1) Stamps from British Overseas Indian Territory Diego Garcia, thanks Cmdr
items, arrived by post
2) Postcard re: podcast “writers read their early sh!t” from an affable gentleman boxer in Gifu / Tip: he’s featured in a “beat sushi“ video
3) Kurt Vonnegut’s “A Man Without a Country” – pleasing to the feel hardback
4) small collectible card from Tōkaidō highway which came packed with satchels of seaweed and seeds to make a sort if savory rice porridge. Working on the series
+ etc
Pleasant chat with dear sensei Larry Harper in Utah this morning. Grateful for his kind words and to hear steps forward with his health and housing.
These Postcards come with a scribble note of unexpected affection from my official fountain pen, meanwhile, items by post of late (and late they are) include:
Everest First Day Cover Aerogramme
Inscribed book by ephemera art master
Poetry collection from a laureate
Concorde First Day Cover from a flight which may not be useful
Investigate below:
Sagarmatha/Chomolungma (aka Everest) in Aerogramme
First day Everest Aerogramme, Aug 1, 1975, Nepal / waiting for destination.
notes from a master
There is only one postmaster authorized to use this stamp / do you know who? hints: #griffinandsabine #katin Yup, Nick Bantock and his new limited edition book “WasNick”.
new poems from a champion
There is always a Present Moment to spend with Gary Snyder, poet laureate of all that is good coming my way herein Japan where he roamed from just across the Taiheyo in the Sierras.
this flight is landing before it takes off… note to self: further research
Aqaba to Amman via Concorde, first day cover envelope with all sorts of flair!
Kyoto Gion Post Office, sending postcards (including to myself)
Do you ever send postcards to yourself? It’s a really good idea.
You can remember bits and pieces of your travel along the way and when you return, you have memories ready made for archiving in a scrapbook, shoebox or other collage.
Anyhow, i do. In this instance from Kyoto Gion Post Office, sending several cards – including to myself – as well as buying a few commemorative postcards and special stamps.
Also in this case, ensuring the franking cancellation from this historic location was a curiosity.
Four views of a postcard with photo of a street car in Nagasaki on front, reverse features various inky and postal stamps. Sent to a friend in Vancouver’s West End who subsequently took these lovely photographs / thanks CA
Slightly mysterious Richard Brautigan postcard, postcard from a boxer in Gifu, lovely poetry book from a generational writer in Utah with block prints and stampsA brilliant anthropologist’s book about technology for kids, a four-color-process fanzine with bleeds, a beautifully produced poetry book (i want you to make one like this), a patch for my jacket or blanket, a packet of coffee prepared in a mailable satchel
Here we are in late April and I’m just sending first batch of “more than one” postcard at a time out into the world. Not my usual Santa sack full but well-intentioned. Safe journey, well-stamped sheets of affection!
Stopped by Mac’s goat farm yesterday and always happy to see my painting that somehow has “come true” with postcards and letters arriving regularly, with or without eating a peachFrom Shiv – a poet, publisher, Nepal/India traveler and guide, and book shop/ashram proprietor in Woodstock NY – you know I love the confidential stamp Quoting Gary Snyder from Gifu – Sage and timely advice, from a rather remarkable character / recently reading both Gary and Jason‘s books, interviews, pods etc.I used to get frustrated when people spell “Olson” within “Ae” instead of a second “o” – I used to be annoyed when people would call me “David” instead of “Dave” despite the former being my legal name… Now, neither of those things bother me – daveo is fine / this classic gem also comes from Gifu in all it’s antique gloryFrom the palm desert of California, three friends transitioning life from the rainforest to sunnier climates, making their way as they find roots. Always so grateful for support and kindness, at first for my creative projects and later for me and my little family. <3Riding along in the pick up truck with an Insta snap Fading into history, as appropriateThis one should be filed under “delivered“ as it’s 2000/1 New Year’s card, from the “time travelers” series displayed in a renegade photographer/many-other-things pal’s burley pick-up truck on a Salish sea isle, all fading into a wonderful patina due to the glorious paper used on that project along with patient, time and weather
Kind of weird but this is my first batch of letters and postcards to go out this year… (aside from a few life administration items)
Now that I’ve reclaimed my “amateur status” just hoping to spread goodwill and thanks to folks who shared special kindness with me over these last couple months. Each one made with affection, intention and decoration (& bevvie).
While I’m here >> while in bed I did scribble & stampify a batch of lovely postcards. This month’s offerings features payphones around the world. Each unique capturing variations of pinnacle of practical utility & design
Aside from the payphone postcard series, were a few other incidentals that went out in this last batch. Note: When I decide to send a postcard to someone, I consider which postcard (theme, paper, metaphor) would be *just right*, kind of my way of doing Tarot cards I guess.
Including New Year’s cards, sent out about 500+ last year (includes my “postcards as a service“ members, art dossiers, packets, presents etc.) but it never feels like *enough* >> I always have a stack half finished i’m meaning to finish & send, especially to kids.
Related: my friend Cathy Browne (now on CBC) sent me this in replay to my payphone snaps – its a beauty!
"Oh that’s a beauty! I see hopes, waiting, being lost, being found, unidentified bacteria, debris never to be collected, a pin on a map at a maintenance shed no one looks at, pockets full of coins that’s never quite enough, figuring time zones & what to say when it’s been so long."
By the way, my adorable wife mailed me a postcard from a museum she visited recently for work. Such a treat to receive! And my friend @atomicpoet mailed me a cassette mix tape with custom J sleeve. two items of quality indeed!
While I am sharing postcards, this New Year’s card was on its way to a Tzouras player in Greece but Greece & Japan’s postal systems arent getting along right now so it came back. Pretty though.
However: Re-considering my little slacker “postcard shop” as @buymeacoffee changed their payment options/workflow and my meagre little funds are captured in limbo. Admin hassles kind of takes the fun out of it :(
So my choices as I see it are:
1) Set up a “proper” shop with Shopify or Woo #hassle
2) Set up a cheap and cheerful Etsy shop #cheesy
3) Move to Patreon #Patronizing & pressure
4) Shut it and go back to sending postcards ad hoc for no reason in particular Thoughts/advice?
Ok, one more envelope to address *and* this month’s “postcard as a service” postcards are printed! Gotta figure another/different/better system than current though.
Sharp peekers maybe caught the preview in “Post’d: New Years “nengajyo” in process” and now fresh from various post office trips with stamping goodtimes comes our best wishes to you for a pleasing 2022 in the form of a card from Tsuchida Cottage featuring us in ‘The Linda Lindas” shirts and swag. Note the details.
You may be shocked that I did not *accidentally on purpose* steal the post box/pen holder but I did use the stamps at the post office to decorate the postcards because, that’s what the stamps are for – specifically featuring the coming year’s zodiac sign, the tiger. Yep, cute tigers coming on your New Year’s cards.
130 out to foreign address and around the same in process to domestic Japan (with different back and includes Japan Post special “raffle” cards) as of this writing Dec. 27 (hurry hurry printers!)
I hope one of them is for you. I’m doing my best.
Fondly from Dave, Ryoko and Ichiro
PS On the back is a poem by me (naturally) with a few sentiments about adapting to situations and using the unexpected to reinvent as well as expressing empathy.
All the Time
Reinvent
Re-create
Replenish, even Rejuvenate or Rejoice
Adapters plant seeds
and watch the trees tell time,
over decades
There’s no hurry
We’re here forever
Go slow
We’ve got all the time for you
Records, flowers and paints
Fresh coffee with a view
If you’ve had a hard year
We’re here with our ears
Pack your steamer trunk and be ready for queen tides, we’ll spark the woodstove
Ramble forth, possibly fret, maybe cry but
know – even without *believing* – light is here as needed
Always fondly.
By Dave Olson, Tsuchida, Okayama
