tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51069758378086766292024-02-07T01:20:25.480-05:00League of Extraordinary PenpalsA community for letter writing and snail mail enthusiasts.Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10135105553937430517noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-6544604898779080482019-08-13T18:17:00.000-04:002020-06-15T09:46:39.516-04:00We're Alive & WellWe don't blog anymore, but that doesn't mean we aren't active! We've got a Facebook community filled with lots of conversation about penpals, snail mail, stamps, mail art, fountain pens and more! We also publish a newsletter and send that out via email on the 1st of every month. Don't you want to get in on that fun?! <a href="http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/p/become-member.html" target="_blank">Join us</a>! <br />
<br />
Becoming a member also gives you access to our private online database of members, complete with addresses and lists of interests! You can peep, peruse, forage, explore and find new penpals to exchange mail with.<br />
<br />
Feel free to check out our <a href="http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/p/frequently-asked-questions-about-lep.html" target="_blank">FAQ page</a> if you've got questions. <a href="mailto:league@extraordinarypenpals.com" target="_blank">Send us an email</a> if your question is not addressed there.League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-63797992595679087082019-04-03T16:59:00.000-04:002019-04-03T17:08:37.182-04:00Going Postal<br />
Every month we publish an interview with one of our members in our newsletter and we call this feature Going Postal. Here's March's edition! <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>By Michael Webb AKA Slayer of Popcorn</b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
This <span class="il">month</span>, Going Postal cleans the mud off of its boots and heads into the Western US for a visit with <b>Purple Shadow</b>, <b>Kari Conroy</b>!</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>1. Why did you join the <span class="il">LEP</span>?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
I had a few penpals who wrote me on <span class="il">LEP</span> stationery. So I asked them where they got that stationery and they told me about this awesome group. I have been a member ever since!</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>2. What is the best thing about the <span class="il">LEP</span>?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The quality of penpals in this group are amazing. Most of the penpals I have found on here decorate their letters and envelopes so cute. It instantly brings a smile to my face when I get a letter from someone in this group.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>3. What is the least optimal thing about the <span class="il">LEP</span>?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Well like any group, it is sad when you really connect with a penpal and they quit writing you. I do understand life happens though. So I try not to take it personally.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>4. What is the one thing you think new <span class="il">LEP</span> members need to know?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Get involved with the group! There are lots of swaps <span class="il">monthly</span>. If someone sparks your interest in the database shoot them a letter. I have found some great pals by going into the database and randomly writing a letter.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>5. What is your favorite place to write letters?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Most of the time I will write letters while watching Netflix, a movie or TV in my bedroom. Writing on my bed is sometimes a pain because my dogs Annie and Zeva have to be up in my face. I really enjoy writing letters on my back patio or in a park.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>6. What is the strangest place you have ever written a letter?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
I once wrote letter before a University of Utah football game. I had an hour to kill before the game so I wrote a letter. All the season ticket holders I have been sitting by for the last 13 seasons asked what the hell I was doing? I said writing a letter like they all used to do.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>7. You're only allowed one pen, upon penalty of death or severe tickling. Which pen do you select?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
This question is easy! Ink Joy ball point pens. I buy them several times a year! Everyone raves about the Ink Joy gel pens but, I have never liked gel pens! Give me a ball point pen anytime.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>8. Have you ever written a letter to a celebrity? Did they reply?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
I used to be a huge American Idol lover. When my favorite got eliminated I sent her a letter. A few months later I got a card from her. So, she wasn't a very big celebrity but I was happy to get a response.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>9. What is the silliest/funniest thing you have ever received or sent in a letter?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
A good pen pal of mine wrote me on a flip flop. I laughed so hard when I received it. I am obsessed with flip flops and sometimes try to wear them in the winter time haha.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>10. What is one misconception you think people have about the <span class="il">LEP</span> or pen palling in general??</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
For me people think I don't have a lot of friends in my everyday life because I penpal. I actually have a lot of friends and always have. Ever since I was a little girl I would write my friends notes in junior high and high school. After high school I would still write letters because I loved doing it. In 2004 a former friend introduced me to penpal sites and I have been going strong ever since. But yes, most of the responses I get from people are they think I am friendless because I write letters. LOL.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>11. How do you know you are done writing a letter?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Usually when I have answered all of my penpal's questions and I have nothing else to say.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>12. Do you always mail your letters from the same place?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Yes, I always take my letters to the post office to drop in the mailbox. I don't trust the post office to take it from my mailbox. I take all my letters to the post office which is about a mile away from me.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>13. How do other people or animals react to your letter writing?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
About 13 years ago my grandma told me I would never get married if all I did is write letters in my free time. I feel like she cursed me because I am still single. LOL. Most people think it is weird that people still write letters. They would rather send a text or email. My dogs hate when I write letters because they don't get as much attention when I do.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>14. Do you save special stamps for your letters? Or do you just apply the next stamp you come across?</b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 100; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
I am a stamp hoarder lol! I always have about 300 stamps on hand. No I use whatever stamp I am feeling that day. The ones that I keep for a special occasion are my Harry Potter Stamps.</div>
League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-87586928526012914682018-12-01T17:59:00.000-05:002018-12-01T17:59:05.854-05:0024 Days of Letter Writing: An Advent CalendarHappy Holidays from the LEP! Here's our letter writing themed Advent calendar. Be sure to bookmark the page so you can come back to it each day. No peeking to days ahead!<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe src="https://calendar.myadvent.net/?id=3a8f48e2c513ade4af76991134211242" width="700" height="1000" frameBorder="0"></iframe>League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-14940062234666456212017-07-03T09:11:00.002-04:002017-07-03T14:11:51.916-04:00LEP Geeks & Freaks: Fandoms, Gamers, and Geeks<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We all know The League of Extraordinary Penpals is an awesome way to meet like-minded, pro happy mail individuals. While our dedication to pen palling bonds us together, we understand that there are different interests out there.</span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />Did you know we’re also on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/extraordinarypenpals/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>? In addition to the LEP Facebook group where we talk about the swaps, proper penpal etiquette, stamps and so much more, we’ve been able to add groups for different interests within the LEP.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />Due to member interest we’ve created a specialized Facebook group celebrating fandom and embracing your inner Geek! There were literal SQUEEs of excitement when this group opened, which you may have heard (depending on your location).</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/LEPgeeksandfreaks/" target="_blank">LEP’s Geeks & Freaks</a> is the perfect place to ‘get your freak on’ by embracing your Geek and celebrating the fandoms, games and more that help make life just a little more fun! Whether it is talking about an episode of iZombie, playing Fandom ABCs or announcing your deepest Geek-fession, we can help.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />We also have your back with:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Recommendations on your next binge-watch?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Looking for a Beta reader/editor for your latest fanficton?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Discussing strategies for your newest boardgames?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Figuring out what to throw at your RPG group in their latest campaign?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It doesn’t matter what level of geekery you identify with, LEP Geeks & Freaks is a great way to explore the geeky things you love, or want to love.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">If you’re interested, please search for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/LEPgeeksandfreaks/" target="_blank">LEP Freaks & Geeks and request to join today</a>! We cannot WAIT to see you.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">- Nicole R. AKA GothamGal, California</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">PS - If you want to be a part of the amazing LEP Facebook communities, you first have to be a member of the LEP. <a href="http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/p/become-member.html" target="_blank">Click here to join today</a>! </span></div>
League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-46301471984906064322017-01-30T12:16:00.004-05:002017-02-01T11:45:55.502-05:00LEPOSTSECRET II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Inspired by <a href="http://postsecret.com/" target="_blank">PostSecret</a>, we asked members to mail us their secrets. As promised, the collected underground thoughts of LEP members, sad and scary and sublime, can be found in their original form.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHvUt_PW1IB9GFlgbQ5LMhxn0vd-SKvSgyaakiMV4bmVEumfXL4mPIHSHyxCZB2iSAsSiYGyh8LqM4y_X9YZni9rz9nUsBgdixaXYAE9eJcum8PUxmPLOBPjCxuB-Pn9Y11XeLfK2SaA/s1600/Scan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHvUt_PW1IB9GFlgbQ5LMhxn0vd-SKvSgyaakiMV4bmVEumfXL4mPIHSHyxCZB2iSAsSiYGyh8LqM4y_X9YZni9rz9nUsBgdixaXYAE9eJcum8PUxmPLOBPjCxuB-Pn9Y11XeLfK2SaA/s640/Scan1.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f04f-6a11-59a6-e48d86a83964"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"I'm having an affair with a married man. I know it's not good, it's not something I have ever done before. I didn't ever expect I would be in this situation. I'm also friends with his wife, we do quite a lot together, probably really one of my best friends. But the worst thing is, I don't feel guilty. She's cheated on him before, while I've been there sometimes, she slags him off to others, always moaning about him etc. I know it's not an excuse to be doing it, I know it's wrong, but we don't want to stop. The only reason he's still with her is cause of the kids. He says they're just two people living in a house together looking after the kids. He thinks she'd try and turn the kids against him if he left, I agree with him. Maybe one day..." </span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq5hLf3yVaiYZ0CTi1WBL8u4o6yE8Ws4HaXc0tCQqAPD1FvIw_p9fHGHve5imKbPh_qhVcjaSMwnDE3sL1tJhtQMHYxMel7ilTQVhxemtAEQMlWnLfD_SjvcdUmph6HTeoIk_jH-2eWs/s1600/Scan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq5hLf3yVaiYZ0CTi1WBL8u4o6yE8Ws4HaXc0tCQqAPD1FvIw_p9fHGHve5imKbPh_qhVcjaSMwnDE3sL1tJhtQMHYxMel7ilTQVhxemtAEQMlWnLfD_SjvcdUmph6HTeoIk_jH-2eWs/s640/Scan2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f050-079f-0b4e-51da573f5eca"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"I am in love with a man I've never met and am only staying with my husband for the sake of the kids."</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEHWRx0ok_uw5pjwgSqSyMOOyp78PR-Um86X9xWZBZA4d4KQLL9Niw5-m6KPeJ06d9sxO5Qp74bkNCVucYz6tiij414ou6wPd6XV7veYwAjS1GxU1lXDSj6aHYhKaXa_0J6axkPBUH3w/s1600/Scan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEHWRx0ok_uw5pjwgSqSyMOOyp78PR-Um86X9xWZBZA4d4KQLL9Niw5-m6KPeJ06d9sxO5Qp74bkNCVucYz6tiij414ou6wPd6XV7veYwAjS1GxU1lXDSj6aHYhKaXa_0J6axkPBUH3w/s640/Scan3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f050-708a-7e76-38411fd73026"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"My work environment is volatile. I am severely depressed because of it. I feel so alone. I wish I had someone to talk to."</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-YFMnCtOlGs2YJwgZIvcZhTJCIn23nrc-SUE0zriqWiaO4lyTcXdnUiLGJVUVHD5xhBBH8b6cej0HY97BrM4hKXwVAESqql5a5pKo_w05SRN1T9bifJsi3r091NLwQ7iw_z1D_Xxes0/s1600/Scan4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-YFMnCtOlGs2YJwgZIvcZhTJCIn23nrc-SUE0zriqWiaO4lyTcXdnUiLGJVUVHD5xhBBH8b6cej0HY97BrM4hKXwVAESqql5a5pKo_w05SRN1T9bifJsi3r091NLwQ7iw_z1D_Xxes0/s640/Scan4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f050-b6a1-fcc0-fee16ae9cf9a"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"My mother has never loved me. She told me at 16 years old that had she known she was having a girl, she would have aborted me. She disowned me officially last year. I was 40."</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3wFzJqPoso62HBhhYiHlWUw9MLwxYuxbd7G3K7731mg-yFEJxu_pPIBzK2_VAeOoQ7DChf4HCBG-ou9jZgqSKqMm6hLKv87j_R0titgIciZuEh35qHdP5qB6udK_7Kx1dZW0J5gmXGk/s1600/Scan5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3wFzJqPoso62HBhhYiHlWUw9MLwxYuxbd7G3K7731mg-yFEJxu_pPIBzK2_VAeOoQ7DChf4HCBG-ou9jZgqSKqMm6hLKv87j_R0titgIciZuEh35qHdP5qB6udK_7Kx1dZW0J5gmXGk/s640/Scan5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f050-fd89-5965-3c679dd93706"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"My mother was psychologically abusive and to this day no one knows except my partner and the counselor I had. My family refuse to accept it, even if only as my truth, and they bury their heads in the sand. My siblings had a different experience- they had strong friendship groups to provide some difference. Perhaps that is why she actively isolated me? To this day, decades later, I still feel the pain of that isolation regularly as fresh as the day it began and the next and the next as it was seared into me how useless and worthless I am. It has dogged every step of my life and every challenge I have faced. I have never had any sense of belonging, support or felt part of a family from which to approach life, and I wonder daily if I will ever feel loved or accepted before I die. Perhaps I am too broken now to ever come back. I get angry, but mostly at myself for letting it all happen to me... but then that's to be expected when everything was always my fault and no one told me any different until two years ago. I've carried this a long time, and every time I try to heal it shreds me again. Now folks are bored of the person who can't get over it, who can't just get on with life and so I choke it all down again because it is, I am, inconvenient and I don't want to be alone again. I can't stand to see the disgust on their faces." </span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKS-AnrXhmSceldsDiFxhtbwyRcmopwlXmc5Uqt3MgKRFrn4880fOuewyJiPJ5X8YSXMUUN6gpHTNxI_F3ImwUNTz__3cYkGA5QWRexEaLqBa05Cxv-Jbg8U15Z3I5vqsFrLUVlE3b8SQ/s1600/Scan6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKS-AnrXhmSceldsDiFxhtbwyRcmopwlXmc5Uqt3MgKRFrn4880fOuewyJiPJ5X8YSXMUUN6gpHTNxI_F3ImwUNTz__3cYkGA5QWRexEaLqBa05Cxv-Jbg8U15Z3I5vqsFrLUVlE3b8SQ/s640/Scan6.jpg" width="454" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f054-2c76-9e74-824d0d1ab3a0"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"It wasn't my father than found your cocaine. It was me. I'm so sorry."</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuwMe5WiwRLJJwvJXO4hOYIXAVdj1nzXZndNr8sDur6DuyCZCuZNSU_3dp_oJdCwF5cgEu1v4-gMl69FW3dw5pDUZKR_HsxrD7Qd5PAcjeCw8QH1KNjfFOKtgM1b5eBfpTJ2IMwTSdTk/s1600/Scan7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuwMe5WiwRLJJwvJXO4hOYIXAVdj1nzXZndNr8sDur6DuyCZCuZNSU_3dp_oJdCwF5cgEu1v4-gMl69FW3dw5pDUZKR_HsxrD7Qd5PAcjeCw8QH1KNjfFOKtgM1b5eBfpTJ2IMwTSdTk/s640/Scan7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2bbef3a-f054-acc0-1ef1-f6a920133396"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"People think I'm so happy-go-lucky- funny and relentlessly positive. But it's often carefully constructed to hide crushing depression. The days when I'm funniest are the days I'm most likely to be abstractly thinking about just dying already."</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-76689351697725786462016-12-07T21:40:00.001-05:002016-12-07T21:40:16.610-05:00Dear Fancypants: Facebook and Penpalling<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Nobile; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-align: justify;">Welcome to Dear Fancypants, an advice column on penpals and other philatelic things</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Nobile; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-align: justify;">. To submit a question, contact <a href="mailto:cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com" style="color: #008898; text-decoration: none;">cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com</a>.</i><br />
<br />
Dear Fancypants,<br />
<br />
I have recently restarted penpalling after a long hiatus, but I'm struggling to establish good reliable penpals.<br />
<br />
At the start of this year I joined a couple of groups for penpals-- mostly on Facebook, because all the other sites attracted a strange crowd that either wanted money or pictures-- but I digress.<br />
<br />
I found a particularly active group on Facebook (not LEP), but there are several things that bother me and I don't know if they should. The moderators engage in a lot of drama and there's a lot of name calling and deleting of posts. I feel that it takes away from the experience of penpals. This censorship also results in being blocked if anything is said.<br />
<br />
I have been unsuccessful in finding penpals in this group; I have sent dozens of intro letters and only gotten one or two back. The only reason I stay in this group is because at least I can participate in swaps and things like that.<br />
<br />
I don't feel that my letters are boring or offensive but somehow I just haven't found good matches. I am here with adorable stationery and a million ideas in my head but no one to send them to.<br />
<br />
I hear all these success stories of penpals but I'm beginning to think they are a fictional world!<br />
<br />
Do you have any tips/ideas? Should I continue with this Facebook group?<br />
<br />
Thank you.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Unmatched Penpal :)<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
Dear Unmatched Penpal,<br />
<br />
Your time is too precious.<br />
<br />
There are so many amazing things to be done and experienced in this world, and I doubt that dealing with a bunch of probably shitty and unproductive drama on a Facebook group is on your bucket list.<br />
<br />
I'm nonmonogamous and polyamorous and don't believe that there is One Magic Partner that can fulfill my every single need. What the hell does this have to do with your question? Well, it sounds like this Facebook group fulfills a certain need, but you want it to fulfill all your mail-related needs and it's just not going to do that. You say that you stay in this Facebook group because at least you can participate in swaps. If those swaps are fulfilling for you and there are parts of the group that enrich your life, take those things and leave the rest.<br />
<br />
Of course, when a large number of diverse people congregate in one space, there's bound to be misunderstanding and 'drama' sometimes. Not everything can be goodness and light 100% of the time. This is why Facebook notifications can be turned off and your newsfeed curated. Maybe you only want to check in to this group when you are in the mood for joining a swap and don't need to see the group's posts on your newsfeed alongside pictures from your grandma's 90th birthday. Tailor your Facebook experience to fit the kind of relationship you want with this group. Set your expectations and boundaries and relate with this group accordingly.<br />
<br />
If you really don't want or need this unnecessary negative energy in your life, walk away. There are other groups and places to find penpals. <a href="http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/2016/09/how-do-i-start-penpalling.html" target="_blank">You can start with this little post I wrote</a> on where to find penpals. Perhaps you'll find a group that better meshes with what you're looking for, or better matches penpals for you, or gives you more of an opportunity to pair up with someone who is definitely looking to write and isn't already overwhelmed with correspondents.<br />
<br />
And remember: penpalling is building a relationship through paper and pen. I often find my letter writing relationships are better served by getting the hell off Facebook.<br />
<br />
I'll be following up later in the month with a separate post on how to better your success rate with finding penpal matches, and I'll update this post with that link. In the meantime...<br />
<br />
Be Brave and Be Honest.<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
Captain FancypantsKimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-84160813299497109232016-11-01T19:53:00.001-04:002016-11-02T12:25:15.554-04:00LEP HQ Vermont Meetup 2.0<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LEP HQ Vermont Meetup 2.0</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Cassie Swisher aka The Punctual Procrastinator</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">October 14, 2016 was almost, but not quite, a full moon, but it may as well have been. It was certainly bringing out the crazies as five of us were en route to Winooski and our beloved Julie and Denise.</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cec</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">i</span></span><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lia was the first to arrive after 7.5 coffee stops. While it was close to 4:00pm when she went inside and made her appearance, it is very likely she was waiting in her car since 7:00am. </span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stephen was the second to arrive after making a stop in Stephentown to conduct some of his mayoral duties and hold court with the Stephentown peasants. After receiving appropriate homage, he arrived at headquarters. </span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVN6Z3MTtv5bgZbp1wV_voimwQerNV2ZFHPT5Q2ufkwgIgsOiiMTsBmarf0yKOsOk7nDum5EPYrzY6AnzDwyyDAV1-uw3gD9VR9aUmbdjB0i0AkeW5sSDoP1vffUPCNsZpexfcvW0hYE/s1600/Meetup2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVN6Z3MTtv5bgZbp1wV_voimwQerNV2ZFHPT5Q2ufkwgIgsOiiMTsBmarf0yKOsOk7nDum5EPYrzY6AnzDwyyDAV1-uw3gD9VR9aUmbdjB0i0AkeW5sSDoP1vffUPCNsZpexfcvW0hYE/s640/Meetup2.png" width="640" /></a> </b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-2801-475b-100e2e2fd941" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-2801-475b-100e2e2fd941" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It should also be noted that Jennifer Ong made her appearance in the form of pies, which were delicious and devoured in due time.</span></b></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2246-138d-7103-cabc88faf25a" style="font-weight: normal;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-2801-475b-100e2e2fd941" style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5HXF4Y86ZNprkohksN9Djyw08Ejyd3dVdg0GS4sDu1yx7Eah04Rp2zLFHwu8Jp5IF6G3EmL38J9Kp2ChjV-03fQQMoLblv-E2BTA31CM7-PWiALQY43wBts_H8TuJQd1a5CfwXTnZbA/s1600/Meetup4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5HXF4Y86ZNprkohksN9Djyw08Ejyd3dVdg0GS4sDu1yx7Eah04Rp2zLFHwu8Jp5IF6G3EmL38J9Kp2ChjV-03fQQMoLblv-E2BTA31CM7-PWiALQY43wBts_H8TuJQd1a5CfwXTnZbA/s640/Meetup4.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
</b><br /><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-2801-475b-100e2e2fd941" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then I, Cassie, finally arrived about 7:30pm. I had been on the road since 6:00am (and this, unlike all the above, is not an exaggeration). I am proud to say that, despite being in the early stages of pregnancy, I miraculously only required three potty breaks (and one ice cream break).</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday night, we took bathroom selfies, shoved beanbag couches up a narrow stairway, and maybe did a little writing. I studied an operating manual on Thanh-Thuy while Denise double-fisted glasses of wine. Once we all recovered from the travel-jitters, we retired.</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcSkvB63WvULysASahBWL_pURK2JFTRBdjvAveXDxOhCwFQFQcXtVCfkBSEegYxTipZHBl0oaz_fVORvE5CsNWsKCi2sgzFo6fMtu-Kun1UO0lG2BgZsa7Wvr_4OOf5okAuwgvz97r1w/s1600/Meetup1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcSkvB63WvULysASahBWL_pURK2JFTRBdjvAveXDxOhCwFQFQcXtVCfkBSEegYxTipZHBl0oaz_fVORvE5CsNWsKCi2sgzFo6fMtu-Kun1UO0lG2BgZsa7Wvr_4OOf5okAuwgvz97r1w/s640/Meetup1.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
</b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2248-45d5-a5fd-b2f6b8b57bff" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saturday morning found Cecilia again loitering outside of headquarters at 7:00am. We let her in a couple hours later. Logan and Christopher arrived as zombies. Logan joined the writing session while Christopher took himself to bed for his first sleep in 50+ hours. Unable to revive him, the rest of us set off to Tiny Thai for the lunch special.</span></b></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2247-80d7-aea3-5f5269a7c214" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2248-45d5-a5fd-b2f6b8b57bff" style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakBQ6G7KwnCMQ9VEryIzCTIsQNT8RxFZWyr_upAADKZ4KweZBbeFBcu0waLTlkvAEAbrJ6Q02vRxh_X_ArC32PV4X9kWhERAEC5d1OQY3Rzguy84lWcAkQpxPhShNBAe-K4ZIaH58-rc/s1600/IMG_9039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakBQ6G7KwnCMQ9VEryIzCTIsQNT8RxFZWyr_upAADKZ4KweZBbeFBcu0waLTlkvAEAbrJ6Q02vRxh_X_ArC32PV4X9kWhERAEC5d1OQY3Rzguy84lWcAkQpxPhShNBAe-K4ZIaH58-rc/s640/IMG_9039.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
</b><br /><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-2248-45d5-a5fd-b2f6b8b57bff" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224a-9d0e-5551-52da7aaa8c12" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We eventually got Christopher up and alive and headed to Church Street for some shopping, street food, and Ben & Jerry’s, then it was off to the funeral home for the traditional game of Cards Against Humanity. A C.D. exclusive cutting board was presented as 1st prize and I won, much to my amazement. Thanh-Thuy forced us to take home books, we returned to headquarters for more writing, Denise and I wore our matching elephant pajamas, and the Stationery-Buying Battle commenced with Cec</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">i</span></span><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224a-9d0e-5551-52da7aaa8c12" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lia once again the winner.</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxvnpqmimbY8oA_njiaH8LI9mPPhvIOyqx_WCF2Bds_rd8sqjDHoMuEKiAbqRbeEpxvALNzabEYdFHvpBZyENGY6QQvM3kr-f1CcMT-CfrJv9Kf1GroH7higAuBtbPMt6F4uf_ZDB2lo/s1600/Meetup3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxvnpqmimbY8oA_njiaH8LI9mPPhvIOyqx_WCF2Bds_rd8sqjDHoMuEKiAbqRbeEpxvALNzabEYdFHvpBZyENGY6QQvM3kr-f1CcMT-CfrJv9Kf1GroH7higAuBtbPMt6F4uf_ZDB2lo/s640/Meetup3.png" width="640" /></a> </div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224a-9d0e-5551-52da7aaa8c12" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224c-072d-841c-a4f8842ebfe0" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunday saw Vegan breakfast (apparently you can make bacon out of eggplant), postcard perusing, and facials. A little more writing was squeezed in as well. Christopher and Logan spent 6 hours packing the car and heading towards the door and Cec</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">i</span></span><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224c-072d-841c-a4f8842ebfe0" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lia left with her suitcase of stationery and possible smuggling of eggplant bacon. No doubt she stopped for coffee before leaving the city. I left the next morning and Stephen later in the day. We do not know what happened to Julie and Denise once we all left, but boob stamps were held for ransom, the beanbag couch had to come back downstairs, and there must have been some empty-nesting going on. The question is, did Denise do this with or without pants?</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224c-072d-841c-a4f8842ebfe0" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNujRCNbIhv324aSf_26fBsLzyJEy4fSBuU_qE3FLDZMGWGxe3IRZ0OxyUU0y_XZBpxsWo2MfXod8IEKB6g0yyJDDhyaX2tdeAtMDQ0NcpoIkwu7ovEWnnk2firrzxPWDXeYq9imJF7o/s1600/Meetup5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNujRCNbIhv324aSf_26fBsLzyJEy4fSBuU_qE3FLDZMGWGxe3IRZ0OxyUU0y_XZBpxsWo2MfXod8IEKB6g0yyJDDhyaX2tdeAtMDQ0NcpoIkwu7ovEWnnk2firrzxPWDXeYq9imJF7o/s640/Meetup5.png" width="640" /></a> </b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</b><b id="docs-internal-guid-7ca4e9cd-224c-7a03-e998-e2bba72c47a4" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay tuned for Meetup 3.0!</span></b></b></b></b>League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-74042580537367874842016-10-21T23:26:00.002-04:002016-10-21T23:27:37.018-04:00Field Trip: CW Pencil EnterpriseBrian and I decided to pay a visit to CW Pencil Enterprise in the Lower East Side of Manhattan (New York City, USA) this week.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBbHl6bfLBNL5_2Awe8MLiaK21NNDPfujC2ChYu325EAh-SDa5k75VdomDhbXxU7jYlZierOsdr0-GcvtJ336HlhPCVrr_iSGeXM0BoOmIUbiafvd9n7aTVoChDqqo71kiKEGfvOAqiY/s1600/IMG_0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBbHl6bfLBNL5_2Awe8MLiaK21NNDPfujC2ChYu325EAh-SDa5k75VdomDhbXxU7jYlZierOsdr0-GcvtJ336HlhPCVrr_iSGeXM0BoOmIUbiafvd9n7aTVoChDqqo71kiKEGfvOAqiY/s640/IMG_0188.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
How can a pair of stationery fetishists *not* patronize a pencil shop a mere 11-minute bike ride away from home?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZMC01By4fUZkiSTXuGdjJgTAEGiviMyM30zHGbHsX184TgN6i0NHhO2CER1M0ld0nMLmU1z50_fp1fGhKKYJcttXNeJNXTFx8YDaxLLdjkL2CpaL7A6UzDDUgrtupKPK93WxiPPDV58/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZMC01By4fUZkiSTXuGdjJgTAEGiviMyM30zHGbHsX184TgN6i0NHhO2CER1M0ld0nMLmU1z50_fp1fGhKKYJcttXNeJNXTFx8YDaxLLdjkL2CpaL7A6UzDDUgrtupKPK93WxiPPDV58/s640/IMG_0171.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
CW Pencil Enterprise was founded in late 2014 by Caroline Weaver. Their mission is to "dig up the stories and origins of these objects and make them accessible to those who appreciate them for their functionality, beauty and history as much as we do."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvm8g1rKzLYnHd5NAzfOwQi2YPoW_Tn9dcIo1m71-_58ztt0PYPzAVhN6kiFIKlPeu7VMQev-YH_ea87A9XX0XZfVptv44c4cMC1f2fesz8Ul0ElX0X1beffcUb0aniZrw9ush0wUf9g/s1600/IMG_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvm8g1rKzLYnHd5NAzfOwQi2YPoW_Tn9dcIo1m71-_58ztt0PYPzAVhN6kiFIKlPeu7VMQev-YH_ea87A9XX0XZfVptv44c4cMC1f2fesz8Ul0ElX0X1beffcUb0aniZrw9ush0wUf9g/s640/IMG_0166.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimG5QdudpsSS0p0QaalU_8gYkSjgIKlYeEADrDYoW-f68wKuGia2UxXjydIUS0FDkyXf3ZmPsQSL8FB8LXV5e_ADOh17nXqGQgeIL1EYc6NIw7QQdld_L6TBEZGs_54cARNIilr4Hbd-I/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimG5QdudpsSS0p0QaalU_8gYkSjgIKlYeEADrDYoW-f68wKuGia2UxXjydIUS0FDkyXf3ZmPsQSL8FB8LXV5e_ADOh17nXqGQgeIL1EYc6NIw7QQdld_L6TBEZGs_54cARNIilr4Hbd-I/s640/IMG_0165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Six-year-old Kimmie is super jealous of thirty-year-old Kimmie right now. Signs of a life lived faithfully.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRtfxAP4G6kkoE5wwabax8aihSWSnZiVBeKly22KA7W_qtBD5R4R6m_Z1TkxvSxOvVqOJ-8AB2CFvKdsnvFXzYFq-izCla6xl9GoC2HmKEq5FiWkEASSA6h_uK4krYpVHBi8niY10_XM/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRtfxAP4G6kkoE5wwabax8aihSWSnZiVBeKly22KA7W_qtBD5R4R6m_Z1TkxvSxOvVqOJ-8AB2CFvKdsnvFXzYFq-izCla6xl9GoC2HmKEq5FiWkEASSA6h_uK4krYpVHBi8niY10_XM/s640/IMG_0169.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The shop was such a fun experience! I felt totally welcome and not rushed at all. For much of the time, my butt was parked at the testing station, where a drawer holds sample versions of nearly all the pencils and erasers for sale in the shop.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlgUH2XhU1YaOdwqsNVFHT66VQ2-XasZs6qCVOqB6sjoQFJsujQMleoDJ_bPuVLvPV2ByIjBbr9JpNTwSRsNwDvg1f17xzSUnhJBiVIql9ESa4-KzrJaIuy68YGL3teTk5zaFY5xuCEk/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlgUH2XhU1YaOdwqsNVFHT66VQ2-XasZs6qCVOqB6sjoQFJsujQMleoDJ_bPuVLvPV2ByIjBbr9JpNTwSRsNwDvg1f17xzSUnhJBiVIql9ESa4-KzrJaIuy68YGL3teTk5zaFY5xuCEk/s640/IMG_0170.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I ended up bringing one of these white pencils home. My test was a little Ghost Dog homage to my recently-deceased best friend, Tuli Wooferberg, the best cocker spaniel that ever spanieled.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3WH93QoHHBE6Z-oRJMjE-ecRClmXGLy9i4IoNOPwC1ZwFiJOJ7yws3iXCbgtSdoiYMbUB3t5tGa903toL0QybQvjWMTs6g20lGigEcJOrjyFnaKBzhJhVkkFNWSd03OtCIbaYq08Rf4/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3WH93QoHHBE6Z-oRJMjE-ecRClmXGLy9i4IoNOPwC1ZwFiJOJ7yws3iXCbgtSdoiYMbUB3t5tGa903toL0QybQvjWMTs6g20lGigEcJOrjyFnaKBzhJhVkkFNWSd03OtCIbaYq08Rf4/s640/IMG_0174.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This neat pencil I got (the one with the green cap in the middle of the below photo) has seeds at the end, in lieu of an eraser. The idea is that when the pencil gets small enough, you plant the end. That's some motivation to keep writing, isn't it? Much like the allure of an empty ink converter: things were written and accomplished, and now it's time for a new color. Or in this case, some mint to keep my basil at home company.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jgwoTRKkz2jZwDPLyUui2KQOfKOU5aaiTd-EwUBgspG5mPoyoXUSdXFpxTTDcqJs3EJ0yNiQoTBXn4JNKsKP_MmnIzBSpXStUtJoRJcjcwLqLcTBzouFfaLwYT7verPQcZKNWeCFnug/s1600/IMG_0184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jgwoTRKkz2jZwDPLyUui2KQOfKOU5aaiTd-EwUBgspG5mPoyoXUSdXFpxTTDcqJs3EJ0yNiQoTBXn4JNKsKP_MmnIzBSpXStUtJoRJcjcwLqLcTBzouFfaLwYT7verPQcZKNWeCFnug/s640/IMG_0184.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I helped them take this photo for Instagram. I guess that photography minor in college and the tricks I picked up taking endless photos of diners in a dark restaurant were good for something.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;">
<div style="background: url(data:image/png; display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLwTzZ7D1Xh/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Yesterday @baronfig introduced their gorgeous pencils! They come by the dozen in a tube and write like a dreamy, slightly soft HB. Find them in-store and on baronfig.com now!</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A photo posted by CW Pencil Enterprise (@cwpencilenterprise) on <time datetime="2016-10-19T18:38:10+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 19, 2016 at 11:38am PDT</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
<br />
<div>
<i><br /></i>
Brian and I didn't realize until the day after that our visit coincided with our halfaversary. (We have "been official" partners for six months, but penpals for longer.) What a perfect way to commemorate our nerdiness. As if we didn't already have a fountain pen problem...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmoQjPcwHJzXC-cGotc5aViBUrPjDy6XtZnb9_3XL0pW1B038jD8jHspZiv_RXWOzS9U8bhUhP0Ekmb1XTRfdt2n2lsgkQY1pVenff_cNOOm7vKF_VuGMTXwfODoEW1hlAz4aFVX22x8/s1600/IMG_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmoQjPcwHJzXC-cGotc5aViBUrPjDy6XtZnb9_3XL0pW1B038jD8jHspZiv_RXWOzS9U8bhUhP0Ekmb1XTRfdt2n2lsgkQY1pVenff_cNOOm7vKF_VuGMTXwfODoEW1hlAz4aFVX22x8/s640/IMG_0168.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pz22Tgq9EDsBG1Ak6vVd0525Ztpavv3SHevgEIgTVXocgKpBKUmWWhEI1La3FAmioAx0LX8HABV-pP2EhIKtDN-wJWVRyR4orqoR8kroElITkUH5dBGAacThoLn3GtllIIQ9BwzETIM/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pz22Tgq9EDsBG1Ak6vVd0525Ztpavv3SHevgEIgTVXocgKpBKUmWWhEI1La3FAmioAx0LX8HABV-pP2EhIKtDN-wJWVRyR4orqoR8kroElITkUH5dBGAacThoLn3GtllIIQ9BwzETIM/s640/IMG_0178.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiat9SWTFVGvgsFofANsTMWsyoUxVAUQKBHWhtGa_ZcEddmXKBDUn4aiHxQ_hmTOvp16ZfYHWePUld85i4FP73RMXJm1N0zsjpCDvtNlqxZG3RCrEth_DTgdqkBD94u4APwgXub5IEIkQw/s1600/IMG_0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiat9SWTFVGvgsFofANsTMWsyoUxVAUQKBHWhtGa_ZcEddmXKBDUn4aiHxQ_hmTOvp16ZfYHWePUld85i4FP73RMXJm1N0zsjpCDvtNlqxZG3RCrEth_DTgdqkBD94u4APwgXub5IEIkQw/s640/IMG_0179.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">CW Pencil Enterprise is located at 100a Forsyth Street / New York, NY 10002. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-7pm; Sunday, 12pm-7pm; Closed Monday. You can also order online at <a href="http://cwpencils.com/">cwpencils.com</a>.</span></i></div>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-83009985582412624902016-09-21T17:48:00.000-04:002016-09-21T17:50:17.861-04:00How do I Start Penpalling?How do I get started with penpalling? Where do I find penpals? Many people are overwhelmed by beautiful mail on Instagram, or have no idea how to find people to write to, or think that their letters aren't good enough to share with the world.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zzP54pY5Hne6mnLOqv1eMOqk_P5ddDJlyDntZNxctQerct-UZ0QFPmTuXN4lulQNFGP7-afzjE3HHT4wZYr4qcZxI2TrSV7jk2ljEcJcxK2p-3bZP6zDXoWzaYVeOl04CPfw6y5F5G8/s1600/IMG_9529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zzP54pY5Hne6mnLOqv1eMOqk_P5ddDJlyDntZNxctQerct-UZ0QFPmTuXN4lulQNFGP7-afzjE3HHT4wZYr4qcZxI2TrSV7jk2ljEcJcxK2p-3bZP6zDXoWzaYVeOl04CPfw6y5F5G8/s400/IMG_9529.JPG" width="382" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's okay; you're good enough. I promise.<br />
<br />
Remember how you used to pass notes in class? (Some of us used to, anyway.) What did you use to do that? Likely it wasn't anything substantial: a piece of notebook paper and a ballpoint pen (and some fancy folding that you spent hours practicing). You also needed something to say, someone to say it to, and enough sneakiness that you could have it reach its destination without any problem.<br />
<br />
If you have the skills of a 12 year old note-passer, you're in luck: you can be a penpal, a letter writer, a correspondent.<br />
<br />
Supplies needed:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A pen</li>
<li>Envelopes</li>
<li>Writing paper (notebook, printer paper, magazine pages... anything will do)</li>
<li>Domestic and international postage (if you are in the US, some Forever stamps and some Forever international stamps will do just fine)</li>
<li>Time to write</li>
<li>People to write to, and their addresses</li>
<li>Optional:</li>
<ul>
<li>Postcards</li>
<li>Postcard stamps</li>
<li>Stickers</li>
<li>A cup of tea (or, um, sangria)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbWQwdYnLv_Bs9LI-B808K87kaZJhRsf7IhJ3M2JNwKjtI_HDEeLWrCXHdV0friWt9Ul5nfyqpQxiDZ3701XJwDNNh6lSf4FMGa-qndyPDUx0IjyFRLFVlcPgBXOPaIdnQmyEqVF_tak/s1600/IMG_4749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbWQwdYnLv_Bs9LI-B808K87kaZJhRsf7IhJ3M2JNwKjtI_HDEeLWrCXHdV0friWt9Ul5nfyqpQxiDZ3701XJwDNNh6lSf4FMGa-qndyPDUx0IjyFRLFVlcPgBXOPaIdnQmyEqVF_tak/s400/IMG_4749.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Once you've gathered your physical supplies, you just need people to write to. You can try writing to friends you already have, maybe someone you love who has moved to a different city or country or neighborhood. Perhaps someone who lives down the street. Get on your social media to see who would be interested in corresponding with you. The caveat in writing to people who don't normally write letters is that you might never hear back from them. You might be surprised enough to receive a response, but likely they will tell you they are too busy to write letters, or don't have any stamps, or [insert excuse here].<br />
<br />
Fear not. There are lots of letter writers out there. It's not a dying art, like some harbingers of doom have posited. You just need to Find Your People. Here are some ways to do it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>SENDSOMETHING</b> - FREE<br />
<a href="http://sendsomething.net/">http://sendsomething.net</a><br />
Sendsomething is a database of member profiles. It's free to sign up. You can indicate your interests, what kind of penpal or mail enthusiast you are, and what you're looking for in a penpal (a long term correspondent? a postcard pal? a person to share book reviews / troll dolls / poetry with?). I've struck up postcard friendships with older Canadian men who love old postage, a guy who sends me postcards from his world travels (they usually involve cursing or vice of some variety), People Who Live in California, People Who Live on Long Island...<br />
<br />
<b>LETTER WRITERS ALLIANCE</b> - $5 USD, one-time membership fee<br />
<a href="http://letterwriters.org/">http://letterwriters.org</a><br />
The Letter Writers Alliance "is a member based organization dedicated to keeping the art of letter writing alive." They have a penpal matching service where you send in a form indicating your interest, and then someone's address is sent to you, and your address is sent to someone. This gets you two new penpals, and you can do this as many times as you desire. There are members-only printables and a really neat blog that covers philately goings-on.<br />
<br />
<b>INTERNATIONAL GEEK GIRLS PEN PAL CLUB</b> - FREE<br />
<a href="http://geekgirlpenpals.com/">http://geekgirlpenpals.com/</a><br />
A very active community targeted towards self-identified geeks. Fandoms and nerdiness galore! IGGPPC also has a penpal matching service that runs monthly, forums where members organize swaps, and other fun community-oriented online spaces.<br />
<br />
<i>and of course, since you're reading this blog, I would be remiss to not mention...</i><br />
<br />
<b>THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY PENPALS</b> - $6 USD/mo or $36/yr; other options available<br />
<a href="http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/">http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/</a><br />
Joining LEP gets you access to over 600 letter-writing enthusiasts. Looking for someone who is also interested in crocheting Disney amigurumi? A fellow Ravenclaw? Someone who loves typewriters and fountain pens? Chances are you'll find a kindred spirit or ten through LEP. The most active space within LEP is the Facebook group, but you don't have to be on Facebook to be a member. There is a monthly newsletter with swaps, articles, and interviews.<br />
<br />
Once you have your people, write! Not sure what to write about? <a href="http://uncustomary.org/" target="_blank">Uncustomary</a> has a great list of <a href="http://uncustomary.org/50-things-to-tell-your-penpal/" target="_blank">50 things to tell your penpal.</a> Send along bits from your day: ticket stubs, sketches, post-it notes, leaves.<br />
<br />
Then, a very important thing: address the envelope, place the proper postage on it, and drop it in a mailbox.<br />
<br />
The main thing to remember about letter writing is To Get a Letter, Send a Letter. Don't expect anything if you're not willing to put effort into writing to someone else first. Better yet, free yourself from expectation and just send random acts of kindness to brighten up someone's day. Soon you'll have more letters to reply to than you know what to do with.<br />
<br />
Have fun with your newfound friends!<br />
<br />
<i>Special thanks to Christine D. for inspiring this post.</i><br />
<i>Yes, you can <a href="http://instagram.com/kimmiedearest" target="_blank">follow me on Instagram </a>to tag along on my mail / cocker spaniel / carousel adventures.</i><br />
<br />Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-14122336008619374972016-09-06T11:42:00.001-04:002016-09-06T11:42:18.521-04:00Dear Fancypants: Stand Clear of the Closing Doors, Please<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Nobile; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-align: justify;">Welcome to Dear Fancypants, a monthly advice column on penpals and other philatelic things that runs </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Nobile; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-align: justify;">the first week of the month. To submit a question, contact <a href="mailto:cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com" style="color: #008898; text-decoration: none;">cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com</a>.</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dear Fancypants,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let's face facts: LEPeeps are just more awesome than most people. I'm sure part of it is to do with having "found my tribe", but I don't think that's all. I keep wondering why intimacy seems to spring up so much more easily in my penfriendships than in my other friendships. Is it because 'real' subjects are so much easier to discuss in writing? Is it because I am meeting people within the context of a community, rather than in isolation like elsewhere in life? Do I look for different kinds of 'proof' of meaningful relationships in person? Am I missing stuff in one or the other kinds of relationships, or both?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What I do know is, I wish my day-to-day looked more like LEPland, and I know I'm not the only one. And, of course I wish that people around me were kinder, more truthful, more generous, more dependable, and more thoughtful to me, but I can't change them. However, I can change myself, and I'm just as interested in bringing the spirit of LEP out into the world. So - how can I learn to treat my friends like my penfriends? And how can I find that LEP-style connection in person?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yours, with postage paid,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Worst Pun Girl x</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dear Worst Pun Girl,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Friendship,” while a great word and often a great experience, doesn’t quite capture the nuances and emotional attachments and spectrum that non-sexual relationships (or even sexual relationships) take. It’s a word that is used to describe both accord between nations and the bond I have with my long-distance sweetheart whose private bits I sometimes (consensually) touch when we are together. There’s no one true way to be a good friend, but you can be a good person. You’re thinking about the quality of the relationships you surround yourself with, so you’re on the right path.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you want the people around you to be kinder, more truthful, more generous, more dependable, and more thoughtful to you, be that to them. Set that standard. And then, the important next step: determine your boundaries. If the people you have chosen to be your intimates don’t hold a mutually agreeable standard in return, be okay with letting go and creating space for new friendships to blossom, or letting the nature and expectation of those friendships change. Not everyone is in your world to be An Amazing Dependable Friend Under Any And All Circumstances. Sometimes a friendship will be fleeting, and that’s okay. Sometimes you’ll play the long game, with varying degrees of contact and spurts of BFF-ness, and that’s okay too.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now to get to the heart of your question, which was “How can I learn to treat my friends like my penfriends? And how can I find that LEP-style connection in person?” You are gaining a higher level of intimacy in your pen friendships because you are more intimate with your pen friends than your non-pen friends. Maybe you are less embarrassed; the delay created by writing / mailing / traveling / delivery gives you space and courage to be vulnerable because there isn’t an immediate reaction to your presentation of self. Thus, your pen friends receive the details of your daily life, of moments not shared of social media, of the inner workings of your brain. You’re in the mood to communicate when you write a letter, as opposed to being beholden to a birthday party or a pub lunch on a day where you really just want to hide in bed. It’s exhausting just to get dressed and get out of the house, and when you’re already tired, you don’t have as much energy and receptiveness to build relationships.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Examine why building relationships via writing letters works for you, and apply those lessons to your non-letter friends. Is it the can-do-anywhere / pick up where you left off aspect of letter writing? Perhaps you can jot down a list of friends that would be up for last-minute no pressure hangouts when the mood strikes you. Surely they’ll be flattered to even be asked, even if they decline. Is letter writing what you prioritize when you have a free spot in your schedule? Set aside some time in your letter reply pile to write a notecard to a friend, even if you saw them last week or haven’t seen them in years. Be the same sort of intimate to your non-letter friends as you are with the pen friends you haven’t met in person yet. Practice being vulnerable to the people you know in person. Open those doors; tear down those walls. What's the worst that could happen? Is it really that bad?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Also consider that your ‘pen friends’ *are* your friends, even if you have yet to meet. It doesn’t make the relationship any less meaningful or valid simply because an in-person meeting hasn’t occurred. Pen friends are probably less of strangers to you than some of the friends you don’t exchange letters with.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And as always, be brave and be honest.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yours,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Captain Fancypants</div>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-59538867861293267032016-07-21T19:14:00.002-04:002016-07-21T19:15:13.037-04:00Link Roundup: Penpal Enabler Edition<div style="text-align: justify;">
I often make lists of neat things for the sake of reminding myself of my tastes. Lists take up less room than things, unless those lists are housed in stacks of notebooks (shhh). Living in a small apartment with a tight budget means a lot of window shopping via listmaking. I hear this is why Pinterest was invented, but I'll take a folder full of links or a hastily scribbled notebook page any day. Here's a list of letter writing related things culled from various other lists in my collection.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What's been on your list lately?<br />
<br />
xo,<br />
Kimmie<br />
Captain Fancypants</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwAB-O228W15eTpwhkHsyPKV_wl9pQ62ioG0QrI2A0ONCTFUMhEWHOwQFS-ozwbM91tf9FUaOXKEWMJvWSDWzObDJwG0kv2uwzM1-egWy0hpDu7asUl_j729tbQS3qG2wr4aamdoORrg/s1600/manhattan_subway_tape2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwAB-O228W15eTpwhkHsyPKV_wl9pQ62ioG0QrI2A0ONCTFUMhEWHOwQFS-ozwbM91tf9FUaOXKEWMJvWSDWzObDJwG0kv2uwzM1-egWy0hpDu7asUl_j729tbQS3qG2wr4aamdoORrg/s400/manhattan_subway_tape2.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.romanticpink.com/new-york-subway-deco-tape.html" target="_blank">NYC SUBWAY TAPE</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am a huge fan of New York City transit. Makes sense; I've lived there my entire life. It is on my 30-by-30 list to ride every subway line in one day. I don't think I'll get to cross that item off in time (I have a week and there is other work to be done, like <i>finally </i>a visit to <a href="http://gothamist.com/2016/02/16/gramercy_typewriter_co.php" target="_blank">Gramercy Typewriter</a>), but when I do, this tape should seal all the letters I write while on my journey.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4a8pp3ymR1xzcSDvb9Q-QWSG9UyRba7vbNC_-ASX0RNkT5sIaAXew95UNySs9LVBiRmpx1dSNuckpeie72D2DnmCCT3GmLPMuoiJ2OD96EHI2zaNoer0XhSs2t2g-obmx9Uz1KNMlbA/s1600/journalpages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4a8pp3ymR1xzcSDvb9Q-QWSG9UyRba7vbNC_-ASX0RNkT5sIaAXew95UNySs9LVBiRmpx1dSNuckpeie72D2DnmCCT3GmLPMuoiJ2OD96EHI2zaNoer0XhSs2t2g-obmx9Uz1KNMlbA/s400/journalpages.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://bookjournals.com/" target="_blank">EX LIBRIS ANONYMOUS<br />BOOK JOURNALS</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These book journals, handmade with lots of love in Oregon USA, have been guarding my deepest secrets for years. Perfect for keeping track of various penpal information or life events to share, or sketching people on the subway.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidX-umR2AZ8Qq050OLx7usirncwhNWMNrKmhmHEjnok-AUWEFpxedKvjZ9BOKK6Fbe6KKfMjRO26lE1Phl4IY5ia3gdiQ8FP-Qa4Ff1n0QPZo9dQX31Dt6brBuMBJT85IQr1ARoyu0awo/s1600/calstamp1_1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidX-umR2AZ8Qq050OLx7usirncwhNWMNrKmhmHEjnok-AUWEFpxedKvjZ9BOKK6Fbe6KKfMjRO26lE1Phl4IY5ia3gdiQ8FP-Qa4Ff1n0QPZo9dQX31Dt6brBuMBJT85IQr1ARoyu0awo/s400/calstamp1_1024x1024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.presentandcorrect.com/" target="_blank">PRESENT AND CORRECT</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'll be in my bunk, gawking over the beautifully photographed and well-curated items in this shop. All of them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfkloLNEjAYvSWuV8SJG8aVz8JHMaTDolZXVFjT-Swahx3exOZS_rj3R8fudfd2yHl1oRVbJd7u8266SO2zn51zjfvPgCuk9Of8Fw4G1bHDZHrC5N8Rag_nI4hvRWBn-2ATvN77V0qtY/s1600/web_b_gluegun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfkloLNEjAYvSWuV8SJG8aVz8JHMaTDolZXVFjT-Swahx3exOZS_rj3R8fudfd2yHl1oRVbJd7u8266SO2zn51zjfvPgCuk9Of8Fw4G1bHDZHrC5N8Rag_nI4hvRWBn-2ATvN77V0qtY/s320/web_b_gluegun.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.cityofindustryshop.com/products" target="_blank">CITY OF INDUSTRY ENAMEL PINS</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You know when you are a teenager and you feel alone because you're into all these things and no one else you know is SUPER INTO hot glue guns or letter writing or typewriters? Then you grow up and someone makes beautiful pins of all these things because they are also super weirdos. Nothing says badass mail nerd like having an enamel pin of an airmail envelope on your faux-leather motorcycle jacket. One day, I'll fly my badass mail nerd flag with these pins. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEYxkWd5oD_06H8ie0pXZsHZ0MvltUWeUrFFAF_bta_gUOwAoDvdBTiQx-163vG6pWk1ci8X1tw49EWh7juAoEcaK8UDuMTMz-MYA3vUIeibND-n-913qwkcR12dur2pfm2IvH06v4G0/s1600/Lamy-LX-all.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEYxkWd5oD_06H8ie0pXZsHZ0MvltUWeUrFFAF_bta_gUOwAoDvdBTiQx-163vG6pWk1ci8X1tw49EWh7juAoEcaK8UDuMTMz-MYA3vUIeibND-n-913qwkcR12dur2pfm2IvH06v4G0/s320/Lamy-LX-all.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://blog.gouletpens.com/2016/07/sneak-peek-lamy-2000-le-lamy-lx.html" target="_blank">LAMY LX</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In which I fully admit that the most expensive possession in my life is not my laptop, or my car, but a fountain pen. (I'm still floored over the fact that I <i>own a car</i>, and it's been <i>twelve years</i>.) This is Lamy's way of letting me know that I can, come September, feel like a wealthy fancypants. With a writing degree. When I land an office job, these are the only pens I'm writing with.</div>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-41214687804441334492016-07-11T14:44:00.000-04:002016-08-19T17:39:58.057-04:00LEP HQ Vermont Meetup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHD9yzErtGVZ79ZU1s0oRexc8Q71YBUJC6h-lk87Q7F3e-NT6C__mlWkOfFxygtZkK3Je0HXk-zsPk5ED3OnphT64gX0jLncaagsS-badxOYXP_pXTOBrhISbYPZ44Q3Odmb8KAmNtt0A/s640/IMG_8237.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Stationery Battles. Celia, Anna, Kimmie, and Thanh-Thuy.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"> </span></i> </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">On June 24th the first ever pilgrimage to worldwide LEP Headquarters in Winooski, Vermont, USA took place. I was privileged to be among the lucky few who got to set my GPS to Vermont and point the car northward for a weekend unlike any other.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">By the time night fell over The Green Mountain State, things were just getting started at LEP HQ. Julie and Denise, our hosts extraordinaire made sure Cecilia Johnson, Kimmie David, Brian Sebastian, Thanh-Thuy Doan and I were warmly welcomed with lots of food and wine. We became fast friends and learned that it takes a village (and instructions) to open a pre-packaged vegetable tray.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZE6sakLsNcAnFHuYbgTxPTtepPlUgFTnFtxped9hFw1M2zoOJC8RLCzVke97486cywrUHbkoOWLCZ24oWGwhxwy4h34nOYGCFcMHqORlapuQwiRWClTnvL-yylkcMiSLAdZphICPM5I/s1600/IMG_8206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZE6sakLsNcAnFHuYbgTxPTtepPlUgFTnFtxped9hFw1M2zoOJC8RLCzVke97486cywrUHbkoOWLCZ24oWGwhxwy4h34nOYGCFcMHqORlapuQwiRWClTnvL-yylkcMiSLAdZphICPM5I/s640/IMG_8206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">The vegetable tray in question, background left.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"> </span></i> </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Meanwhile, unbeknownst to those of us at LEP HQ, Brittney Luna Bertrand and Cassie Swisher were desperately scheming up a story to explain to customs officials why two women who had met less than an hour before were crossing an international border together with a punch board and 8,400 envelopes. As of this writing, they still don’t seem to have their story straight.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The following day dawned bright over LEP Land, bringing blue skies, warm temps and our very own Anna Vlasova who pulled up a chair at the kitchen table while we all had the equivalent of a religious experience over Kimmie and Brian’s stamp collection. The day was spent writing to our brethren LEPsters who weren’t able to join us. Some of the recipients of this mail may notice that their letters contain a brown sticky substance. Don’t be alarmed (or grossed out), it’s bacon jam and Denise is entirely responsible for turning us on to this deliciously evil condiment.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCZN_Ov8P1SQuJQG6PcnCE4OxCbf6VvnKGZsrou6sbcprwAFbTRnZwNxjFZ-d5DpSgEeUPzpIFk6RQTr5pTeEb_FDzasTR6x4uKwYwMku2eWdRQWV1TmVB4aQpa8EYhwkL9Ydtyuohj4/s1600/IMG_8204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCZN_Ov8P1SQuJQG6PcnCE4OxCbf6VvnKGZsrou6sbcprwAFbTRnZwNxjFZ-d5DpSgEeUPzpIFk6RQTr5pTeEb_FDzasTR6x4uKwYwMku2eWdRQWV1TmVB4aQpa8EYhwkL9Ydtyuohj4/s640/IMG_8204.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Lori Says: All Hail Bacon Jam </span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"> </span></i> </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Knowing that if anyone could put the F-U-N in "funeral home" it would be Thanh-Thuy, off we went that evening to her and husband Jim’s establishment of eternal rest. After a tour from Tall Jim we settled in for pizza (yes, there is a pizza named ‘Six Feet Under’ and yes, it is delicious) and a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity (CAH). For those of you who’ve never played, here are a few tips I picked up from the game:</span></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">1. Your fellow card players have minds as disturbing as your own. In some cases much more so.<br />2. Do not trust the French Canadians. They are tricksters and pretend to not understand some words in order to win.<br />3. Some people are just plain angry. Especially about important and sensitive subjects like candy corn.<br />4. You can use your phone to look up the dirty words that confuse you but will probably be automatically subscribed to some weirdo porn site as a result.<br />5. Flatulence will be discussed. You’ll learn more about gas than you should know.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Things may have gotten ugly back at LEP HQ on Saturday night so all I’ll say is this: There was a 50 percent off sale on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LAPapierre" target="_blank">La Papierre stationery</a>. Some of us have a very competitive shopping habit. Many of you are going to become completely sick of receiving mail on the once lovely blue haired girl stationery. Cecilia had to rent a storage truck to get back to Massachusetts.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx_qmpZlLbEGm4txsaf7niZ3KsjzA45RrgPk6PE8wMi38_-YV6SycpvLRR3YTlqmMieLCWOIM-s9LTm1RSvAZab3ojN1P9mIhRPf9Ktvrt09eCSOY3YqmRkAEB3LlyBo3KOZIYYYhm4g/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx_qmpZlLbEGm4txsaf7niZ3KsjzA45RrgPk6PE8wMi38_-YV6SycpvLRR3YTlqmMieLCWOIM-s9LTm1RSvAZab3ojN1P9mIhRPf9Ktvrt09eCSOY3YqmRkAEB3LlyBo3KOZIYYYhm4g/s1600/unnamed.jpg" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Brian and Kimmie posing in front of Where The Magic Happens.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"> </span></i> </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Before I knew it Sunday was upon us and it was time to pack up my tent (Seriously guys, how much wine did we drink Friday night??? This thing looks like a bunch of four year olds assembled it.) and make my way back to reality. Those who stayed behind for a few more hours or another day were kind enough to share their continued adventures with us all through Facebook. I wanted nothing more than to turn my car around and join them again. This group, like all of the LEP is an amazing family. Julie and Denise, a million “Thank yous” for this weekend and all you do. It is magical.</span></span></span></div><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBipdMiKjAY-qFhA_6EdE_BlUIe5v90vjKNGbs8nSI0z5P_jv_lrGaGgfV-4_rEQdphoCmrYcAIaRULrc9EgfXw6yvL-MxtxBBpgbgAjLscUIFXFZDEc8bueicTVpvLa1Czju42eFgzw/s1600/unnamed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBipdMiKjAY-qFhA_6EdE_BlUIe5v90vjKNGbs8nSI0z5P_jv_lrGaGgfV-4_rEQdphoCmrYcAIaRULrc9EgfXw6yvL-MxtxBBpgbgAjLscUIFXFZDEc8bueicTVpvLa1Czju42eFgzw/s1600/unnamed2.jpg" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Cassie does an envelope punch board tutorial.</span></i> </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span> </span></span></b></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><i><b> Written by Lori B. (AKA Mighty Mistress of the Vine) in Massachusetts. </b></i></span></span></div>
</div>
League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-35079093231404270432016-07-05T12:04:00.002-04:002016-07-07T11:19:47.276-04:00Dear Fancypants: Be brave and be honest.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Welcome to Dear Fancypants, a monthly advice column on penpals and other philatelic things. Dear Fancypants will run the first week of the month. To submit a question, contact <a href="mailto:cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com">cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com</a>.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dear Fancypants,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am wondering if you could please provide me with a little bit of advice when dealing with a penpal (non-LEP) who seems a tad pushy and seems to have very strict ‘guidelines’ in terms of reply time, letting her know the MINUTE the letter arrives etc. I have received daily messages from her asking when her reply will be posted, even though I had explained that it would take me a month or so to reply due to ‘life’ at the moment. It’s gotten to the point where I feel a panic attack coming on whenever I look at the envelope sitting on my desk and I get stressed when I receive a prod from her. How can I reply nicely that I don’t feel the ‘click’ that I would like with my pals and that I don’t think I can write with her?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The last thing I want to do is upset anyone, but this is a hobby and it shouldn’t be stressing me out, right?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thanks,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anxious</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hi, Anxious.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The breakup stage of any relationship is often the one met with most terror-- even if it's the outcome you ultimately want.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Early on in my most recent incarnation of penpalling, a correspondent of mine asked for any advice I could give on non-monogamous and open relationships. I asked my my then-life partner what his advice would be. His response was, "Be brave and be honest." The simplicity of it floored me. Really, this advice can be applied to all sincere relationships. Be brave: have the courage to live the life you want (in this case, one free from things that cause you anxiety that you can control). Be honest: tell your pal you will no longer be writing her. They go together, really: you need bravery to be honest, and honesty if you are to be brave.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is no way to control what someone else feels, nor would you want to do that, but you can strive to be kind. Send along a notecard to this person. Let her know that, while you've enjoyed writing with her and getting to know her, this will be your last missive because you don't think you're a good fit for her style of penpalling. You'd like to free up space in her life for someone who can respond more often and quicker than you can, and at the moment you need a month in between letters. Use "I" statements. Make it about what *you* need, not what her shortcomings are.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is no guarantee that her feelings won't be hurt, but you're being honest about what you need and want in life, and you owe that to both of you, as well as your other penpals.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yours,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Captain Fancypants</div>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-21119086337598573752016-05-31T21:44:00.002-04:002016-06-02T16:48:03.878-04:00World Stamp Show 2016 - NYC Recap<div style="text-align: justify;">
On Sunday, May 29th, I attended the <a href="http://www.ny2016.org/">World Stamp Show</a>, held at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. I kicked off the morning with a little <a href="http://16sparrows.typepad.com/letterwritersalliance/">Letter Writers Alliance</a> meetup at a cafe near the Javits. What better way to get myself out of bed at 7am than the promise of coffee and letter writing with other likeminded people? The city was quiet-- Memorial Day weekend plus Sunday morning equals no one but tourists and service industry workers out and about at 9am.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfWItGPCemqi4c1wfcJryX-JcS1fJKhjLyMlj5_jSsyrrgts9dSjyzcHL7o4bfZSqPu4MCujiT4bCvMWkHagWBifL3UqXWPXo-9HzUZkC-lcuG16gne5lrKlIFPYxoz4R6Qa6LzKYsbQ/s1600/IMG_6823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfWItGPCemqi4c1wfcJryX-JcS1fJKhjLyMlj5_jSsyrrgts9dSjyzcHL7o4bfZSqPu4MCujiT4bCvMWkHagWBifL3UqXWPXo-9HzUZkC-lcuG16gne5lrKlIFPYxoz4R6Qa6LzKYsbQ/s640/IMG_6823.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" Biplane, the subject of the infamous "<a href="http://arago.si.edu/record_191014_img_1.html" target="_blank">Inverted Jenny</a>" 24-cent stamp error. Inverted Jenny stamps have sold for more than $1 million USD each.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxYbfKgjKhczRz3D-v5B1jd25NPa7Xvo17wHoxG01dtbDT5-bqtIdml9ieWRAWStT0fF7z4CfYHo6PdZf0ZY3HUqOWUsL4e_ysqAMLqvUE_Wid8vfLD0ZyT2eh04yOlcZNXScnldQCO0/s1600/IMG_6826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxYbfKgjKhczRz3D-v5B1jd25NPa7Xvo17wHoxG01dtbDT5-bqtIdml9ieWRAWStT0fF7z4CfYHo6PdZf0ZY3HUqOWUsL4e_ysqAMLqvUE_Wid8vfLD0ZyT2eh04yOlcZNXScnldQCO0/s640/IMG_6826.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really wanted the <a href="https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?productId=S_473604" target="_blank">Views of Our Planets</a> stamps, but they didn't come out until May 31st.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was tired that morning, and anxious about meeting new people and going to things alone, but determined to follow through. I am very glad I did. It's a lovely treat to be surrounded by people with similar interests-- and neuroses around said interests. Like how good the hand-cancel on your first day cover is.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEGHyb05x-AurrRfiZlOo3orenNxNGo-k7YIiwrwo7VYPu82UK38POYRtyrh-EAh29CleCL1lJac7Zh-SyREdrSsaHlCVQTDVxoL80_AhGaGgibzwjwGdDrcBYIOY2FEpiPlyHp0PdX8/s1600/IMG_6830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEGHyb05x-AurrRfiZlOo3orenNxNGo-k7YIiwrwo7VYPu82UK38POYRtyrh-EAh29CleCL1lJac7Zh-SyREdrSsaHlCVQTDVxoL80_AhGaGgibzwjwGdDrcBYIOY2FEpiPlyHp0PdX8/s640/IMG_6830.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mail out to League members... and myself! I would absolutely work this counter for eight hours, eight days straight. How does one get the job of cover canceler?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_un2-EPFyT4oEX9iFoVDc7Zw1jiUECch7rdgeQhVbAzwGqzuDMS_WVroFRRmafL1JA4t__QYBHbtQfTuNgwJreVxHDO7zK2NDUIS-UCPzfya5_qHkhpHn0IpjhimZDcT_stwrGBOHWM/s1600/IMG_6833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_un2-EPFyT4oEX9iFoVDc7Zw1jiUECch7rdgeQhVbAzwGqzuDMS_WVroFRRmafL1JA4t__QYBHbtQfTuNgwJreVxHDO7zK2NDUIS-UCPzfya5_qHkhpHn0IpjhimZDcT_stwrGBOHWM/s640/IMG_6833.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I stood at a table writing postcards and letters to League members while others frantically but precisely affixed postage stamps to their covers to get them canceled. That scene is all totally normal, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qRxVFXhNl1zJOpFhjLf7hRmjkNtDqcMxhKg5oXrd3Ai8hF1ElIpqglf5ouHTre7pjNSauMCrY5_QVvtcnA06F85FWpwusbiY2SUqTLHa7QnA5R-jmDsWvRyx5WHW6gowfns1VHPPjww/s1600/IMG_6834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qRxVFXhNl1zJOpFhjLf7hRmjkNtDqcMxhKg5oXrd3Ai8hF1ElIpqglf5ouHTre7pjNSauMCrY5_QVvtcnA06F85FWpwusbiY2SUqTLHa7QnA5R-jmDsWvRyx5WHW6gowfns1VHPPjww/s640/IMG_6834.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This lovely person took all my fake credit card money after someone else took all my cash. When I find myself in Clive, Iowa, I'll definitely be paying a visit to their store, <a href="http://coinsstampsnstuffllc.com/" target="_blank">Coins, Stamps, & Stuff</a>. They were very helpful and nice. These bins (there were about four times more bins than what you see here) all contained full sheets of US stamps at face value.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL58biI-OaZwmLJQlMYK9zOZBLPKOVGds9T83Wnl0aw1AR7PPFKD0bb9tIHJ1iNqkD7gs2f3geOTzeMORdL5tqrr9Auoe26a6G4eVPQDFg-PRBJ_7Qqz8qc1zZ4kaZkqx_nzuxEIAiNv4/s1600/IMG_6836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL58biI-OaZwmLJQlMYK9zOZBLPKOVGds9T83Wnl0aw1AR7PPFKD0bb9tIHJ1iNqkD7gs2f3geOTzeMORdL5tqrr9Auoe26a6G4eVPQDFg-PRBJ_7Qqz8qc1zZ4kaZkqx_nzuxEIAiNv4/s640/IMG_6836.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though the USPS had, essentially, package Tetris on a gigantic video screen, Canada Post wins coolest booth because Star Trek! *swoon*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've been interested in mail and stamps since I was a small child, though I've never been a "serious collector." I'm more interested in using different kinds of stamps to liven up my mail, and always try to buy commemorative issues before definitives (though let's be real-- if they're not American flag stamps, I will likely buy them). I still love seeing what stamps make their way through to me. It was way more exciting as a kid, because the Internet wasn't widespread enough to just look up stamps from other countries with a click. I had to patiently wait for mail to actually arrive at my house so I could see what cool stamps were being used on letters from the Philippines my <i>Lola</i> would mail to my mom. I'd steam them off by putting the envelopes in the rice cooker (Bonus: I used jasmine rice as glue to, um, stick stamps back onto a different envelope when I had envelope-addressing accidents. At least, this is what I did then. I doubt the pressure-adhesive would steam off very well these days.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjx_jzirNdyu-Ry0CgmpUcjk0e7DdznboKyz380DTp3WAHWXqbGZtOUj7NBHk2p0YUt21FZzoNbWXnwFjXpLfhA-RLaHGbaIJS1Ah_9I3ViZWvBnMf4EPMrX1OoRQUx1GUM9ZzO3cQ-s/s1600/IMG_6843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjx_jzirNdyu-Ry0CgmpUcjk0e7DdznboKyz380DTp3WAHWXqbGZtOUj7NBHk2p0YUt21FZzoNbWXnwFjXpLfhA-RLaHGbaIJS1Ah_9I3ViZWvBnMf4EPMrX1OoRQUx1GUM9ZzO3cQ-s/s640/IMG_6843.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got two sheets of<a href="http://arago.si.edu/record_144958_img_1.html" target="_blank"> these stamps</a>, which I couldn't find at the previous stamp show I attended.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For me, letter writing has always been the package deal. I love everything to do with it-- stationery, stamps, pens, stickers, you name it. I'm so excited to send these little squares of paper through the mail! What's your favorite part about writing letters?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVejC8eIFnUwctPDoFi07dUzKy7aPtcJQJEVo1Z9HT6CRZRtz8bOM8Jo3uQ6UR-XBUyJn8cn26N6wBTtLA5QHnC_JMWokb6JqmNT4cdH76J_iqxftNiQNKzf6iYjg12NMlkWIgO9WxhUM/s1600/IMG_6846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVejC8eIFnUwctPDoFi07dUzKy7aPtcJQJEVo1Z9HT6CRZRtz8bOM8Jo3uQ6UR-XBUyJn8cn26N6wBTtLA5QHnC_JMWokb6JqmNT4cdH76J_iqxftNiQNKzf6iYjg12NMlkWIgO9WxhUM/s640/IMG_6846.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is part of my haul. I couldn't get everything into one shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-89342132089838941282016-05-18T16:06:00.000-04:002016-05-18T16:06:54.430-04:00A Frog's Ode to LEP<br />We have a super sweet and creative member in France who has written a poem in dedication to our fabulous community!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhp6ToFU_cYjMtKXJ8Q56nSMydmXhyiEB1hiiM_3ohR8U1BkK6NQeQU4SJWCRcUAQ2Fcs2v9GREPMIpFmsBwmpYGR_dv-_qyqPkoEf1JX4d4T4o7Gtc5CaC-jYZYDnhbcvQouES8tcnM/s1600/FrogLEP160509221233edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhp6ToFU_cYjMtKXJ8Q56nSMydmXhyiEB1hiiM_3ohR8U1BkK6NQeQU4SJWCRcUAQ2Fcs2v9GREPMIpFmsBwmpYGR_dv-_qyqPkoEf1JX4d4T4o7Gtc5CaC-jYZYDnhbcvQouES8tcnM/s1600/FrogLEP160509221233edit.jpg" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>Thanks for these words Faiz AKA Frogzy! </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Faiz is an author of funny children's books. His <a href="http://www.childrensfunnybooks.co.uk/" target="_blank">website</a> is fun, bright and colorful!</div>
<br />League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-65041483278119696842016-04-30T22:25:00.003-04:002017-04-01T09:49:00.646-04:00When Your Reply Pile is Weeded<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">In the service industry, we call it "getting
weeded" or "being in the weeds." It's when you're serving, and
your restaurant is dead, and all of a sudden-- out of magical thin air-- five
tables with four people each come in all at the same time, and need their
dinner NOW, because there's a concert starting in an hour and a half at the
theater next door that they're all going to. That awful run-on sentence? That's
what getting weeded feels like. You keep going and going and can't catch up. More
people arrive. Everyone is needy. Table Six needs more water. You've asked
table Twenty what they'd like to order approximately seven times, and they
still aren't ready. The steak medium rare for table eleven comes out as steak
medium well and they need another done. The chef is on a cigarette break. Your
bartender is ignoring your drink ticket but chatting to the one person sitting
at the end of the bar. Your head is going to explode.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the moment, everyone, where if you have been doing
this long enough, you walk into the keg room, or the walk-in refrigerator, and
you curse the world, and you cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes this is what it feels like when I look at the pile
of letters I need to reply to. Some days, this reply pile procreates and makes
little mini piles throughout my apartment. Often I'll pat myself on the back
for mailing out three letters in one afternoon, and then come home to five in
my mailbox.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This should make me happy, Dear Reader. Getting Real Life
Letters in your mailbox should, for the most part, make one happy. Just like
having a restaurant full of customers should make a server happy. If you don't
have customers, you don't get tipped. If you don't get tipped, you don't take
home much money. But sometimes-- even though they, your customers and your pen
pals, are what keep you going-- you just want to yell at everyone to get the
hell out. Of your restaurant. Of your reply pile. Just leave me the hell alone
already.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And then, not more than a minute later, you emerge. From the
icy heart of the keg room, you crack your knuckles, utter some expletives, and
wipe the smeared mascara from your bottom eyelid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because what must be done must be done. You got this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">---<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Strategies for making your reply pile less daunting:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Remember that this whole pen pal thing is supposed to be
fun. If it's not fun, something needs to change.</li>
<li>Only take a few letters out of your house with you at a time
so you're not overwhelmed by choosing from several to reply to.</li>
<li>If you need to catch up with lots of people with lots of
news, type out said news in a printed form letter / newsletter and send a more
personalized, but much shorter, handwritten reply along with it.</li>
<li>I am totally giving you permission to break chronological
order and reply to whomever you want to, in whatever order.</li>
<li>In fact, you can even throw all your letters into a bag and
pull one out to reply to at random.</li>
<li>'Snowball' your replies. Start with the shortest letter you
intend to write first. Then the next shortest. If you get a couple of shorter
pieces done, you'll feel less behind, and your reply pile will look smaller.</li>
<li>In the same vein, send a postcard to pen pals that have been
waiting a while for a reply. Let them know you are, in fact, not dead, and
still very much interested in writing to them.</li>
<li>Bring a letter writing kit with you wherever you go so you
can write when your flight is delayed or when waiting on a long line or while
at a baseball game. (I've been told to watch out for foul balls and home runs,
but I figure I can just shield myself with my clipboard.)</li>
<li>It's okay to stop writing to some of your pen pals if you
feel way in over your head. Write them a letter explaining why you can no
longer write to them. Thank them for their friendship. If you would like to
keep in touch with them but simply can't write anymore, let them know they can
follow you on [insert social media here]. Follow them back.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What tips do you have to reduce reply pile guilt?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-40211409692557322502016-03-25T21:09:00.001-04:002016-03-31T00:24:42.060-04:00Staff Announcement, or: Hello Kimmie!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9Tp7FhL9PAWhOQM1ifYsd0aK81ShH32FJ8Q_eW49-6Zvk9wehm5MGLnX5l7mmC7QjSBrW9Frpadas0glZ_3j0ic_ot8LB7YJQPim0QSE7gJeCbPk76cOKwHMRkbY9kzjZ7L1Y3pByag/s1600/11693916_10101157306470614_4669159075448137154_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9Tp7FhL9PAWhOQM1ifYsd0aK81ShH32FJ8Q_eW49-6Zvk9wehm5MGLnX5l7mmC7QjSBrW9Frpadas0glZ_3j0ic_ot8LB7YJQPim0QSE7gJeCbPk76cOKwHMRkbY9kzjZ7L1Y3pByag/s200/11693916_10101157306470614_4669159075448137154_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>Hi there. I'm Kimmie.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've been penpalling since I was a wee child, and fully committed to being a letter writer some time around the year 2000. It was a thing nerdy punks did, and being a nerdy punk, well... letters it was. (Zines too, natch. Mail in general made-- and continues to make-- my heart swoon.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rxOsSNxgCLxDgfAtQREe-8-IExYBbbr1VsILm6_P5P23mlv8rX7MwyaV1yzRCxk3GVF2_1fhbu_j77pQ3cENp7oPek1m-N44SRi7ktJSqEZjretxFqMFuX5LBbXCXtuBJa-WsjF6280/s1600/IMG_4149.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rxOsSNxgCLxDgfAtQREe-8-IExYBbbr1VsILm6_P5P23mlv8rX7MwyaV1yzRCxk3GVF2_1fhbu_j77pQ3cENp7oPek1m-N44SRi7ktJSqEZjretxFqMFuX5LBbXCXtuBJa-WsjF6280/s400/IMG_4149.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sad because though I got to play pinball all day,<br />
the ice cream stands were all closed for the season.<br />
Asbury Park, NJ.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am thrilled to join the team at League of Extraordinary Penpals HQ this month. As a member of LEP since the beginning, I’ve enjoyed watching it morph, grow, and mutate into a magnificent collection of humans unlike any in the world. I have LEP to thank for best friends, companions in snarky swearing, joyous mail days, inspirational motivation, a dear sweetheart, an extensive fountain pen collection, and the deep knowledge that I am not alone in my weirdness.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO00LqBM6J3xDxtYTCn1xYngi5gS5zrUcE5nFYrfBMsm5fitUlpIC49i0LQ_ZZ74OHct37aKcDAbubYPrtm-9MXiu5H3Y1oXIVC-jI6DPTz85SYKwhW4UymLl_nI8yZc-f5cs4al4Yto4/s1600/12188935_10101149402305624_3674844139947712898_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO00LqBM6J3xDxtYTCn1xYngi5gS5zrUcE5nFYrfBMsm5fitUlpIC49i0LQ_ZZ74OHct37aKcDAbubYPrtm-9MXiu5H3Y1oXIVC-jI6DPTz85SYKwhW4UymLl_nI8yZc-f5cs4al4Yto4/s200/12188935_10101149402305624_3674844139947712898_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with my BFF Shark Girl.<br />
Buffalo, NY.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm a born and raised New Yorker, and I still live here. When I'm not writing letters, dusting my typewriters, feminist rabblerousing, setting my fantasy football lineup (I commission the LEP Fantasy Football League), or cleaning my fountain pens, I can be found being a bookseller or bartending/serving.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If there's anything I can do to help make your LEP experience a magical one, or if you're thinking of joining the League and have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me: <a href="mailto:cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com" target="_blank">cpt.fancypants@kimmiedearest.com</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Kimmie Fancypantshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08079989708987626570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-63270001925571756192016-02-16T19:56:00.000-05:002016-02-16T19:57:33.406-05:00Oregon Meetup<br />
<br />
Many thanks to our member Tamra in Oregon for sharing her meetup experience with us....<br />
<br />
<br />
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, at the end of January, eight ladies gathered in a side room of the Gresham (Oregon) library to write letters, make cards, create envelopes, design Valentines, share supplies, eat tasty food and, of course, have fun. It was the first meet up of the Oregon-based League of Extraordinary Penpals. It was a wonderful time—but it had its share of frustrations and complications along the way.<br />
<br />
I came up with the idea one afternoon when Nicole Orr, another LEP-er (as well as best friend and daughter) and I were getting out Valentine’s Day supplies. As usual, I had far more than I needed, and so I thought, wouldn’t it be fun to share these with other letter writers? Where would it be hosted though? There was my house but that meant I would spend the next two weeks cleaning frantically, which is never fun. (Cleaning and fun ARE oxymorons, right?) I called the library closest to my house and reserved their meeting room. One problem solved.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPxb4wDQzFuwdldjoUODU4skq65n3_W7cL0y4wVvMnvP1UN-xfN6-uQeJKGHCVyRYac1TICP1xo-KpO5dACtW8IVHH7ddyVYS8pO3kZcBie3twY-kayZHeTvhsKN4NUNXZxNdEw99zQU/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPxb4wDQzFuwdldjoUODU4skq65n3_W7cL0y4wVvMnvP1UN-xfN6-uQeJKGHCVyRYac1TICP1xo-KpO5dACtW8IVHH7ddyVYS8pO3kZcBie3twY-kayZHeTvhsKN4NUNXZxNdEw99zQU/s640/index.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Next, I went to my LEP database and looked up anyone living in Oregon. I invited my already-made pen friends Jen Chastain-Escalante, Tee Cary, Christine Mauser, and Teri Staudinger. (And Nicole Orr, of couse!) I asked everyone to invite other pen friends. Teri brought Doris. I brought Jennifer (from The Letter Writer’s Exchange).<br />
<br />
The morning of the meeting, I called the library to verify they provided tables and chairs. They found no indication of my reservation. Panic, panic. I told them I had email confirmation and they quickly put me down on the schedule. When I arrived at the library, they had—once again—misplaced my reservation. They gave me a much smaller room, which was a challenge to arrange to accommodate eight people, endless paper supplies and tons of food, but we managed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfKbIx5FrQlA4GGEtWdgdEubaoJ0QH2weQtK1T0ElyusU5gTdeqp25aA9AgIe5jpMaCADYNEbnqqKso8b8kLz7lNpZ6d3b8gdH6n51OVVR-VxngyoSxy3v5lMr3vGCsNqOQMOO-SHT1w/s1600/index2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfKbIx5FrQlA4GGEtWdgdEubaoJ0QH2weQtK1T0ElyusU5gTdeqp25aA9AgIe5jpMaCADYNEbnqqKso8b8kLz7lNpZ6d3b8gdH6n51OVVR-VxngyoSxy3v5lMr3vGCsNqOQMOO-SHT1w/s640/index2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
For two and a half hours, LEP-ers and non-LEPers cut, punched, glittered, wrote, stamped, double-face taped, and glue dotted. We nibbled here and there too, but mostly we talked, laughed, shared, and got to know each other face to face instead of just on paper. It was a wonderful time, and we parted already discussing what we would do at the next one, tentatively scheduled sometime in early March. (Spring! Easter! St. Patrick’s Day!) I can’t wait to do it—and thank you SO MUCH. League of Extraordinary Penpals, for bringing us together in the first place.<br />
<br />
Oh, and any Oregon or Washington area LEP-ers, if you want an invite to the next get-together, just email me directly at <a href="mailto:writinggoddess2@comcast.net" target="_blank">writinggoddess2@comcast.net </a>and I will put you on the list.<br />
<br />League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-31452633411804881172015-12-01T12:17:00.001-05:002015-12-01T12:20:06.119-05:00Mail art from our membersWe have some seriously talented members in our LEP community and I think it's about time we start showing off their mail art!<br />
<br />
So, I'll kick this off with a few pieces and hopefully I'll soon be able to share more submissions from our members!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AlKG2mDFWunpeRWWqswDWrLjkJ7LsldnMOqa81mQsOEdDus0iqLfvyjPXFdFzAm6jTzfHBQfon-S0csrOxjudVZdMatZEVkwViuholHQpEwjFMGQDxT1KidUVlyEMuGTRKpln4H7vG_y/s1600/12141121_10101317404123982_1047177069670960827_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AlKG2mDFWunpeRWWqswDWrLjkJ7LsldnMOqa81mQsOEdDus0iqLfvyjPXFdFzAm6jTzfHBQfon-S0csrOxjudVZdMatZEVkwViuholHQpEwjFMGQDxT1KidUVlyEMuGTRKpln4H7vG_y/s640/12141121_10101317404123982_1047177069670960827_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>A lovely second letter getting to know the very generous Alethea! </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(Submitted by Rosie T. in the UK.)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwXtTf72aA72DgNIFdPkTGcnZW8Iv21DjwlOMDJzXyuiyorh9d2HoiMKAuco8NOJV7SExbbx3aXtztZnRnbnWaiyN0BJIpUL1OirBWoxKAq2gFhpZs8a4AGCfXefa5RjLFOYj8hGgEuBZ/s1600/lisasmith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwXtTf72aA72DgNIFdPkTGcnZW8Iv21DjwlOMDJzXyuiyorh9d2HoiMKAuco8NOJV7SExbbx3aXtztZnRnbnWaiyN0BJIpUL1OirBWoxKAq2gFhpZs8a4AGCfXefa5RjLFOYj8hGgEuBZ/s640/lisasmith.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Autumn/Halloween themes </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(Submitted by Lisa S. in the USA.)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATv-ssCNLrJZ8Vz_VNl5uKmZ4icIK1ozI4-e3POyr30roggIFLEpfyeGGuUBF8D4OEXrNfYBcFFOr5HxkdOfYW_KqSkcA3EVtY9glO1XOLl49aCz68eUJEHgiTkz8RWhhuw51AGQujGXU/s1600/Arlene1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATv-ssCNLrJZ8Vz_VNl5uKmZ4icIK1ozI4-e3POyr30roggIFLEpfyeGGuUBF8D4OEXrNfYBcFFOr5HxkdOfYW_KqSkcA3EVtY9glO1XOLl49aCz68eUJEHgiTkz8RWhhuw51AGQujGXU/s640/Arlene1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Here is a collage of pictures of my Halloween swap that I'm pretty proud of.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(Submitted by Arlene S. in the UK.)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg454jHTgZC5CDTO_Y5lC2RHCEHuPcMbAKTeHpsfXHpZEv_cOv3g8HVN97mcGVhbb2Ua_sZxQrI5ZK-6ZCVnKACkd4HQyUuZgun-WVDdvio0Hmgw2u953KYkAVGtLJh3kwNiGfi4fmWyIPl/s1600/blackney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg454jHTgZC5CDTO_Y5lC2RHCEHuPcMbAKTeHpsfXHpZEv_cOv3g8HVN97mcGVhbb2Ua_sZxQrI5ZK-6ZCVnKACkd4HQyUuZgun-WVDdvio0Hmgw2u953KYkAVGtLJh3kwNiGfi4fmWyIPl/s640/blackney.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>This is a happy doodle envelope, one of my favourite ways to decorate an
envie. I love to </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>draw in ink and use pencils to add some colour. I also
love typography and </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>always write the address in fancy lettering when I
create mail art. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>I think the houses are so cute!</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(Submitted by Alison B. in Australia.)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiop0SekfeHB5o1oo-xWwoWbG3_bUASpHZt64SBYjTXk1Gw2OdQUK-xsaN8sz7F8An0Sa6zwCYEIdnltUaV0d-NHaqKtVb0S2a9UYs7RxjFsKthCENou5FclTTCgsOIQpLYOoiwwkrZRmmH/s1600/Jen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiop0SekfeHB5o1oo-xWwoWbG3_bUASpHZt64SBYjTXk1Gw2OdQUK-xsaN8sz7F8An0Sa6zwCYEIdnltUaV0d-NHaqKtVb0S2a9UYs7RxjFsKthCENou5FclTTCgsOIQpLYOoiwwkrZRmmH/s640/Jen1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>All handmade: two scrapbook paper envelopes, one woven envelope made
from scraps of </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>scrapbook paper, and a stamped stationery and envelope
set!</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(Submitted by Jen E. in the USA.)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thank you for your submissions, LEP mail artists! Whether you decorate your envelopes or keep them simple, we can all agree on one thing... sending and receiving letters is one of life's most beautiful things!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Peace,</div>
DeniseDenise Hotzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268049169004275556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-29797596918878855382015-09-29T20:44:00.003-04:002015-09-29T20:44:24.795-04:00Shine On LEP Members!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGt5JA04wNeeyqpOlrxkmfL7kK9GqrVzuCdCKbB7vXN7aob-k5DzRlVNS6xrjP0r867RnTKlhnNuky1cDuPhzI_1sW78JSqg8KFtD-2DhU-fm6wqQ2r_KXCmlTNN6oPV-eiOgsSMmwvl6/s1600/shine_on_1x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGt5JA04wNeeyqpOlrxkmfL7kK9GqrVzuCdCKbB7vXN7aob-k5DzRlVNS6xrjP0r867RnTKlhnNuky1cDuPhzI_1sW78JSqg8KFtD-2DhU-fm6wqQ2r_KXCmlTNN6oPV-eiOgsSMmwvl6/s320/shine_on_1x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
One of our members was inspired to write a poem about the LEP and it will certainly make you feel good about our penpal club!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<blockquote>
The letters dripped from my pen and scampered cross the page.<br />They ran hither there and yonder where they screamed as in a rage.<br />But finally they gathered up and into word and phrase they fell.<br />Then sentences just appeared and this story they did tell. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
There is a League who still believes in paper and in pen.<br />They are comprised of him and her and those and sometimes them.<br />They believe the written word extends the reach of human touch.<br />And in this world gone so insane we need this so very much. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Quixote like they joust the windmills of human despair.<br />You see they are our champions and friends extraordinaire.<br />Their lances are their fountain pens and they write letters long and true.<br />But most of the time they send a brief, "Friend, how'd you do?" </blockquote>
<blockquote>
They believe in Dulcinea beauty in each and everyone.<br />Their souls as brilliant as the fire radiating from the sun.<br />So shine on LEP members, I raise my glass and give a hail.<br />Send bundles of letters bright and bold and play havoc with the mail. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
~ Christopher Bombardier AKA Last Cloud Warrior</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
Thank you Chris for penning such sweet words for our community!</div>
Denise Hotzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268049169004275556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-64667191805178204242015-07-03T18:35:00.000-04:002015-07-03T18:35:54.933-04:00LEP Secrets"A secret is something you tell another person," Bono once advised, and while that would seem to defeat the purpose of secrecy, if you think about it, he had a point. A secret untold is just mental dead weight, a fact or event or suspicion that the mind chews on endlessly, sometimes to the point of madness. As humans, we are constantly evaluating ourselves- in fact, self awareness is one of the things that makes us human, one might say. When we communicate and interact, we are, in effect, asking for validation, subconsciously demanding that the world confirm the things that we think we know. A secret that a person has not shared gets no feedback, no confirmation from the rest of humankind, and that can be frightening. <br />
<br />
<div>
Some time ago, a call for LEP secrets was put out, and the results poured in. All secrets were scrubbed of identifying information, and then scanned into a computer, and they are reproduced here. They are the collective unconscious of us all- heartbreaking and personal and very real. There is obviously no feedback for these secrets, unless the provider chooses to step forward on his or her own. They are here, in part as an exercise in unburdening, and in part to remind us all that there is not a single one of us that does not have a hidden side, and thus we should view each other, and everyone else as well, with even more compassion than we already do.<br />
<br />
~ Michael AKA Slayer of Popcorn<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwUcTc6YQXa2-gd9cSsopQeKL6CKsX75hgHPFcsLfFUG1K4zQEiJwHqAV3jxq2ihy9eZEmrlDj6YsEFxVUHhYTyB0jKPKCHGM-oot7dSRpMZqffoKJkjY2_KREQ99Pq9gtVhZld3Kr39Q/s1600/Secret1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwUcTc6YQXa2-gd9cSsopQeKL6CKsX75hgHPFcsLfFUG1K4zQEiJwHqAV3jxq2ihy9eZEmrlDj6YsEFxVUHhYTyB0jKPKCHGM-oot7dSRpMZqffoKJkjY2_KREQ99Pq9gtVhZld3Kr39Q/s1600/Secret1a.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27AvQ5JFJ_pG-f1eZPb4a0vIp7Kh7PiXHxSXdr2qG5uLnHjEkPs4DUAKDHnffGxCUl-J0_uGZ1L_la03GqG61yJ-ovnQjq-7rY-lZNnDi5eubd2ga1RZj0YGVOGdIbGPp_Ux8aukqby9A/s1600/Secret2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27AvQ5JFJ_pG-f1eZPb4a0vIp7Kh7PiXHxSXdr2qG5uLnHjEkPs4DUAKDHnffGxCUl-J0_uGZ1L_la03GqG61yJ-ovnQjq-7rY-lZNnDi5eubd2ga1RZj0YGVOGdIbGPp_Ux8aukqby9A/s640/Secret2a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuGf23I0Pyzy512dGEcK5jOUiLE0yMiJxYkUskiwwBfEfFmF63SCRXQOgNoTFxqtmFvOeV0i6gx48m_TSsZDqFeM29AChrKmIAmqso62D1OOXNy_-yjFLCVaYnEQaWrxT3KLliDEbSAY5/s1600/Secret3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuGf23I0Pyzy512dGEcK5jOUiLE0yMiJxYkUskiwwBfEfFmF63SCRXQOgNoTFxqtmFvOeV0i6gx48m_TSsZDqFeM29AChrKmIAmqso62D1OOXNy_-yjFLCVaYnEQaWrxT3KLliDEbSAY5/s640/Secret3a.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWokd9akY_s-H7dTldaAz3OloBW8eo6bllKeP0uKt7ZGtYXN1dLm5jOBFg4oj_4drlGE0749zykNZ_8QugE6Gdn1hiHMSUw8qUQMq17DShsMqqYib0xUzaILt0l0wGpHTTUKrf21lEGNr/s1600/Secret4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWokd9akY_s-H7dTldaAz3OloBW8eo6bllKeP0uKt7ZGtYXN1dLm5jOBFg4oj_4drlGE0749zykNZ_8QugE6Gdn1hiHMSUw8qUQMq17DShsMqqYib0xUzaILt0l0wGpHTTUKrf21lEGNr/s640/Secret4a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-KHxJwJscQsPE9r5x2aTMXJor8_9VBYZMf3O3c0MlH4nkgXb3JoKDZlG1Aer5smdWjvp4GvFUNnCwcInULKku7LpslyrxBFfrhO32m9oMkimaRUHq6DcWNcbnFWe2-ZM78NFiJaEJEbc/s1600/Secret5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-KHxJwJscQsPE9r5x2aTMXJor8_9VBYZMf3O3c0MlH4nkgXb3JoKDZlG1Aer5smdWjvp4GvFUNnCwcInULKku7LpslyrxBFfrhO32m9oMkimaRUHq6DcWNcbnFWe2-ZM78NFiJaEJEbc/s640/Secret5a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoJ2YQNypuSQzuHiImtvQWyWxLJhueYR_GJJTFXBpQ-9Y_bIhFAkgf6cZ3W5XjA2LRsFG7Bgmn6FpxUc6MbGijGvbSk7NIJxMFobsAVlr1x5vnGiKo59z6zDWaio8gL11YFr73AxPAf7c/s1600/Secret6a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoJ2YQNypuSQzuHiImtvQWyWxLJhueYR_GJJTFXBpQ-9Y_bIhFAkgf6cZ3W5XjA2LRsFG7Bgmn6FpxUc6MbGijGvbSk7NIJxMFobsAVlr1x5vnGiKo59z6zDWaio8gL11YFr73AxPAf7c/s640/Secret6a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhox9O8E6JNs4E-6PPHRcjH5-xqlcLEbQDqQKsy2lru-uj1aTWKPRihRLunUyqMDE7e2rIDV4yzff1QKPgHnRMuqi63spDMPObOrIqBrVL0LhZnlCr90KZN2zWVIlKB_DlD9du3-pHD5epC/s1600/Secret7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhox9O8E6JNs4E-6PPHRcjH5-xqlcLEbQDqQKsy2lru-uj1aTWKPRihRLunUyqMDE7e2rIDV4yzff1QKPgHnRMuqi63spDMPObOrIqBrVL0LhZnlCr90KZN2zWVIlKB_DlD9du3-pHD5epC/s640/Secret7a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirC4CWPpHu9TtTTXfTuLIwsTeMOXYrygqgmZSOzc_9dfxWsr9FqeEtaN3TO6r771xe4b2RytX4-4BGCdsou6Zsg_KhXcnpNGhZPTFH0J4_3VQ_Kk6d-weY0USsMj46h6lvigguETaR3LeO/s1600/Secret8a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirC4CWPpHu9TtTTXfTuLIwsTeMOXYrygqgmZSOzc_9dfxWsr9FqeEtaN3TO6r771xe4b2RytX4-4BGCdsou6Zsg_KhXcnpNGhZPTFH0J4_3VQ_Kk6d-weY0USsMj46h6lvigguETaR3LeO/s640/Secret8a.jpg" width="459" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Nr62UUt0-7AXir523rtE7ysCtSTDRoigkNnbl0PxT2oKmGDzAkpkgDhKZm0dhJO_MpIusEhLF6F0e7HqBer3BoPyVp1Vz9fmAfvU4CghQuNdWXkRHmJ1ztDl8b8Xv4aRR0p4g85iAAwG/s1600/Secret9a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Nr62UUt0-7AXir523rtE7ysCtSTDRoigkNnbl0PxT2oKmGDzAkpkgDhKZm0dhJO_MpIusEhLF6F0e7HqBer3BoPyVp1Vz9fmAfvU4CghQuNdWXkRHmJ1ztDl8b8Xv4aRR0p4g85iAAwG/s640/Secret9a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k_T4aFfFbSIKt-6PL0VlZahggX03Ssx6SV_oACoKhQug3L1DuJYBlQ_vrME0hBulBQauEbseAOh9NGqX-4YOxIOvIf4fqk-n9bLh5c0HTXHPCrCkfWH0zW0EGlKqg8ce3_z4nz3Cgmt7/s1600/Secret10a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k_T4aFfFbSIKt-6PL0VlZahggX03Ssx6SV_oACoKhQug3L1DuJYBlQ_vrME0hBulBQauEbseAOh9NGqX-4YOxIOvIf4fqk-n9bLh5c0HTXHPCrCkfWH0zW0EGlKqg8ce3_z4nz3Cgmt7/s640/Secret10a.jpg" width="438" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh6J3cHWvVC35YVt7-metYwQuCflWmjv5fDutV-M6R_B42LdWtPwLmsk0Qk-_oNZuI7sv9AuA5l0zFdjZGgEofRqxUEFzujzcuv6loUHO_MA3_QTcRb-kOYA1eO27IFDx2EO0J32mMNm1/s1600/Secret11a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh6J3cHWvVC35YVt7-metYwQuCflWmjv5fDutV-M6R_B42LdWtPwLmsk0Qk-_oNZuI7sv9AuA5l0zFdjZGgEofRqxUEFzujzcuv6loUHO_MA3_QTcRb-kOYA1eO27IFDx2EO0J32mMNm1/s640/Secret11a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscIvuP33IOAhqE2B9oKFt1GLBPsmz-E1hv1NnnGMxe4t9nWFP74MsXE6S6-jrwB2wkrkhV3CJomM6vcfAf-CiJZEvPNXuuflPoRMYNA3z5xtJlrU9J-2_iNbVZJ3S3cXOz7dyvK9EEACr/s1600/Secret12a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscIvuP33IOAhqE2B9oKFt1GLBPsmz-E1hv1NnnGMxe4t9nWFP74MsXE6S6-jrwB2wkrkhV3CJomM6vcfAf-CiJZEvPNXuuflPoRMYNA3z5xtJlrU9J-2_iNbVZJ3S3cXOz7dyvK9EEACr/s640/Secret12a.jpg" width="470" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTFUYjMn2k4vODk-F9uA-zBI6y0ENwJCtmc5fsLkKOCjfst6z0o9JLCwVcRjh6nLzaGsYwWd9G6Gktosn7fZOy_p7xMNciFjVhgH3-QYYzcA_cqG_PMkFpKYSewYYmMw_Bd6GKA_hXHoW/s1600/Secret13a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTFUYjMn2k4vODk-F9uA-zBI6y0ENwJCtmc5fsLkKOCjfst6z0o9JLCwVcRjh6nLzaGsYwWd9G6Gktosn7fZOy_p7xMNciFjVhgH3-QYYzcA_cqG_PMkFpKYSewYYmMw_Bd6GKA_hXHoW/s640/Secret13a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QfaC6xoMq9044xa1VU5MPNWoHr-S17dvf8TMMibpe0KK_o1okULJduUL2NMJEpoP2r6W6K3OT5U7m-awAWFSdks8nLg7TMfY6G1DPLu_VoFLv0wWWzTZ8tdPDShLbzGHGANd2HVx8L01/s1600/Secret14a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QfaC6xoMq9044xa1VU5MPNWoHr-S17dvf8TMMibpe0KK_o1okULJduUL2NMJEpoP2r6W6K3OT5U7m-awAWFSdks8nLg7TMfY6G1DPLu_VoFLv0wWWzTZ8tdPDShLbzGHGANd2HVx8L01/s640/Secret14a.jpg" width="541" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4SD1DzoVhdtJy_Y5zXPR_ZupA6StYy9zjK_9j-R2oJzad_pdqn1_vw3ac_Ox8yqTJdykHhsI1xgawAkKTANfRETpvkIxuA2XAuVt2qR6f5dZsmqfNsWNBiZJoLNJdYC0k-ns7LcAPNzs/s1600/Secret15a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4SD1DzoVhdtJy_Y5zXPR_ZupA6StYy9zjK_9j-R2oJzad_pdqn1_vw3ac_Ox8yqTJdykHhsI1xgawAkKTANfRETpvkIxuA2XAuVt2qR6f5dZsmqfNsWNBiZJoLNJdYC0k-ns7LcAPNzs/s640/Secret15a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg48b83uBrx7xyW1EkfkH2y4gPvExW3BE3BkoDmRKf1xthlPdkQcUVmOOYmglM2xSG4NXRmzVzEZlzqL0qtgSvTrGObmKrqb1bLS0I3Gs964toWg1JuiGb07G_XKoA55i1tdOfLVKw59B7/s1600/Secret17a.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg48b83uBrx7xyW1EkfkH2y4gPvExW3BE3BkoDmRKf1xthlPdkQcUVmOOYmglM2xSG4NXRmzVzEZlzqL0qtgSvTrGObmKrqb1bLS0I3Gs964toWg1JuiGb07G_XKoA55i1tdOfLVKw59B7/s640/Secret17a.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfmXj7_TrCZ9fPSc58FwF_u7pa-6_Vp0lLdLG-W0KLt1bso0sSefL6z5TQ9fzmLliNPofErj5f0Rahk8gU5fsaiPtQMWepdc7fnDpaAFWpkKo7LbebhuGYAhngs_Vw-s8U2Mo4d2h96Nd/s1600/Secret21a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfmXj7_TrCZ9fPSc58FwF_u7pa-6_Vp0lLdLG-W0KLt1bso0sSefL6z5TQ9fzmLliNPofErj5f0Rahk8gU5fsaiPtQMWepdc7fnDpaAFWpkKo7LbebhuGYAhngs_Vw-s8U2Mo4d2h96Nd/s1600/Secret21a.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
League of Extraordinary Penpalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102026236618619156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-44735651376017336002015-06-10T12:56:00.000-04:002015-06-10T12:57:37.367-04:00Bucket List SwapWe've been so busy welcoming many new members that we almost forgot about our blog space! In case you were thinking that this penpal club was inactive, I wanted to let you know that it's definitely not! As I'm typing this very sentence, we have 510 current, active members!<br />
<br />
Back in April, we hosted a Bucket List Swap. Participants were encouraged to write their bucket list in the form of a letter and exchange it with their partner. As members signed up for the swap they were asked this question:<br />
<br />
<b>"What is the most important item on your bucket list?"</b><br />
<br />
Do you want to hear the responses?!? Good, because I want to share them with you...<br />
<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
It was seeing Fleetwood Mac in Concert... Now it's going to be self publishing three books by the end of the year.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Travel!!!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Publish (or just print) a collection of original poems and photos.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Writing a book.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Travel... and a lot of it!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Writing a complete book.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Fall in love!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Visit the Egypt pyramids!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Travel! I want to travel almost everywhere!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Getting my Bachelors!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Do photography for the Special Olympics!<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Have another baby.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
It's not important, but the most pressing I'd say is to pass the driving test.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
The most important item on my bucket list, hmmmm, it's so hard to choose
but one of the most important things is seeing the Northern Lights.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
To live my life to the fullest.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Travelling.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Love and be loved in return.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
Not actually on my list but my motto for it is: There are no excuses.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Staying curious!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Happiness.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Going to Canada.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Go back to Quebec and eat REAL poutine! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Seeing the world! I've traveled extensively in North America and the Caribbean, but it's time for me to visit other continents.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Writing a dystopian novel.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Travel!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Traveling.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A trip to Paris.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Spend a month in Paris.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Become a teacher.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To go tour the UK.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Visit my German penpal.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Get a dog.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think be a mom. But there are so many things on there!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Travel.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Climb a 5.14 level rock climb.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Knit up my entire yarn collection. However, that means I would have to stop buying yarn. Challenges, oh man! ha.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Taking a culinary tour/trip of Italy to learn about the various regions of Italian cuisine!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Write a book and have it published.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Road Trip with my family.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Trek to Everest Base Camp.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Visiting every continent in the world (not sure about Antarctica, though).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Travel around the World: specifically Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Egypt, India, Japan, Ecuador.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Mmmhh, I have not even started my bucket list. Therefore I really love
this swap as it introduces me to something new and exciting. I have some
vague ideas, so for now I think the most important item is spending one
year concentrating on creativity (writing a novel, photographing for a
whole year, learning how to paint). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Move back to Minnesota: completed August 2014. ;-)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I would like to live in another country, preferably non-English speaking.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
----------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
And there you have it... the official unofficial bucket list compilation from members of the League of Extraordinary Penpals!<br />
<br />
Our members do a fabulous job of hosting new and exciting swaps that come out in our newsletter each month. Aren't you excited to see what comes out in the July edition?<br />
<br />
Peace,<br />Denise</div>
</div>
Denise Hotzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268049169004275556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-37744067069566406292015-03-30T17:27:00.002-04:002015-04-01T11:44:39.216-04:00Sweet little village<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.466667175293px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
One of our members created this visionary masterpiece that we felt compelled to share! This sounds just lovely! </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.466667175293px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Sometimes I wish LEP was an actual place. </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Like a sweet little village of the cutest homes surrounding the town green with a great big stationery store and post office and darling little cafés to pen the days away. Throwing confetti would be a commonplace greeting instead of shaking hands. Blanket forts and teepees would dot the parklands and the weather would be perfectly suited, with cool rain sprinkling the windows of an evening.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Mail would be delivered each day. Reply pil<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">es wouldn't get unruly and no letters would be lost. </span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Kindness and compassion and loveliness would be the normality and no tears would come from the harshness of others.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"></span>LEP would truly be our utopia.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Like a great big hug when you need it most.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Thanks for being that in the virtual world, beautiful people.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks to Bel in Australia for writing this. Won't you <a href="http://www.extraordinarypenpals.com/p/become-member.html">come and join us</a>?<br />
<br />
Peace,<br />
DeniseDenise Hotzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268049169004275556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-30832059360814594022015-02-12T13:49:00.000-05:002015-02-12T13:49:19.624-05:00Movie Mail Art SwallengeIn January, we had a really fun mail art swap. Tina in Germany hosted this swallenge (swap/challenge) for us and she has put together a post to display photos of some of the movie themed mail art pieces.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Hello hello you lovelies! All in all it was a fun & creative mail art swallenge. It seems as
everyone had fun & did enjoy being crafty & creative. That's
what I love about the LEP & the members: we are one big community
with the same love & passion for mail where everyone invests some of
their own heart & soul.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdSP5XCFn4m4Ce-jy8-lC2LyD2l46dH0y-Q5EAP4cWoKTovEhzgOkFkqFMdyjAWlL3Mr4SoIAwFXzDSxo35Ny9scIFzb1O1iXVs_rRFobd11kTbs4y9wOOwGl04xbqzqdJioMD8J0xvsV/s1600/kathleen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdSP5XCFn4m4Ce-jy8-lC2LyD2l46dH0y-Q5EAP4cWoKTovEhzgOkFkqFMdyjAWlL3Mr4SoIAwFXzDSxo35Ny9scIFzb1O1iXVs_rRFobd11kTbs4y9wOOwGl04xbqzqdJioMD8J0xvsV/s1600/kathleen.jpg" height="640" width="560" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Kathleen H. created a "Greta Garbo" envelope: A dramatic 20,000 Leagues</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Under The Sea address side! Her little intro
card is made by a designer</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>who created that typeface for a silent movie
restoration! The ramblings of a possibly</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>mad woman, accompanied by bits of her favorite films of all time!</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg2fhAgZtCzfSMQq4a38MPkMa741yTL9tcg4p8y1gkB71Kh7aRSXL-FfnT1Quess03vZxiI6CUspFIhB64g7MX1BzvZSB8kKiGo9X-11PrhqZ7M1RbwXZ5Fdn53rD765yoLjl3IbmV0tF/s1600/tanja.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg2fhAgZtCzfSMQq4a38MPkMa741yTL9tcg4p8y1gkB71Kh7aRSXL-FfnT1Quess03vZxiI6CUspFIhB64g7MX1BzvZSB8kKiGo9X-11PrhqZ7M1RbwXZ5Fdn53rD765yoLjl3IbmV0tF/s1600/tanja.jpg" height="640" width="518" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Tanja K. used a scene from one of her favourite movies "The
Notebook" & added</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>a beautiful quote from "Gone With The Wind", her
swap partner's favorite movie:</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>"You should be kissed often by someone
who knows how". Since her swap partner also</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>likes poems, Tanja added a
piece of a poem that was used in "Interstellar". To close</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>the letter </i><i>she
just had to use the famous words "Frankly my dear I don't give a damn".</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWo6KmwnGgIViUfaWiYZsPyxgrgcdPH4mPMFNjKAPwo_f6syNbxSNT_7gfSc6LmWjkT8UtLoWYY4jy2X4kx2EuhqbzzN6bRsPmrpw-eH7h7Gk1BnZv6LCwfXSa-ne-7srWB5jRCws9iOz/s1600/Tasha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWo6KmwnGgIViUfaWiYZsPyxgrgcdPH4mPMFNjKAPwo_f6syNbxSNT_7gfSc6LmWjkT8UtLoWYY4jy2X4kx2EuhqbzzN6bRsPmrpw-eH7h7Gk1BnZv6LCwfXSa-ne-7srWB5jRCws9iOz/s1600/Tasha.jpg" height="486" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Natasha P. made a gorgeous booklet of film recommendations to go with her envelope,</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>and
the envelope is meant to resemble the outside of a cinema with her</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>swap </i><i>partner's favourite film being displayed.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV2zKsNDz74hSf0CouxXo7taapUoCpdIjXDb4uZd6KebHR1B_FyeOVZbHUGuzVbU820IKzJg5PzgdBhNEoHVYBiq-1zEUckHbmp-qDQRhUVJGq3EaYqVuwQBsJmJA3fahM2TiM8l5ZDd6/s1600/bonnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV2zKsNDz74hSf0CouxXo7taapUoCpdIjXDb4uZd6KebHR1B_FyeOVZbHUGuzVbU820IKzJg5PzgdBhNEoHVYBiq-1zEUckHbmp-qDQRhUVJGq3EaYqVuwQBsJmJA3fahM2TiM8l5ZDd6/s1600/bonnie.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Bonnie M. came up with awesome "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" envelope and
stationery.</i><br />
<i>She typed out bits of Hunter S. Thompson's
original article, on which the movie is based.</i><br />
<i>She used her bat stamp because, "We can't stop here. This is bat country!"
is probably her favourite line in the movie. Bonnie also drew the cacti and the
skulls, and sponged distress ink along the bottoms of the pages to
create sand. E</i><i>veryone who's interested in the article can <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/fear-and-loathing-in-las-vegas-19711111?print=true" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzlrALylSYgxTYvlf2wPaeF-XAbcTiCbMgZ0gaL8zDK4LN7qu5cTVZk93YDfB8RhCNVF60v0WMbHkzX4MFzzWP9WDS-aDyJt2fUsO5OBrsTn7ASmJ-U634p3wFjpl0sIEoJO6_6oeJ_7D/s1600/am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzlrALylSYgxTYvlf2wPaeF-XAbcTiCbMgZ0gaL8zDK4LN7qu5cTVZk93YDfB8RhCNVF60v0WMbHkzX4MFzzWP9WDS-aDyJt2fUsO5OBrsTn7ASmJ-U634p3wFjpl0sIEoJO6_6oeJ_7D/s1600/am.jpg" height="640" width="550" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Mara E. used "Amélie" as a theme for her movie swallenge mail art.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOJBbTq6dS137rSgNpA50wQT9V4vfctQyh2ntzzLqATwBg7yVy5sRbGqd4U4bCMs3Bz9WDH66KaHG4YeCICVbaSm_B4jdbkaUZd734rylDIoHTHjDYOsKyF9ZYunJrBaHMYaEtZ9BXIht/s1600/heleen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOJBbTq6dS137rSgNpA50wQT9V4vfctQyh2ntzzLqATwBg7yVy5sRbGqd4U4bCMs3Bz9WDH66KaHG4YeCICVbaSm_B4jdbkaUZd734rylDIoHTHjDYOsKyF9ZYunJrBaHMYaEtZ9BXIht/s1600/heleen1.jpg" height="496" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG8l78xKdlyuoEKqvUNGJTwGqQ5Fw_WCVrMlrIR6JOu0WYjF3NgugFeB9Gwdme4vxHJchRqG5WugRSz4MP8ZgNFLst8sIeI2eQhd2g3YfAkYddi7QOMPxNhBZT7rLeXw-V5lkRVCGbmTl/s1600/heleen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG8l78xKdlyuoEKqvUNGJTwGqQ5Fw_WCVrMlrIR6JOu0WYjF3NgugFeB9Gwdme4vxHJchRqG5WugRSz4MP8ZgNFLst8sIeI2eQhd2g3YfAkYddi7QOMPxNhBZT7rLeXw-V5lkRVCGbmTl/s1600/heleen2.jpg" height="482" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Heleen created a lovely envelope plus a booklet she made of her favourite movie.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>She does not have time often for watching complete
movies, but if so, then she usually watches animation movies. Ratatouille
and Up, they're great!
As are many others,</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>that definitely haven't been created for children
only. And one of the 'real people movies'</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>which
touched Heleen most is the "Shawshank Redemption". </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEtG-ctM4jTXWTv0v7SU_sStPSkvtcOPKkY8gVKaL58_Ym50BYjuJEYMLPaIM-bRARD46GsYCeOwUtsdtTQq9ocRw3g_FbpBjX5QWVWjhb56ldhd6-N1dORC89hVifpRpHnTesCotmwqO/s1600/marie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEtG-ctM4jTXWTv0v7SU_sStPSkvtcOPKkY8gVKaL58_Ym50BYjuJEYMLPaIM-bRARD46GsYCeOwUtsdtTQq9ocRw3g_FbpBjX5QWVWjhb56ldhd6-N1dORC89hVifpRpHnTesCotmwqO/s1600/marie.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Tina (me) received the beautiful & creative mail art from Marie
H. She chose the theme "Jack Skellington meets The Corbes
Bride", which is also one of my favorite movies. She added beautiful
quotes plus some interesting background information about the movie /
story.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbHdyMt15wOtxvKJ9xwtsOkDIASYk5sfGH9NaeBB_OsFkjBqT2Hc3zMwwmUl0p_7C2vOPZIjkwZ5f22j8S_KILjd6E_Z2N3joBf_zve3in4M5qk0fUYfAAO6uETMX4q2XxYBWRzyp_CV0/s1600/tina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbHdyMt15wOtxvKJ9xwtsOkDIASYk5sfGH9NaeBB_OsFkjBqT2Hc3zMwwmUl0p_7C2vOPZIjkwZ5f22j8S_KILjd6E_Z2N3joBf_zve3in4M5qk0fUYfAAO6uETMX4q2XxYBWRzyp_CV0/s1600/tina.jpg" height="640" width="542" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>I sent an "Alfred Hitchcock" themed mail art & chose "The
Birds" for Lara P. I wanted to keep it black & white, printed
some of my favorite scenes from the movie & used some birds &
film role washi tape. As an envelope I used an original popcorn bag I got
at the movie theater a while ago.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks so much for hosting this fun swap, Tina! I loved all the movie inspired mail images! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Peace,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
DeniseDenise Hotzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268049169004275556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5106975837808676629.post-1725486615699071832015-02-04T15:31:00.000-05:002015-02-04T15:31:11.195-05:00How do you want to feel?<br />
One of the swaps we hosted in January was a New Year Notecard. Members were asked to fill up a notecard with thoughts about the 2015 year. Each participant was encouraged to answer questions like...<br />
<br />
Do you make resolutions?<br />
Do you set goals?<br />
What are you most looking forward to in 2015?<br />
Is there something you would like to add to your life in this new year?<br />
Is there something you'd like to drop?<br />
How do you want to feel in 2015?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAoB9iU3u4JhUvjQwMWQ-PtomB4NG6cvIlDKXaCt4RsfuVE0NdBlPjACtN1c0NxkAXV40boamn3TQ8g8Qpd7Fil5mGFLrqLnqk-k0JZsflDbv13eJDkUUtieR4Yif_a6dEKRAVnn8rtT0/s1600/newyearswap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAoB9iU3u4JhUvjQwMWQ-PtomB4NG6cvIlDKXaCt4RsfuVE0NdBlPjACtN1c0NxkAXV40boamn3TQ8g8Qpd7Fil5mGFLrqLnqk-k0JZsflDbv13eJDkUUtieR4Yif_a6dEKRAVnn8rtT0/s1600/newyearswap.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
As LEP members signed up to participate in the swap, we asked them to fill in this sentence...<br />
<br />
In 2015, I want to feel __________.<br />
<br />
Here is how the participants would like to feel:<br />
<br />
<br />
~ more at peace with myself.<br />
<br />
~ the weight of my worries disappear!<br />
<br />
~ accomplished.<br />
<br />
~ like I can take better care of my inner child.<br />
<br />
~ happy.<br />
<br />
~ happy with who I am, what I do, and where I'm going with my life - and I'm ready to<br />
make the changes to get there.<br />
<br />
~ creative.<br />
<br />
~ fulfilled.<br />
<br />
~ more like myself.<br />
<br />
~ alive and fit!!<br />
<br />
~ more peaceful, more relaxed (less stressed by all things I (think I) have to do.<br />
<br />
~ content and settled!<br />
<br />
~ healthier.<br />
<br />
~ integrated.<br />
<br />
~ contented.<br />
<br />
~ productive and content.<br />
<br />
~ GREAT! (and positive, and healthier, and so much more).<br />
<br />
~ engaged.<br />
<br />
~ Way better than the last year & a half!<br />
<br />
~ accomplished, happier, healthier and that I did everything I could to make it a good year.<br />
<br />
~ like I am worshipping at the altar of my own intuition.<br />
<br />
~ content.<br />
<br />
~ really happy!<br />
<br />
~ happy, loved and sexy.<br />
<br />
~ dauntless.<br />
<br />
~ confident, happy, balanced, loved.<br />
<br />
~ more connected to friends.<br />
<br />
~ as if I have earned my stripes as an eccentric old lady who was created by<br />
Charles Dickens or Oscar Wilde.<br />
<br />
~ passion.<br />
<br />
~ happy.<br />
<br />
~ on top of my game.<br />
<br />
~ at peace with myself, in control and confident.<br />
<br />
~ excited.<br />
<br />
~ thankful.<br />
<br />
~ accomplished and in control!<br />
<br />
~ like a mother to be.<br />
<br />
~ like I accomplished something.<br />
<br />
~ more confident about the choices I make, more pro active, more energetic,<br />
stronger within myself.<br />
<br />
~ the joy that comes from a happy life; good health, great friends, loving family.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a great list!<br />
<br />
My feeling words to focus on in 2015 are <i>efficient</i>, <i>generous</i>, <i>enough</i> and <i>healthy</i> <i>(physical, emotional spiritual)</i>. I've made a few adjustments, but I still need to spend some more time focusing on the way I want to feel.<br />
<br />
I hope your 2015 is getting off to a great start! How are you feeling?<br />
<br />Denise Hotzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268049169004275556noreply@blogger.com