Cards and Letters Roll #InCoWriMo

February 1, 2017 — #InCoWriMo, #incowrimo2017, hoarding, letter writing, paper, post cards

first letter and vintage postcards

high school graduation invitation

On my first day of International Correspondence Writing Month I was completely surprised by my friend in New Jersey. He started early and mailed a letter to me so that it arrived on the very first day—way to go, Marc. You completely shocked me.  I started to unpack my desk drawer full of cards, writing paper, and postcards and found that the situation is much more serious that I thought it was.  I knew I had hoarded some paper goods, but I drastically underestimated the volume of my stash.  I have removed less than half of the contents of the drawer and have a selection on the table of at least 200 different ways to send mail in February.  I found 7 plain vintage postcards of unknown age, that my mom left me with 2 cents postage printed on the front.  I am going to send one of those to the Postmaster General in case it has some value.

I have cards from all over the world, and I still think they are as artful as the day I bought them.  I found 2 copies of my high school graduation invitation, so for the first day I gave my neighbor an invitation to my graduation.  We joke about having too much stuff stored in our houses all the time, so she was the perfect recipient of this 49 year old card for which nobody has any earthly use.  I found another copy and wish I could find somebody who went to that high school to be the surprise recipient of the other.  I might work on that because it would be funny.

Maybe I will just get into mailing things and keep sending them until they are all gone, but that would take years of daily diligence.  This is a crossroads, for sure.  I need to use these paper goods or release them to another more loving home where they will be used and appreciated.  I am now even more pleased to have decided to join the correspondence challenge in February now that i review my vast collection.  I realize the people to whom I mail these cards will get a charge out of them, and I have the possibility of freeing up a large drawer in my desk to use for other purposes.  Win/win.  If you want to help me win the battle of the paper drawer send me your mailing address, gentle reader.  Thanks.

post cards from the world

post cards from the world

post cards from the world

post cards from the world

the drawer half empty