receive. Quinn is in Washington DC on a writing retreat and took a break to visit the Renwick Gallery, which is my favorite art museum in our nation’s capital! This work, 1.8 (2015) by Janet Echelman is particularly arresting!

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Quéribus (France)

J’admets que le nom de cette forteresse me fait penser à la série de fantasie Harry Potter. Mais évidemment, ce n’est pas de tout un livre mal-écrit, sinon “le Château de Quéribus (Aude) - la forteresse élevée sur un piton rocheux des Corbières (du XIème au XVème siècle) [qui] fu l’un des derniers bastions de la résistance Cathare contre l’Inquisition." Beaucoup plus intéressant, ça!

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giant Pacific octopus (California)

Do Tracy and Cynthia know that octopus is Andy’s favorite seafood? They’re enjoying their vacation in PG, one of the many places you can find this terrific creature.

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Wisconsin State Capitol

How do you remember the difference between capital and capitol? For me, I remember that most capitol buildings look like bells, and bells toll. So that’s how I remember which word goes with which phenomenon.

Anyway, Nozomi was in Madison attending a conference on her way out to her new gig in Iowa and found the time to send this great postcard. I also have admired the terrific cupola in the Wisconsin State Capitol.

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air view of Sausalito, California (Illinois)

More postcards from our niece and her boyfriend in Chicago. In fact, the postcard was purchased in Detroit before their recent move to Chicago, and now mailed to us in San Francisco. I love these vintage postcards, especially when they’ve made roundtrips!

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Mark (Australia)

Matty sent this postcard before stepping out on his next trip!

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Elk in Lakes Estes (Utah)

Colin, Mayuri, and Remy are on a cross-country trip from California to Pennsylvania, stopping in numerous beautiful places along the way. They write that this is among the most beautiful places in the USA! I hope to visit it someday.

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les pommes d’Adam, 2017 (Pennsylvania)

T saw “these giant dog dingdongs & thought of [us].” How thoughtful! :-) This is an epoxy, metal, paint, and concrete sculpture, approximately 25 feet tall (!!!) called les Pommes d’Adam. T rightfully is skeptical. “The Apples of Adam?” they ask, scornfully. “Sure, if Adam is a dog.”
I couldn’t agree more.

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the “latest style” (Oregon)

I have to admit, I’m not sure why “latest style” is in quotes. What does it mean? Isn’t it the latest? Isn’t it a style? And what exactly does it look like to serve bananas like this?! Here’s hoping Matt and Katelyn can help provide some context when we see them next!

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Grand Rapids multiview (Michigan)

Our niece Phoenix was visiting family in Grand Rapids where she also went glow golfing (which she highly recommends). Grand Rapids is a great city, I agree!

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mosaic monarch butterfly (California)

This is the first postcard that we received at our new address, and of course it comes from the ever thoughtful Cynthia and Tracy! Of course it’s a monarch butterfly, which always makes me think of our dear, late friend who raised milkweed on her balcony in Montréal so she could also raise monarch caterpillars to release.

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Budapest (Hungary)

My former student sent me this fantastic postcard from the capital of Hungary on a trip there! Thanks, Hongjian!

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Pacific Grove otter (California)

Tracy and Cynthia are spending their annual month in cooler climes and sent this beautiful hello from the rich, abundant sea life in the Monterrey Bay!

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alligator (Florida)

Our niece Phoenix traveled to Florida this past month and sent us a great postcard from her trip there! When you think about alligators, it’s strange to imagine that these giant, human-eating reptiles just wander wild in the state!

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More to come from the past…