Tag Archives: mail

Postboxes

Postboxes (and related items): mostly in/around Okayama, Japan

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postal coin banks, envelope-esque pencil / pen holder, paintings of post boxes in Vaticane and Olympia, Greece as seen at Tsuchida Cottage

As will no doubt be *not shocking* I have quite-literally hundreds of photos of post boxes around the world, as well as other postal type artefacts – from “still lifes” of writing letters, to random global stamps, to paintings of post boxes etc. etc.

postboxes in a magazine seen at, yup, the Shinogoze post office

While I made a book out of some of the artifacts {Post’d: Letters to Elsewhere}, most don’t have a “permanent home” here in this creative life archive and well, it’s a bit of a daunting task to do *all of this all at once* so sometimes a collection just sort of falls together around a theme and says (metaphorically, i hope) “hey, this seems nice” and here is one of those times.

postal code mark as seen painted onto the street

In this case, a few post boxes – both for sending and receiving – in and around my Tsuchida neighbourhood and Okayama at large, and a few other snaps that friends here sent me (i think, sometimes i don’t know if took the photo or someone else did, no offence intended if i mistook).

No doubt this post could go on and on but instead I’ll say, “Here are some postal items, please enjoy (and remix as desired)”.

simple, rustic delivery box in the neighbourhood

Note: i have meant to start participating in #postboxsaturday Twitter activity, maybe this’ll help me start.

Continue reading Postboxes (and related items): mostly in/around Okayama, Japan →

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: Aerogrammes (and postcards of payphones and postboxes)

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Mailed aerogrammes (& postcards with payphones & postboxes) / nothing surprising.

Also a few envelopes with various cards and treats for a postcard exhibitors in NC, a Brautigan postcard artist in AZ, a young generational poet in UT, a renegade pal in ATX, and a quality slinger in KY… also Gifu and OR.

bang bang clank clunk spin spin

Typed em up on Olivetti Lettera 34 (Japan specific model with ¥ key) between my dodgy technique and a bit of a hiccup in the typer, come out a bit rough but few funner activities than rocking the keys while rocking records and knowing in a few days/weeks/months, will arrive into someones’ door.

Amongst a few quirks / things I can’t quite figure out are: I run through a whole ribbon going down one page and have to re-spin the spool. Must be something I’m missing to “slow that down”. (You’ll notice the inky fingerprints on the case from doing this over and over again)

Previously: Scored a 10 pack of Japanese aerogrammes / The post office was quite surprised at my request, took some digging around, they opened up the packet of 10 and counted out to me, just to prove were really 10 inside. Felt almost clandestine.

Not my photo, credit unclear

PS Japanese is: 航空書簡 Kōkūshokan evoke a nostalgic feeling as these aerogrammes were my “go-to” communique for years, the design hasn’t changed in 20+ years! Unsurprisingly i suppose, i have a collection of aerogrammes from various countries i often remix into poetic substrates (see “Items: Forgotten” series).

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: usual dossiers of art, poetry and ephemera (and tea)

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The usual, ergo:

dossiers of art, poetry and ephemera

scrapbooks of same(ish)

piles to Post offices.

Also tea.

PS I enjoy this sort of activity on many levels for sure, i.e.: find playing with scissors and glue and pens very pleasant and, like the thought of spreading a little bit of goodness to various places around the world and, going to the post office gives me a little manageable errand.

I have a hard time getting “out and about” and really have to minimize screen time so this allows me to communicate and create and keep my brain active.

In these dossiers, i included prints of my paintings, bits of poetry, various insta snapshots, and letters on expired aerograms etc.

Enjoy the goodness / (of course) my address is available and you can sign up for Postal Club. I hope you hang on your fridge or put in a shoebox. 

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Kinfolk + Pals

Ichiro: Telegrams, Faxes and Letters…

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+ Telegrams, Faxes, Packages, Cards and Letters for Ichi-kun welcome +

~

Ichiro’s papa here…

1 million things to tell you and I’ll get to it all… but in brief: thank you for all your wonderful thoughts and words and sentiments from all channels.

Wonderful!

~

Next: address for dispatches (PS always available at website and other locations) ~

Ichiro Olson
937-1 Tsuchida, Naka-ku
Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken
703-8217 Japan

~

Fondly, dvo #papaweed

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Personal Musings, Post'd (cards + letters)

Mail Box Open for Delivery / Postal Info and Tips

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Postal mail is now making the journey across oceans successfully. As such, you are invited to send letters, cards, dossiers and packaged goodness to your forthcoming lil pal Ichiro Stanley Thorvald Olson.

+ Service +

Use your national postal service (assuming they are operational) and/or DHL (better for Japan then FedEx or UPS) or if available in your area, the fantastic “Yamato / Black Cat” courier service.

+ Coordinates +

Ichiro Olson
c/o Dave, Ryoko
937-1 Tsuchida, Naka-ku
Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken
703-8217 Japan

You can get fancy and print out this if desired #extracredit
〠703-8317 岡山県岡山市中区土田９３７ー1

If asked for a phone number, please use:
Ryoko Olson: +81 9075095064

If you misplace this address, its easily accessed via FB, Twitter, daveostory.com &/or search “Dave Olson uncleweed postal address” via preferred search engine.

+ Pro Tips +

When using national postal service for packages bigger than a card/letter, use the “Small Packet” option / saves money from “regular” airmail.

If sending books/magazines you can use “Printed Matter” service which again will save money (usually sent via Surface Air Lifted).

You will need to complete a customs declaration including assigning a value. Just add a nominal amount – *we know its priceless* but this is for customs duty, not insurance.

Of course, ensure you have a legible return address in case the system is thwarted by various apocalypse. We will do best efforts to let you know when your kind sentiments have arrived. Continue reading Mail Box Open for Delivery / Postal Info and Tips →

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: Aerogramme Rec’d from Ends of the Earth, Jan/Feb. 2020

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Aerogrammes from South Georgia, postcards from Antarctica… present reality of our postbox in Okayama from an intrepid traveler nephew / distiller

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: Cards, rec’d from farthest reaches of ocean & continents (Jan. 2020)

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Another postcard bonanza (“bonanza” used again for pal in Dubai) from such remote areas and the ghost of Shackleton)

Ergo: assorted British Overseas territories (disputed) Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, and Argentina on the way to Antartica.

Have some geography fun and track down these locations on a map and follow along the rambles of a fine Son of Vancouver.

Bonus: The Weakerthans sing about Shakleton (the explorer who’s influential book is pictured upon the black/white card) in Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961)

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: Cards Received, Jan. 2020, various

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What a postal bonanza of late!

Dispatches from Budapest, Nozawa onsen, Connecticut, Vancouver, Valencia + Kanazawa’s D.  T.  Suzuki museum added to say “wonderful” (which is what i think of these treats). 

Note: There was also a jet black envelope which is beyond your security clearance… and a box of new curtains which is purely practical and just happened to be delivered.

Also some black pepper but that’s a whole other story.

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: Festive Cards and Greetings, batches away!

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Batch 2 of festive greetz away from the main downtown Okayama postoffice!

And technically, this post box is just for mailing New Year’s cards within Japan, so the pedantic ones amongst you need not point this out… Festive display made for a pleasant photo.

The overall count was smaller than batch one however several bonus super-deluxe envelopes of treats in the mix.

Destinations include: Germany, UAE, Scotland, Sri Lanka, … and the usual USA / Canada locations.

Such fun applying the stamps and interacting with the post office staff as so many folks are in preparing and mailing New Year’s cards.

This lil elf dropped off 80-ish new year cards into the hopper.

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Post'd (cards + letters)

Post’d: cards/letters received (Nov – Dec 2019) from Scotland, Vancouver, Japan…

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Cards and Letters are rolling on in to the Tsuchida Cottage postbox. Each a treasure and documented for posterity as well as enjoyed for the present.

Here are a few recent arrivals with brief annotations: 

This “Thank You” card is from Naomi Maeda who made our groovy new toques documented in Misc Autumn Diary. 

Continue reading Post’d: cards/letters received (Nov – Dec 2019) from Scotland, Vancouver, Japan… →

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