Mail Art and the Post Office

[Peter Dowker]

Does anyone have any stories, anecdotes, facts or anything at all on the subject of how the post office(s) and the post men and women view (or don't view) mailart. Anyone have any interesting or funny stories on this topic? I'd enjoy hearing them.

[Linda Pelati]

in italy post offices become more and more suspicious and interested to profits, as they make a sort of bank services too, so the employes receive money incentives and strain to push expensive services (1-3 day delivery for exemple) and have no much time and desire to "joke"... strange envelopes are a loss of time...(at the very least). This is the main situation, but of course there are exception, and we are looking for these, isn't it? I will send a baby duck back home to Belgium, one similar to this I received years ago....it had a small rope around the neck in order to reach the minimum length for shipment, I guess....and my address written on the bellyi found it hanged on the gateway and I was grateful to all who allowed the journey of the small duck

[Peter Dowker]

Grazie linda.....good luck with the duck!

[TIZIANA BARACCHI]

[David Stafford]

apropos of this discussion...check this out....

http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=23568

[Peter Dowker]

That was great....thank you David.

[Peter Dowker]

No problem for your English Janine....it's much better than my French even if it is my second language.

I"m very surprised to hear you're having this stamp problem....in Switzerland of all places! I've received many pieces of mailart from Switzerland and they always arrive with real stamps, not barcodes. Can't you simply purchase the stamps and put them on yourself....at home?

Anyway, thanks for sharing your story.

Peter

[David Stafford]

What a pain the modern world is! This would never have happened with the pony express.

[David Stafford]

Janine,

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express

 

Je déteste la mécanisation de tout. La poésie est détruite.

[Peter Dowker]

Douglas.....I would check out that story from another source....something doesn't ring true here. If you've put sufficient postage on them they should get through (much more awkward things than a vertical postcard make it through all the time) I receive vertical cards from the US all the time (ex: Test Tower, Stan Askew) If the USPS started "trashing" the mail I don't think they'd last very long.....my 2 cents.

 

Peter

[Wendy SooperDooper Cooper]

As a child I participated in unwittingly initiated a hepatic Mail Art

experience for the postal systems between our house and the Grandparents. 

In my letter I enclosed a stick of BlackJack gum, which is famous for it's

heavy fragrance of licorish, (I was three years old and wanted to share

with Grandpa). 

 

The mail carrier used to refer to it as he chatted with the Grandparents

through the years.  The entire route's individual pieces were scented

and each customer had required his explanation.  Not to mention that

the lingering scent flavored his vehicle and the mail bag for a surprisingly long time. 

 

Cheerio  ~

 

Wendy SooperDooper Cooper 

[Wendy SooperDooper Cooper]

 

An Angel In The Post Office - From the Best of Craigslist Fri, 23, 2007

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced.  I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the US Postal Service. Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month.  The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.  She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.  I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words.

Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog?  She died yesterday and is with you in heaven.  I miss her very much.  I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.  I hope you will play with her.  She likes to play with balls and to swim.  I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog.  I really miss her.

Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven.  We put our return address on it.  Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.  That afternoon she dropped it inot the letter box at the post office.  A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet.  I told that I thought He had. 

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand.  Meredith opened it.  Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies'.  Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope.  On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note;

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven.  Having the picture was a big help.  I recognized Abbey right away.  Abbey isn't sick anymore.  Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart.  Abbey loved being your dog.  Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.  Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me.  What a wonderful mother you have.  I picked her especially for you.  I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.  By the way, I am wherever there is love.

Love, God

The the picture was attached and it shows Meredith hugging Abbey.

 

This is such a wonderful story I was pleased to be able to share it with the Mail Artists.

 

Wendy 'SooperDooper' Cooper

[Geneviève Chaussé]

Dear Wendy, I am sooo touched by your story.

My eyes are filled with tears.   

Thank you very much for sharing!

♥ Geneviève ♥