Letters In The Mail

Good afternoon my lovelies. Did you miss me? I sure missed all of you. It's been awhile since my last post and the only excuse I have is pure laziness. I've received lots of mail but I'm so far behind in posting on the blog that I'm certainly not going to show you everything. Today, I want to tell you about a wonderful site for writers that I discovered awhile back. It's called The Rumpus. It contains essays, reviews, interviews, and all sorts of interesting things. But the most interesting thing about their site that I want to share with you is their Letters in the Mail Subscription.  Each month you will receive two letters in the mail from other letter writers. (I am not an affiliate nor do I receive any compensation for talking about this website) Some of these letters come from famous persons. I subscribed a few months ago and I am always so excited to get my Rumpus Letter in the mail. I know what you're thinking-"why should I subscribe to a service to receive a letter in my mail when there are so many pen pal sites out there?" That's a good question, and one that has a simple answer. Because you are guaranteed to receive two letters every month. With a pen pal, you never know when they'll reply to a letter that you have written. I have been pleasantly surprised with each letter I receive.  Here's what the letters look like.

Some of the letters are handwritten and some of the letters are typed, but each one is different in the letter writing style. I even received a letter that had doodles in it. Some of the letters have an address so that you can write the author back. It's very cool really. Not only are the letters interesting, but they are inspiring. These letters are from real writers and some read like a chapter from a book. 

So go check it out now.

The Rumpus.

Have a great evening.

Change

I was up late last night revamping my blog.The old background never really was one that I was crazy about to begin with and although the current look does bring about a fresh quality, it still isn't what I truly want.  It may be tempory for now, but for how long is still to be determined. When I set out to change the look and feel of my blog I had a grand vision for what I thought would look good but I was wrong.  The above image is a vintage postcard that I bought at an antique store and which I adore. The greeting on the postcard and the image itself is really how I want to represent myself and my blog, because it really is how I feel. 

Sending and receiving mail truly is a passion and I want the world to know that it goes deeper than just showing off a few photos of mail. It's about connecting with people, learning about other cultures, and it's about leaving an imprint on this earth. It's about documenting specific moments in time that will become history. It's also about making people feel good. Every time someone receives a letter or card in the mail, I am positively 100 % sure that it brings a smile to their face. Sending mail is my calling. To most people, that statement probably sounds insane, however, I believe I was meant to send mail. It makes my heart glad. I not only get to express myself with words and creativity, but I also get to share a smile with someone else and that's what a calling is. It's following your heart so that the path you are on feels good and right deep inside your soul. It is food for your spirit.

I rambled on and I digressed. What I meant to say is that I wanted to use that postcard as the background for my blog. I added the photo, aligned it in several different positions, but it just made everything look too busy. It was a cluster f***k. Looking at it cluttered my mind and made me feel anxious, so off it went even though I really wanted to leave the message on the blog.  Maybe I will put it on the sidebar later.

I even thought about the above as a background, but no, that didn't work either.

Some of you have probably seen this before as I have made these into stickers and sent them on some of my outgoing mail in the past.  I used to write a lot of poetry but no so much anymore. This is probably one of the last pieces of poetry I've written.

I suppose that change is a slow process when the outcome has to be just right. But then again, maybe there is no such thing as a perfect outcome because eventually, if there is even a smidgen of personal growth, that perfect outcome won't be so perfect anymore, because it will be just as stale as the previous thing that evolved from change. So for now, this current change will remain until I feel the need for something different. And I know I will, eventually.

And now, on to the mail:

A Postcrossing traveling to The Czech Republic.

I Write:

Hello B, it is a Sunday morning as I rite to you from my home in Las Vegas, Nevada. I look forward to a Photoshop class I'm attending later this afternoon, as well as an endermologie treatment earlier in the day. Thos two things will take up most of the day. I am very fortunate to be able to do most of the things I want. I have a great husband who is very supportive of my many endeavors and I love him with all my heart. "Face your life, its pains, its pleasure, leave no path untaken." ~ Neil Gaiman~  Wishing you a happy life, <3 JarieLyn

Enjoy the rest of your day.

An Open Letter to my Pen Pals

My dearest pen pals,

I've been in kind of a slump lately.  I'm not sure why, but every time I sit down to write a letter, I seem to get stuck.  I have so much to say, but nothing comes out. Is this what they call, "writer's block"?  I have the words swirling around in my head but I can't seem to put pen to paper. I am a month behind in my replies.

I think about every single one of you on a daily basis. I feel like I have cultivated some real friendships through letter writing and I don't want to damage the beginning of new friendships by taking too long to respond.

Lynn M., Kimmie, Rachel, Jackie, Mariska, L. R., Lisa, Patt, Margie, Melanie and Lynn B:   I have all of your latest letters in front of me and I promise I will start replying next week in the order that they arrived.  (yes, I have a system of keeping track and I never file a letter away until I've replied to it, AND I never throw a letter away)

Melanie, you are a new pen pal and I appreciate and love the letter you sent me. Please be patient. I promise I will reply to your letter soon.

Until my pen touches paper, expect the unexpected and enjoy the magic of little moments.

Love,

~JarieLyn~
XOXOXXO

******************************************************************************

Yesterday, I wrote five postcards for Postcrossings.

One recipient was using her dog as the addressee and wanted other pets to write.

So, here's what I came up with.

This Postcrossing stirred my creative side a little. as much as writing on a postcard can. So hopefully, it will help me get back on track.

Postcrossings Milestone

Good Morning Friends!

I have reached a milestone at Postcrossing.com.

I have now officially sent 101 postcards.

Yay!

To date, I have received 88 postcards.

I love Postcrossing.

In addition to being a great learning experience, it is also a wonderful human experience.

It is a soul to soul connection that imprints smiles, dreams and well wishes into my heart.

Writing is powerful stuff, even if it is just to say hello.

 

 

 

Here is a Postcrossing I received from Germany.

The sender writes:

Hello JarieLyn, you're interested in historical buildings.

This one is from 1720.

 It was built to store grain for the miners in the Harz Mountains where it is too cold for farming.

Filled in sacks it was then transported up on the backs of donkeys.

These paths are still used by hikers or changed into ordinary roads.

Today the building hosts the municipal administration.

Regards!

Gerda.

 

The thing I like about Postcrossing is being able to read a profile and pick out the perfect card for the recipient, just as this person did for me. Had she not written about the building, I never would have known that it was a historical building, especially from the 1720's.

 

 

This is a Postcrossing from Japan.

The sender writes:

Dear JarieLyn,

Hello.

This postcard is from Japan.

I chose it for you because you like a bridge.

The view is like a painting in India ink.

I've been to this place in Kyoto.

A forest of bamboos was beautiful and tofu (soybean curd) dishes were very good.

I'm sure you'll like there very much.

Best wishes.

Keiko.

 

Another example of someone choosing the perfect card.

 

 

This is from a swap partner for fast 10 pc # 3 swap on swap-bot.

This person also read my profile and chose a card she knew I would like.

I love these retro funny cards.

Also, she wrote a great note on the back about TV shows we have in common.

 

I love connecting with people through letters, postcards, greeting cards, short notes and gifts.

Each one I receive is a treasure and I do my best to send my recipients words they will treasure too.

 

Leaving my possession:

 

 

These are part of the 10 pc swap.

 I forgot to take a picture of the other ones that went out.

 

 

These are my latest Postcrossings going out today!

They will be delivered to, Germany, Florida, Latvia, Belarus, Brazil and the Netherlands.

 

 

Yesterday, Justin and I went for a drive and ended up in Kelso, CA.

It's an old train depot that was very busy in the 1940's.

Read about it here.

 

 

 

Facing east, this road takes us back to Vegas.

 

Have a fabulous day my friends.