Tag Archives: postal mail

Diary: momentary empty nest (with letters and sewing machine) #io

Ichiro away overnight to hot springs with grandparents – our 1st day/night alone, together.

So, I wrote letters and compiled packages with books, magazines & treasures (9 total).

While Ryoko fired up a new sewing machine, starting with a bento bag.

What a wonderful life!

He hugged us on his way out the door with his dinosaur backpack, (legendary) red trucker hat & lil mtn boots – patting us on the back as though saying “you’ll be OK without me for a little bit” – and headed off on his adventure like a trooper. I’m only crying a little bit.

Projects ahoy!

}I should note it’s always a bit of a conundrum/puzzle which manner of correspondence to “catch up” on first between the email inboxes, the phone calls, the 37 different erstwhile ‘social’ platforms / but tactility always wins for me. Hooray for postal mail!}

Postal conundrums

Although I was disheartened but hardly surprised to learn international postal rates gone up a notch.

From Japan, international postcards cost ¥70 for about 30 years as i recall, but bounced up to ¥100. And aerogrammes are discontinued entirely.

I have a significant emotional connection with #aerogrammes (1 foldable pre-stamped sheet) were my go to in ‘Japan 1.0’ days.

Subsequently, I’ve acquired a little bit of a collection and often remix into my postal art. I still have a few now obsolete in Japan aerogrammes on hand for the archive.

Note: in Canada, same rate $2.80 CAD for postcard or a card/letter as well. It definitely cramped my routine!

While I understand the price raise, wishing would’ve waited a few more months as I go a little heavy on the Christmas/New Year’s cards and running a little lean on ¥¥ these days. #ManifestMoreMagicPapers

In general though, the postal rates are quite reasonable even for sending small packets internationally (are not heart attack inducing anyway)

The new required web/printed customs declaration form is a little cumbersome but again not really surprising is this has become an international standard for advanced customs clearing (allegedly/evidently).

Yeah, while postcards and letters are still straightforward to send, I have a couple of A4 sized packets with a single magazine/book each (pictured above) inside ready to mail so I’m gonna see what the “demarcation line” is between what needs a declaration and what goes unhindered.

Chit-chat message catch-up

Update / today (the next day): folded laundry, put away the grocery delivery, loaded/unloaded/loaded the dishwasher, lunch with darling wife and caught up on a few years worth of FB “Page” (not “Profile”) messages as well as various IG messages that are somehow intertwined.

It’s always so complicated. Also noticed that some of the videos I had uploaded to the aforementioned “page” went up in “reels” format which sucks and others somehow misplaced their titles. I don’t know why I try. Maybe I will stop trying.

Also telephone talked to two friends, one I haven’t seen in probably 30+ years in BC and another maybe not seen for 20+ years in New Jersey. Now I’m trying to connect with a friend in Dubai. So, bye.

Post’d: postcards with *purpose* & mostly motels

A batch of postcards went out into the world… I guess sometime ago now but their journey as long and their life in scrapbooks, shoeboxes are on refrigerators will be even longer.

I also realize my other purposes are:
* to make remind the world i still exist
* to bring joy to other peoples lives
* to make a persistent distributed creative journal/diary of life and,
* (lofty as it may seem) make tiny museums of myself all over

This is a nighttime view to bookend a daytime view of the same location sent in a previous Dispatch. Do you know where that is?

Rather than my usual “laborious custom made” creations I am tapping into the stash (kept in a red velvet covered box) of “oh my goodness, i like these postcards so much ii must keep them” which of course means I should send them out right away so they have a purpose. We all need ikigai after-all.

Besides adding a luminous stamp of my bespectacled, bearded and beheaded avatar floating above the landscapes, I also included biometric finger prints in case you need to frame me of any crimes.

Please make them easy ones to solve as I haven’t much time for court rooms

And thank you for always reminding me that what I do with post is… I don’t know… what’s the word? not important per se, possibly amusing for fictional museums – anyway, it’s good for my tattered mental health to hide out and create analog things for pals

Heck, these are even educational

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

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.

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

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

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…

“Posted: Letters from Elsewhere” – book now available

“Posted: Letters To Elsewhere “
by Dave Olson
Available for Purchase

I made a fun book of postboxes, letter slots, post offices, and letter writing “still-lifes” resplendent with stationery, inky stamps and whatnot.

Order it up for amusement and edification. https://www.blurb.com/b/9807308-posted-letters-to-elsewhere

“Ideal for armchair-travelling kids and adults alike, this portable geography primer includes 42 pages of delightful, lovingly curated and collected letter boxes, stationery, post offices, plus other postal artifacts gathered from: Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, The Vatican, Nepal, Greece, Canada, United States, Oman, Australia, Italy, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, a few other locales and the high seas.”

Fits handily in a rucksack and doesn’t use too much space on a shelf. It’s pretty! Order several

Continue reading “Posted: Letters from Elsewhere” – book now available

Post’d: cards/letters received to Okayama (generally, Autumn 2019)

Form and Function in action! Such nuanced design and kindness.

Recent(ish) incoming correspondence round-up.

Thanks Kira L. x2, Mike Mc., Kat C, Vanessa T, Jeremiah J… for making my heart and my postbox so full of joy etc.

Note: my postal address displayed for handiness.

Post’d: mailed items, various (May-June, 2018)

Post’d: items, various – May-June 2018

Various items included in postal dossiers assembled and mailed May-June, 2018 from Nusa Ceningan including a list of “desert island dips”, a typed poem, a rainbow unicorn postcard, as well as documentation of envelopes sealed with wax before sending on their Par Avion journey.

Post’d: items, various – May-June 2018

Post’d: items, various – May-June 2018

Post’d: items, various – May-June 2018

Post’d: items, various – May-June 2018

this item’s send date and location is unknown so i just added it in with this batch (with which it does not belong) so it isn’t lonely – important, right?

Post’d: postcard fronts, March 2018, vol. 1

Post’d: postcard fronts, March 2018, various

While i love sending postcards, i also love the postcards themselves – each has its own artist story behind and all of that. Yet postcards spending their infinity in a shoebox without fulfilling their destiny is rather sad. As such, i compromise by snapping a quick shot of the front before dropping into the time/space portal wormhole to intended (and thrilled no doubt) recipient.

This batch was scribbled upon in March 2018, somewhere, probably Indonesia where some of the cards originate – others from elsewhere.

Post’d: postcard fronts, March 2018, various

Continue reading Post’d: postcard fronts, March 2018, vol. 1

Post’d: postcards fronts, Feb. 2018, vol. 2

Post’d: postcard fronts, Feb. 2018, various

While i love sending postcards, i also love the postcards themselves – each has its own artist story behind and all of that. Yet postcards spending their infinity in a shoebox without fulfilling their destiny is rather sad. As such, i compromise by snapping a quick shot of the front before dropping into the time/space portal wormhole to intended (and thrilled no doubt) recipient.

This batch was scribbled upon in Feb. 2018 in Ubud, Indonesia upon postcards acquired from various Asian locales (including museums with European paintings). 2nd n a series for archival purposes, as well as ephemeral amusement.

Post’d: postcard fronts, Feb. 2018, various

Continue reading Post’d: postcards fronts, Feb. 2018, vol. 2

Post’d: postcard fronts, Feb. 2018, vol. 1

Post’d: postcard fronts, Feb. 2018, various

While i love sending postcards, i also love the postcards themselves – each has its own artist story behind and all of that. Yet postcards spending their infinity in a shoebox without fulfilling their destiny is rather sad. As such, i compromise by snapping a quick shot of the front before dropping into the time/space portal wormhole to intended (and thrilled no doubt) recipient.

This batch was scribbled upon in Feb. 2018 in Ubud, Indonesia upon postcards acquired from various Asian locales (including museums with European paintings). 1st in a series for archival purposes, as well as ephemeral amusement.

Post’d: postcard fronts, Feb. 2018, various

Continue reading Post’d: postcard fronts, Feb. 2018, vol. 1