I've recently found a couple of new letter-writing Web sites/blogs that you might find interesting.
We Love Snail Mail offers a chance for fellow letter writers to connect with each other. Once you join (no charge), you can post your mailing address in the Forum section, as well as see the addresses of the other members. Then, you can start sending and, hopefully, receiving mail.
Over at the blog Save Our USPS, Linda is offering up suggestions for helping the U.S. Postal Service stay in business. After yesterday and today's news about the Post Office (closings, dramatic financial losses), it seems the USPS might, indeed, need saving. I'm sure Linda will appreciate it if you visit her site and leave a comment or two with some more suggestions for helping out the Post Office.
If you like sending and receiving "real" mail, these two sites are worth your time!
Showing posts with label post office. Show all posts
Showing posts with label post office. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
It'll cost more on Monday
For those of us mailing in the United States, postage will go up Monday, May 11. It will cost 44 cents for the first ounce and 17 cents for additional ounces for letters. Postcard postage will cost 28 cents.
I'm not complaining...just reminding you. In my opinion, 44 cents is a good deal for someone to come to my house, pick up a letter and deliver it anywhere in the United States.
Of course, more information, including all of the postage rates are at the United States Postal Servive Web site, www.usps.com.
You can also order postage there and have it delivered to your mailbox. There are some new 44-cent stamps on there. But, to me, one of the fun things to do is come up with combinations of stamps to equal the correct postage.
For example, you can use one 41-cent Beautiful Blooms stamp and one 3-cent Star FP stamp. Or you could use a Polar Bear (.28), one Navajo Necklace (.02), one American Clock (.10) and one Chippendale Chair (.04). Or, how about this combination: one Tropical Fruit (.27), one Silver Coffee Pot (.03), one American Toleware (.05), one Chippendale Chair (.04), one Tiffany Lamp (.01) and two Navajo Necklaces (.02 each).
Just remember to use the correct amount of postage on Monday!
I'm not complaining...just reminding you. In my opinion, 44 cents is a good deal for someone to come to my house, pick up a letter and deliver it anywhere in the United States.
Of course, more information, including all of the postage rates are at the United States Postal Servive Web site, www.usps.com.
You can also order postage there and have it delivered to your mailbox. There are some new 44-cent stamps on there. But, to me, one of the fun things to do is come up with combinations of stamps to equal the correct postage.
For example, you can use one 41-cent Beautiful Blooms stamp and one 3-cent Star FP stamp. Or you could use a Polar Bear (.28), one Navajo Necklace (.02), one American Clock (.10) and one Chippendale Chair (.04). Or, how about this combination: one Tropical Fruit (.27), one Silver Coffee Pot (.03), one American Toleware (.05), one Chippendale Chair (.04), one Tiffany Lamp (.01) and two Navajo Necklaces (.02 each).
Just remember to use the correct amount of postage on Monday!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Send more than just a letter this Saturday
Take more than a letter to your mailbox this Saturday — join the "Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive" by donating non-perishables May 9.
The U.S. Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Campbell Soup Company have joined forces to help those in need. Anyone who wants to help out should place non-perishable food in a bag and place it by your mailbox this Saturday. Your mail carrier will pick up the food and deliver it to a local food bank.
For more information on this project, visit the USPS site.
The U.S. Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Campbell Soup Company have joined forces to help those in need. Anyone who wants to help out should place non-perishable food in a bag and place it by your mailbox this Saturday. Your mail carrier will pick up the food and deliver it to a local food bank.
For more information on this project, visit the USPS site.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Peaceful Pastime
I don't know about you, but nowadays I often feel overwhelmed with everything that's going on in the world. I'm a journalist, so I'm not blaming the media, but often it's just too much to handle...war, mass murder/suicides, economic woes, salmonella poisoning, and the list goes on and on.
But, last Thursday, our electricity was off at home for almost the entire day. It went off in the middle of our morning rush, after I had fixed breakfast but before I had dried my hair. We lit some candles and finished getting ready. After too many phone calls to the electric company, they finally showed up out on the highway to replace the pole that had broken off at the ground. (Best I can tell, the wildfire the week before had weakened the pole, which was never replaced despite being burned, and then high winds snapped the pole at the ground.)
When the lights went out, instead of creating panic or mayhem in our household, the sudden quietness enveloped our lives in a gentle peace.
Except for our voices, there was total quietness. No TV blaring out the tragic news of the day or the upcoming weather. No radio screeching the latest hits or telling me what they decided at the recent city commissioners' meeting. No hum from the computers. No rumbling or buzzing from the dryer. Things we never realize make noise (coffee pot, lights, etc.) were quiet.
The lack of things to compete with brought down our own level of chaos. No need to yell in order to be heard. No need to rush...there was much less to do. I couldn't dry my hair with the hair dryer; a quick brush would have to do — it would dry on the way to work. I couldn't check e-mail or the blog. Those would have to wait till later. There was no choice.
Letter writing can produce a similar sense of peacefulness. Writing a letter doesn't require electricity, Internet service or much of anything else. All you need is a writing utensil, some paper (sometimes, that's not really necessary -- you can mail a coconut with a message written/carved on it or a wooden postcard), an envelope (again, not really needed -- any piece of paper can be folded into an envelope or self-mailer), a postage stamp, and access to postal service.
Stamps can be ordered by mail (ask at your post office for a form). Depending on where you live, you should be able to drop your letter in a nearby mail box for the postal employee to pick up. Obviously, some places don't have door-to-door mail delivery (see this earlier blog entry), but I think most do.
I'm recommending that you take a few minutes, maybe more, today to sit down, relax and write a letter. Turn off the TV. Turn off the radio. Turn off the (yikes!) computer. If it's still daylight and nice weather at your house, take your pen and paper and sit outside to write a letter. Enjoy the peacefulness of reconnecting with an old friend, introducing yourself to a new friend or catching up with family.
But, last Thursday, our electricity was off at home for almost the entire day. It went off in the middle of our morning rush, after I had fixed breakfast but before I had dried my hair. We lit some candles and finished getting ready. After too many phone calls to the electric company, they finally showed up out on the highway to replace the pole that had broken off at the ground. (Best I can tell, the wildfire the week before had weakened the pole, which was never replaced despite being burned, and then high winds snapped the pole at the ground.)
When the lights went out, instead of creating panic or mayhem in our household, the sudden quietness enveloped our lives in a gentle peace.
Except for our voices, there was total quietness. No TV blaring out the tragic news of the day or the upcoming weather. No radio screeching the latest hits or telling me what they decided at the recent city commissioners' meeting. No hum from the computers. No rumbling or buzzing from the dryer. Things we never realize make noise (coffee pot, lights, etc.) were quiet.
The lack of things to compete with brought down our own level of chaos. No need to yell in order to be heard. No need to rush...there was much less to do. I couldn't dry my hair with the hair dryer; a quick brush would have to do — it would dry on the way to work. I couldn't check e-mail or the blog. Those would have to wait till later. There was no choice.
Letter writing can produce a similar sense of peacefulness. Writing a letter doesn't require electricity, Internet service or much of anything else. All you need is a writing utensil, some paper (sometimes, that's not really necessary -- you can mail a coconut with a message written/carved on it or a wooden postcard), an envelope (again, not really needed -- any piece of paper can be folded into an envelope or self-mailer), a postage stamp, and access to postal service.
Stamps can be ordered by mail (ask at your post office for a form). Depending on where you live, you should be able to drop your letter in a nearby mail box for the postal employee to pick up. Obviously, some places don't have door-to-door mail delivery (see this earlier blog entry), but I think most do.
I'm recommending that you take a few minutes, maybe more, today to sit down, relax and write a letter. Turn off the TV. Turn off the radio. Turn off the (yikes!) computer. If it's still daylight and nice weather at your house, take your pen and paper and sit outside to write a letter. Enjoy the peacefulness of reconnecting with an old friend, introducing yourself to a new friend or catching up with family.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Postal Service cutbacks
A story on NPR yesterday details how the U.S. Postal Service is cutting airstrip service — the only type available — to a remote area of Idaho.
Both sides of the story are presented in Howard Berkes' story, and some interesting points are made in the "Comments" section of the story.
I think we all understand budget problems, fewer postal customers, etc., but I think most of us just assume mail service is guaranteed. The story quotes a resident of the area, Doug Tims as saying, "(It's) always been rain, snow, sleet and dark of night,mail (still) goes through."
I hope they can come up with a better solution.
Both sides of the story are presented in Howard Berkes' story, and some interesting points are made in the "Comments" section of the story.
I think we all understand budget problems, fewer postal customers, etc., but I think most of us just assume mail service is guaranteed. The story quotes a resident of the area, Doug Tims as saying, "(It's) always been rain, snow, sleet and dark of night,mail (still) goes through."
I hope they can come up with a better solution.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Happy NCLWM!
Until I started this project and blog, and started reading other blogs about letter writing, I had no idea there was a National Card and Letter Writing Month. But, there is, and it's this month! (Actually, the "month" extends to May 10, Mother's Day.)
Unfortunately, I'm not finding too much support out there in the world for this national observance. Several years ago, the U.S. Postal Service promoted the month, but I don't see anything on their Web site so far this year.
There is a big promotion going on over at the Letter Lover blog. Samara O'Shea has teamed up with Gifts in 24 to host an essay writing contest. Read all about it here and here.
According to a press release issued a few years ago,
Although the Hallmark company doesn't have anything on their Web site about NCLWM, they do have information about "an enhanced selection of everyday greeting cards, with pricing starting at 99 cents."
"People are returning to basics, reaching out and letting people know they're loved and appreciated or just to say thanks," said Tressa Angell, Hallmark senior product manager. "Our consumers recognize that it's important to say what they want to say. They understand the power an unexpected gesture can have."
There's some great suggestions over at Associated Content, and the Random Acts of Mediocrity has a post about the month.
Girlfriend Celebrations has lots of great information on hosting a Letter-Writing Girls Night. Sounds like a wonderful party!
Let's celebrate National Card and Letter Writing Month by writing letters and sending cards! It'll brighten someone's day!
Unfortunately, I'm not finding too much support out there in the world for this national observance. Several years ago, the U.S. Postal Service promoted the month, but I don't see anything on their Web site so far this year.
There is a big promotion going on over at the Letter Lover blog. Samara O'Shea has teamed up with Gifts in 24 to host an essay writing contest. Read all about it here and here.
According to a press release issued a few years ago,
"National Card and Letter Writing Month is an opportunity for all Americans to rediscover the timeless and very personal art of letter writing," said Postmaster General John E. Potter. "Both in times of peace and conflict, cards and letters are the most effective way to share and permanently record our thoughts, prayers, hopes and dreams."
Although the Hallmark company doesn't have anything on their Web site about NCLWM, they do have information about "an enhanced selection of everyday greeting cards, with pricing starting at 99 cents."
"People are returning to basics, reaching out and letting people know they're loved and appreciated or just to say thanks," said Tressa Angell, Hallmark senior product manager. "Our consumers recognize that it's important to say what they want to say. They understand the power an unexpected gesture can have."
There's some great suggestions over at Associated Content, and the Random Acts of Mediocrity has a post about the month.
Girlfriend Celebrations has lots of great information on hosting a Letter-Writing Girls Night. Sounds like a wonderful party!
Let's celebrate National Card and Letter Writing Month by writing letters and sending cards! It'll brighten someone's day!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Help save our mail delivery!
Yesterday, the U.S. Postmaster General John E. Potter addressed a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate and asked to change the rules that require that the mail be delivered six days a week here, in order to save money. For details, click here.
I'm hoping that doesn't happen. The U.S. postal service has been a part of our country from the very beginning. In fact, Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress in 1775. I think we need to hang on to this part of our country and to the "daily delivery" tradition.
According to "The United States Postal Service: An American History, 1775-2006," a booklet you can view or download at www.usps.gov (or www.usps.com), "Originally, letter carriers worked 52 weeks a year, typically 9 to 11 hours a day from Monday through Saturday, and if necessary, part of Sunday." Additionally, many homes received mail twice a day, and businesses had mail delivered up to four times a day.
So, six-day-a-week mail delivery has a long history in our country.
If you'd like to see U.S. Mail continue to be delivered six days a week, I think the first step is to contact the senators on the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security. That's who the postmaster general talked to yesterday. Those subcommittee members are Thomas R. Carper (chairman, D-Del), John McCain (R-Ariz), Carl Levin (D-Mich), Tom Coburn (R-Okla), Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont).
The subcommittee is part of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. Other members of that committee are Joseph Lieberman (chairman, Conn), Susan M. Collins (Maine), Mark L. Pryor (Ark), John Ensign (Nev), Mary Landrieu (La), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Claire McCaskill (Mo), Roland Burris (Ill.) and Michael Bennett (Colo).
According to the committee's Web page, you can contact the members by mail at 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. There also are phone numbers and fax numbers listed on the site. And, you can find links to all of the senators at the Senate Web site. It might be a good idea to also contact your senator and let him/her know how you feel about the situation.
You might also want to contact the postmaster general John "Jack" Potter at 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington DC 20260-0010. Or, you can send an e-mail to the USPS via this link.
Of course, one of the best ways to support the U.S. Postal Service is to write letters and mail them. Within the United States, it only costs 42 cents to mail a letter that weighs 1 ounce or less. That's several sheets of paper and an envelope. Forty-two cents. You can mail a letter from anywhere in the U.S. to anywhere else in the U.S. for less than the cost of a candy bar, less than a cup of coffee, less than almost anything. And, if you'd rather send a short note on a postcard, that costs just 27 cents! You can even send a 1-ounce or lighter letter anywhere in the world, from the U.S., for less than $1!
So, it's a good deal. And, we may lose part of the convenience of the deal if we no longer have daily (except for Sunday) delivery and pick-up of mail.
Let's do what we can to save our postal service!
I'm hoping that doesn't happen. The U.S. postal service has been a part of our country from the very beginning. In fact, Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress in 1775. I think we need to hang on to this part of our country and to the "daily delivery" tradition.
According to "The United States Postal Service: An American History, 1775-2006," a booklet you can view or download at www.usps.gov (or www.usps.com), "Originally, letter carriers worked 52 weeks a year, typically 9 to 11 hours a day from Monday through Saturday, and if necessary, part of Sunday." Additionally, many homes received mail twice a day, and businesses had mail delivered up to four times a day.
So, six-day-a-week mail delivery has a long history in our country.
If you'd like to see U.S. Mail continue to be delivered six days a week, I think the first step is to contact the senators on the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security. That's who the postmaster general talked to yesterday. Those subcommittee members are Thomas R. Carper (chairman, D-Del), John McCain (R-Ariz), Carl Levin (D-Mich), Tom Coburn (R-Okla), Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont).
The subcommittee is part of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. Other members of that committee are Joseph Lieberman (chairman, Conn), Susan M. Collins (Maine), Mark L. Pryor (Ark), John Ensign (Nev), Mary Landrieu (La), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Claire McCaskill (Mo), Roland Burris (Ill.) and Michael Bennett (Colo).
According to the committee's Web page, you can contact the members by mail at 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. There also are phone numbers and fax numbers listed on the site. And, you can find links to all of the senators at the Senate Web site. It might be a good idea to also contact your senator and let him/her know how you feel about the situation.
You might also want to contact the postmaster general John "Jack" Potter at 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington DC 20260-0010. Or, you can send an e-mail to the USPS via this link.
Of course, one of the best ways to support the U.S. Postal Service is to write letters and mail them. Within the United States, it only costs 42 cents to mail a letter that weighs 1 ounce or less. That's several sheets of paper and an envelope. Forty-two cents. You can mail a letter from anywhere in the U.S. to anywhere else in the U.S. for less than the cost of a candy bar, less than a cup of coffee, less than almost anything. And, if you'd rather send a short note on a postcard, that costs just 27 cents! You can even send a 1-ounce or lighter letter anywhere in the world, from the U.S., for less than $1!
So, it's a good deal. And, we may lose part of the convenience of the deal if we no longer have daily (except for Sunday) delivery and pick-up of mail.
Let's do what we can to save our postal service!
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