Today’s featured Postcrossing postcard is one I received a few days ago from a college student in Hefei, China, about 300 miles west of Shanghai. The picture on the card (right) is cute enough, but what really blows me away is the magnificent stamps, above. The sender tells me the stamps describe “how ancient peopleContinue reading “Postcards From the World: Cool Stamps”
Category Archives: SF & Fantasy
Novel Progress
I finished the outline near the end of March, and began writing Chapter One of the new science-fiction novel on April 1. As I mentioned a few days ago, I’ve made it a Camp NaNoWriMo project (National Novel Writing Month). My goal is 20,000 words in April, which comes out to about 667 words perContinue reading “Novel Progress”
Reading Challenge: the First Quarter
As of the end of March, I’ve read my way through the first quarter of the 2021 Goodreads reading challenge, and am actually a few books ahead right now. This is a challenge I’ve taken part in since 2015. You set your own goal for how many books you want to read each year. WhenContinue reading “Reading Challenge: the First Quarter”
Thursday 13: Thirteen Books
I just noticed a Facebook Memory from 2010. It was a “Thursday 13,” a meme that asks participants to make a list of thirteen things on Thursdays. I chose that day, eleven years ago today, to compile a list of the last thirteen books I’d read. (I specified then that I was not including booksContinue reading “Thursday 13: Thirteen Books”
Charlie Sheen, Angry Warlocks, and Me
I recently read that a few years back, bad-boy actor Charlie Sheen offended yet another group. This time, that wacky, screwed-up rogue got on the wrong side of a Salem, Massachusetts, witchcraft gathering, the Coven of the Raven Moon. The Salem witches and warlocks were angry over a statement in which Sheen described himself asContinue reading “Charlie Sheen, Angry Warlocks, and Me”
The Subtle Science and Exact Art of Potion-Making
“I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death,” said Professor Snape at the first session of Harry Potter’s potion-making class, and then added, “If you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.” I hope I was not a dunderhead last night, as I attendedContinue reading “The Subtle Science and Exact Art of Potion-Making”
Still Going Postal
A few days ago I posted about the Month of Letters, also known as LetterMo. This is a challenge I undertake every year; it encourages participants to write and mail at least one letter or postcard per day (every day that the mail runs) during the month of February. It’s time for an update. SinceContinue reading “Still Going Postal”
60 Million and Counting
Yesterday morning at 5:17 EST, a Czech man named Tommy registered the 60 millionth Postcrossing postcard. The card came from Veronika in Belarus, and showed two cartoon characters. That’s it on the right. This milestone means that since the project began in 2005, Postcrossing members like me have received 60 million postcards from each other,Continue reading “60 Million and Counting”
Weird Holidays
I’ve begun using my new Bullet Journal, as described in an earlier post. I started it only a few days ago, and a lot of what I’m doing now is still aimed at getting the pages set up. But there is plenty of room for adding things that are just for fun. I do likeContinue reading “Weird Holidays”
Postcards From the World: Daenerys
My favorite of the Postcrossing postcards I’ve received this week comes from Russian Postcrosser Anna, who lives in a suburb of Moscow. (Don’t know what Postcrossing is? Check out this entry.) I love learning about the people who send me cards. Anna sings in a women’s choir and competes at international music festivals. She lovesContinue reading “Postcards From the World: Daenerys”
