pen cancellation

As for what arrives in Postcrossing, it's not a lot, but what concerns me is pen cancellation. I know that the primary purpose of a postmark is to prevent reuse, so it does its job, but it's just not pretty! I donate used stamps to charity, I'm also interested to see how much of their value is damaged by pen-cancels. But I can't be sure of their value as I just leave them in the donation box. I wonder if anyone has made pen cancellation a postal research topic?

a kind of repudiation

This is a continuation of the story of the bottomless pit on 26 November.

I took care of my grandmother because I felt that I had to continue my mother's role uninterruptedly. I was the only one who had to change my life because of my mother's death. The rest of us returned to our daily lives shortly afterwards. Considering the burden on the hearts of us who loved her, I thought that the best way to soften the grief was to let life go on as unchanged as possible. My heart, of course, was in shambles, but it was at the bottom of my priority list. When I saw the bottomless pit of desires, I realised that my mother was no longer with us, and that trying to make things as they were when she was here was a denial of her death.

Accepting change in so many ways is painful and difficult, so I told myself that if my struggles reduced the suffering of my family, then so be it. I had become a nun, and devotion would be my role for the rest of my life. But it's not. I'm sure I've made life easier for my family in many ways, but they have not offered their help. And that made me think that this is unfair. But it's not that they are cheating, it's that I'm stupid and they are just defending their own territory.

What do you think?

a hundred postcards at a time!?

Recently I've had the opportunity to see a few stories about very active Postcrossers.

One of them can request more than a hundred postcards at a time, and he says that if he requests just a couple of postcards, it will be skewed towards countries with a lot of participants. That's why he makes a request once a year for a hundred postcards at a time, and tries to reduce the bias of the countries of destination.

The other person has sent and received more than 10,000 cards and has decided to leave Postcrossing, although I don't know the details.

If I had kept my old account and kept sending, I would have become a Postcrosser like them, as I was a relatively early participant and had a high ranking in Japan. Even though I know that each participant is a different person, but I can imagine that I might get bored with too much bias, and I don't want to make it an annual event to request a hundred of postcards at a time. I'm enjoying the pace I'm at now, sending and receiving in fits and starts.

a bottomless pit

It's about my grandmother and I recently found out that she has been telling her son - my uncle, disgraceful lies about me. I was angry, but I felt more disappointing and demotivated. I talked to her care manager and decided to keep my distance. But I'm still the one who works behind the scenes.

I think now that her lies were a way to get her son's attention. Because if she lied about how unfair she was being treated, he would worry about her. She wants her granddaughter's love, she wants her son's love, and the ugliness of her endless greed makes me want to scream.

She is not a person who lives alone in the middle of nowhere, she is a person who has always used people to get what she wants. Greed, it seems, is a bottomless pit. I'm not some girl, but I'd like to say - How dare you!!!!!

make lemonade!

Some time ago I came across an article on the internet with an interesting title. The title is: 'Unrequited love, murderous intent... secrets in lockdown on hundreds of postcards' 11 April 2021, 17:00  London/UK (The article is in Japanese.)

It goes on to say...

Following the third lockdown of cities in the UK in January following the spread of the new coronavirus, Eleanor Tattersfield's family stationery shop, Marby & Elm, sent out stamped postcards with the caption The postcards, which were stamped and labeled "Secrets in Lockdown," were distributed to customers.

For more information, please visit the Marby & Elm website.

But then again, does everyone have that many secrets? They published a book based on the secrets they receive, which is an interesting initiative. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

ordered some stamps

I am running low on small sum stamps and have decided to order some unused old stamps. They are priced below the postage indicated. I bought 10,000 JPY ($88) worth of stamps for 8,500 JPY ($75). It costs 70 JPY ($0.61) to send one postcard by international mail, which means I can send 142 cards, so I won't need to buy stamps for a while.

Exchange rates are as at 21 November. The JPY is weak at the moment!

those who always give charity are resented?

I read on the internet that people in trouble or trapped hate the lack of charity of those who reach out to them more than those who don't even see them.

One person responded to this by saying If you put your hand out to take a wounded stray cat to the hospital, you are sure to be bitten, and you will not be thanked, and it's arrogant to say - I'm helping him.

I think this is an interesting way for the mind to work. I never imagined that doing a good deed would make me feel bad in the least before, but now I understand.

Pride and Prejudice 2

Here are a few sentences that made me want to underline them.

'... It was not in her nature, however, to increase her vexations by dwelling on them. She was confident of having performed her duty, and to fret over unavoidable evils, or augment them by anxiety, was no part of her disposition. '
(Chapter 41)

'... she found, what has been sometimes found before, that an event to which she had looked forward with impatient desire did not, in taking place, bring all the satisfaction she had promised herself. It was consequently necessary to name some other period for the commencement of actual felicity—to have some other point on which her wishes and hopes might be fixed, and by again enjoying the pleasure of anticipation, console herself for the present, and prepare for another disappointment.'
(Chapter 42)

hope not to miss it this time

There are two expired cards as of today, one of which I have already sent a follow-up card once, but it will probably never arrive as the country does not currently accept mail from Japan. The newly expired card may simply have been the result of a postal accident, as the recipient seems to be an active postcrosser in a country where postal services are available. Anyway, I sent a follow-up card, this time with a woman with a bow and arrow, to make sure I didn't miss my target! I'm not really interested in expiry as I enjoy the opportunity to send cards.

Pride and Prejudice 1

The book I took with me on my trip was 'Pride and Prejudice' in Japanese, a book that had been eating dust on my bookshelf, and I had never read this famous piece of literature, only knowing the title. As soon as I started reading I realised that this book was the basis for 'Bridget Jones,' so I was sort of prepared for the storyline. And of course, Mr Darcy was Colin Firth moving in my head. I also know that he was in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, although I never saw it.

I myself am familiar with pride and prejudice, and I know all too well the hardships of family turmoil... well, I might have been for a long time the one who make my family suffer, - although I do believe it was their vanity that made them suffer, this book struck a chord with my sensibilities.

This story will (probably) continue.

to empty my head

I was off to a hot spring in the mountains. There are no shops around, there is nothing to do there but relax and enjoy the hot spring. It was a blessing for me that I had the time to empty my head. With the Corona I had almost forgotten that travelling is a great way to get away from all.

detox system

I feel like dying before my period and everything seems to be a serious problem. It's also the time when someone's casual words tend to get me into trouble. Some of my friends say that I have a long temperament, but I don't know which temperament is mine...well, I know it's all me, but I don't like that temper that makes me feel as if I've turned into someone else. But considering that I used to not be able to let my feeling, especially negative one out, maybe it's a lovable detoxification system once a month.

a relationship of trust

The Animal Protection Act has become stricter in recent years and it can be said that animal welfare is making progress, but things like public discipline classes that people living with animals can attend at any time are not common.

The city where I live achieved zero pet killing early on, and I am proud of that, but it is just a municipality that happened to do well, and the reality seems to be difficult. The reason for this is that pets are treated as commodities, which means that there will be resistance from those who make money out of it.

It could be said our family treated our dog as a commodity in that we received him from the breeder through a monetary exchange. I know it's easy to be idealistic... my excuse is that we were given him thanks to a relationship of trust by a breeder whom we trust.

More and more people seem to be spending more time at home in the Corona situation and more and more people are adopting pets into their lives. I sincerely hope that people cherish their companion animals🙏

By the way, thanks to masks, orthodontics is also on the increase, I heard.

友引, one of the six days from 六曜

One of the calendars that is still used in Japan is 六曜, the Roku-yo, which is a calendar of fortune based on the five elements of yin, yang and the Chinese zodiac, and is a calendar of fortune, good and bad times and directions for each day of the year.

One of the six days (六曜 means the six days) that make it up is 友引, Tomo-biki. It is said that if someone hold a funeral or farewell ceremony on 友引 Tomo-biki, the dead would '引 - pull' the '友 - friend' out to the afterlife. On the other hand, holding a wedding ceremony on Tomo-biki could be good luck for your friends, For this reason, it is considered to be suitable for celebrations, but not for funerals

The Roku-yo came from China, and has no connection with Buddhism, Shintoism, Christianity or any other religion. Therefore, there is no religious significance to avoiding a funeral on Tomo-biki. It can be said that the people choose a safer day so as not to get into trouble later because of the day and to avoid being told that you chose a bad day.

As long as there are people who care about the Roku-yo, this custom will continue. As for me, I like to be able to do things at the right time, and as a result, I suppose I would care about it.

Postcrossing November Writing Prompt: The best present you ever received

I've been thinking about it, and I think the best present for me is that I was created in this world. It's not all fun and games, there are times when I get mad and despair, but I manage to keep one eye on the bad things. Today, thankfully, I've had a good day, ​I can eat a good meal and go to bed in peace, and that is enough for me