Bourbon Street in the Before Days (Justin P.)A Lantern Press celebrating NOLA (Louise)Another one from NOLA (Justin P.)Some people might be a little put off by Mardi Gras shenanigans (Dave)Albert looks ready to let the good times roll (Magda)
And if you’d a movie to watch on this day, how about Dennis Quaid as Remy McSwain and Ellen Barkin as Anne Osborne in The Big Easy. It includes one of the hottest two lines ever said on screen after an awkward encounter with a lot of bashfulness.
Anne: That’s okay. I never did have much luck with sex anyway.
It’s funny, collecting Bigfoot cards started out as a lark. It was one of those things where I noticed I had a burgeoning selection of cards with that theme. Then that theme built and built and built. And now I have albums upon albums of Bigfoot postcards and ephemera. I’ve even made podcasts about Biggie, like this one with Jamo, and this one where I talk about my pocket-sized grandfather.
I’d say if you want to create a collection — or a theme of anything on postcards — start with a single card. And declare it so. Start looking. Noticing. Commenting on cards with your theme. And then one day you wake up and find yourself with what could be a world-class collection of postcards. As the saying goes: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.
Have a Biggie day.
Pie Grande enjoys Cancun on this Chibi Gutierrez-designed card. (from Daniel)That Amber Marimba stamp and hand cancellation make this one extra cool. Check out these kids playing marimba in Oaxaca, Mexico. I think I need a carved Bigfoot in my office like they have in front of Pacific Crust Pizza Company. (from Rich)Rich added this extra stamp on the back of this TouchNote card. Biggie and I both like pizza. Coincidence?There’s Biggie playing peek-a-boo. Do you see him? (from The Lost Postcard Bandit)The Lost Postcard Bandit cooked up this terrific #WhereIsBigfoot hashtag.This is a postcard I bought from the Royal Canadian Mint that includes an actual coin encased in it.Even Biggie takes selfies from above like his friends, the Kardashians.The Missing LinkBigfoot. Yeti. Sasquatch. They’re all family. (from Rachel)
It’s always interesting to look at incoming postcards in the collective. To examine them from different levels of observation. (Reminds me a a bit like the Charles and Ray Eames film Powers of Ten.) When you stand back and look a while, and have the breathing space to do it without IG tugging at your shirtsleeve, patterns emerge.
Today’s pattern is Strong Women.
I recently wrote a piece called In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream. I featured a postcard of a Storm Trooper in a dirndl that was sent to me by JoAnn. Which led to JoAnn sharing the story with the designer — and to her sending me a gift of five terrific postcards from Allen’s Halsey’s Strong Women Series. You can find Allen on IG with the very clever handle Probably Not Emma Watson. And you can find his other work at InPrint. (I wasn’t able to find a direct link to his postcards, but I’ll keep looking and update this story when I find something. I will say the cards are printed very nicely — velvet touch matte coatings on the front give a really nice hand feel.)
In addition to the Strong Women Series, I also noted I have a few other terrifically strong women on postcards to add to this piece. The Mae Jemison card sent by Betsy is from a box set from Timbuktu Labs called Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 50 Postcards of Women Creators, Leaders, Pioneers, Champions, and Warriors. Plus, I added the Fannie Lou Hamer card from Lisa.
And Marilyn. Well, Marilyn. She needs only one name. And that quote I appended to the card with her on it. So was so good.
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No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anyone but yourself.
Virginia Woolf
I saw that statement by Virginia Woolf this morning on Inspiring Quotes. Seeing it prompted me to walk away from war coverage TV for a few minutes and look at a set of recently arrived postcards. That act alone gave me a moment to pause. Breathe. A moment of zen. There’s no one unifying theme here except that the cards slowed me down.
There is something particular about postcards (and letters) from others. It’s a message that we’re all in this together. Take a little stroll with me and enjoy some pretty postcards for a few minutes. No hurry. No need to sparkle. Just be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn; then be a unicorn.
A small Blue Marble in the vastness of space (Rachel)A Killdeer in Calgary (Maggie)A Ulysses Butterfly in Queensland (Jill)A field of Irises from Immersive Van Gogh (Tammi)A Bridge Over Untroubled Water (Kristen)A Fannie Lou Hamer image (Postcards By Lisa)An art piece called Approaching Circumstance by Clarence Morgan (Justin)Year of the Tiger with my name written in Japanese (Teresa)Handmade Valentine (Katrinka)A delimiter strip can make all the difference (Nikita)And always have a tea. (Teas tasted tested by Nikita)
I was 10 years old when 400,000 people went to Max Yasgur’s farm and hung out for three days of Peace, Love, and Music. But I listened to many of the songs over and over again when my friend Paulie’s older brother bought the Woodstock album in 1971 and blasted it on his porch. My dad hated it. I loved it. Check out this three-day set list to see what a wow the music was. Also, if you love music and that Summer of Love, I’d highly recommend the Woodstock documentary that was released in 2019.
What got me thinking about Woodstock? This postcard and pin published by Bethel Woods Center and sent to me from that historic site. Here’s a direct link to the 35 postcards they sell.
Anne from Postmark’d Studio went to Woodstock recently and sent this super cool card.
If you want a laugh today, check out the misheard lyrics to this song.This pin is attached to the postcard. I want to get a surplus Army jacket and pin it on there.Two of my favorite stamps ever were part of this package — John Lennon and Woodstock Rocks on Forever
I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that.
If it’s a story I’m telling, then I have control over the ending… But if it’s a story, even in my head, I must be telling it to someone. You don’t tell a story only to yourself. There’s always someone else. Even when there is no one.
Margaret Atwood, A Handmaid’s Tale
I’ve mentioned many times how much I like handmade postcards. I’m actually really drawn to them. (Yeah, I didn’t mean to get that cute, but I think I’ll leave that in here.) They’re one-of-a-kind pieces of art. I always separate handmade cards from other cards when I get them. The trick is I’m still figuring out a way to display them. Right now I keep them in archival storage boxes. They vary so much in size I haven’t gotten an album approach yet, but I’m working on it. These wonderful handmade postcards will be in that mix.
Rachel laminated this original drawing of Biggie for a Valentine’s cardBetsy got enamel pins for the 50 states; then she made paintings. How cool is this one of the Nutmeg State?Serece created this Sumingashi floating ink art card. I’m even Zen about the cancellation; it’s another art element.Russ sent this beautiful card from NYC before Christmas. It took 7 weeks to come 90 miles north. Worth the wait. Orla sent me a second Imbolc card! This one with a heart attached.Tara was in a Magical Fairyland in November. This card arrived in February. I hope she’s still in Magical Fairyland. I’d stay. Justin created this art card for InCoWriMo. Thanks a bunch, buddy!
Orla Hegarty talked about creating Imbolc postcards on Episode 126 of The Postcardist Podcast. Here’s the wonderful one she sent me. I can feel the magic of it.
Since for me you were born too soon / And I for you was born too late / God forgives him who has estranged / Me from you for the whole year / I am already sick of love / My very gentle Valentine.
About 550 years after that first Valentine was written, I was a kid, and I used to look forward to Valentine’s Day with great anticipation. I’d bring my bag of Valentines to school, with one signed for each kid in the class. And although the nuns would try to enforce the one-kid-one-card rule, they couldn’t enforce the quality of the cards. Back then, each pack of Valentines (I think there must have been 50 in a pack) had one larger Valentine. If you were sweet on someone, they’d get the bigger card. It was a big deal. Alas, I never got a big Valentine.
Those nostalgic days are gone. But happily, Valentine’s cards aren’t. Here’s a selection of Valentine’s cards from the here and now. And as far as I know, no one sent one from prison. (Although that would be kinda cool.)
By the way, as I was writing this I was thinking about Valentine’s songs. And you know what’s one of the worst songs ever written? It’s Frank Sinatra singing My Funny Valentine. Who in the effing hell thought that was a good song? Or that negging some nice person on Valentine’s Day would be charming? Not me.
A classic from Albert & Magda (I think Maggie wrote it)Sheryl and I were a lot younger when we metIndySuz made a very nice handmade Valentine with this Pantone postcardA nice LouPaper card from Louise. Now I want some of those candy hearts.Bean sent Bluebirds of Happiness. Did you know the origins of Valentine’s goes back to the observation this is breeding season for birds?Kirsten & Lucy sent happy cats. Purr.Nikita sent this a while ago about Rocky Horror Picture Show. But now I say, Happy VD.When I got this sawtooth Rifle Paper postcard from Tracy in Michigan, I thought I hadn’t seen one like that. But then, voila! This one came from Melissa in Italy. Double sawtooth Valentine’s Day. Janet asks, “What is Cupid’s favorite band?” She answers, “KISS. Duh.” Haha.Heres the spirit of the day from Katrinka at Sugar & Kiki. It’s about connections. And this lagniappe from Sugar & Kiki is an extra postcard!This is a special Matthew Kirscht (2022) limited edition of 36 that melds two holidays
Happy Valentine’s Day to you. I hope you find connections every day of the year.
You knew the rest of the title right away, didn’t you? Get your kicks on Route 66. That Nat King Cole song tells the whole story of that famous road. And these two incoming postcards tell a story from the road.
Sylvan sent this from his travels down that famous roadNikita lives near the terminus of Route 66
Nikita sent me several Kerouac quotes on the card. This one got to be today.
Where are we going, man?
I dunno we we gotta go.
Jack Kerouac, On the Road
Hey, speaking of going places, there’s a place you should go. Ana has been writing a lot about postcards and letters on her Cartas y Postales site. Check it out. And let me say it makes a lot of difference for writers (including me) when you take the time to subscribe and comment. .
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