PostMuse

My philosophy on swapping is we are all adults and as adults we know there are risks in all areas of life. If you swap, know there is a chance you won't get something in return. Sometimes it is because the other person is an idiot (the world is full of idiots). Most times it is because the other person has stuff that happens that takes precedence over sending a postcard or letter or some other bit of expected mail. If you don't get a swap, rate a 1 without comment and try, just try, to understand that sometimes life is difficult and some people are not as capable as you at handling life's difficulties. The "bad swapper" groups and blacklists I see ALL OVER this site are just another form of bullying. It is a shame people can't deal with disappointment and must take their inadequacies out on those who may be already hurting.

And on the subject of "bad swappers," please do not message me to tell me there is a "bad swapper" in my swap or group, or one that is thinking about joining my swap/group, or peeking in my window, or dating my boyfriend, or abducted by aliens and now back and out to destroy civilization by cheating people out of a bit of mail, or any other detail relating to gossip/hearsay read on the forum or in a blacklist group.

I love to send stuff. Really. It makes me so excited to put a ton of mail in my mailbox. I don't put much emphasis on ratings and getting stuff. Nor am I looking for the perfect gift in the mail. I like the connecting part more than the getting.

This site is an amazing bit of software and staffed by a wonderful pair of administrators, not to mention many wonderful folk who have connected in such delightful ways, so I keep hanging in to see what is around the next corner.

If you have sent me something and I haven't responded, it is because I haven't been to my post office box. Also, if you send me something, and it isn't for an official swap, I will be responding via mail, so that might explain the delay in acknowledgment.

I do not appreciate anything related to religion. I am atheist and find proselytizing, especially with "innocent" Bible verses attached to swaps, inane.

I collect camels, stuff relating to bees and honey, snowmen, notecards (no square notecards), and rubber stamps. In rubber stamps I lean away from cute unless it is a camel or snowman.

I love to hear about your favorite pens. I've got a small collection of fountain pens and would like to branch out into some other types of quality pens.

I've been exchanging postcards for more than 30 years. I have specific themes I like to collect. Handmade in all of the below are also greatly appreciated.

• UNESCO World Heritage
• Camels
• Bees and/or honey related
• Windmills, especially the new wind turbines.
• Government buildings, especially fond of postcards with political commentary from the sender on the back.
• Mapcards, including regional.
• Books and reading (ie. libraries, bookstores...including ad cards, author homes, fictional characters, etc)
• Anything related to beverages.
• Anything related to food, especially ice cream.

• Anything related to mail/correspondence, like mailboxes, fountain pens, postage stamps as postcards, post offices.

  I prefer my postcards written and postmarked unless I join a swap for enveloped postcards. In those swaps, I'm joining so I can add the postcards to my Orphaned Postcard Project, which has been an absolute joy since February 2008.

Colors are wonderful. I love purple, but don't dislike any color.

I'd rather not receive anything cute unless it is clever and well-made. Hello Kitty is not clever. Dollar store items are never well-made. Jetoy seems to be both clever and well-made.

I read lots. Always have 4-5 books mid-read. What I do not read are big name authors...meaning those authors whose names are bigger than the title of the book. Best seller too often means best marketing.

And the stuff you use to write letters.. it is spelled stationery, with an "e." Stationary, with an "a," means "not moving."

The word is surprise (with a r before and after the p), not suprise. I am amazed at how often that word is spelled wrong. I thought it was a typo, but I've seen it spelled wrong way too many times, and have come to the conclusion that people are pronouncing it incorrectly, and spelling it using the incorrect pronunciation.

Firefox won't help with the stationary/stationery problem, but its spellcheck feature will break other bad spelling habits.