As I have mentioned previously, I am now a member of postcrossing.com, which is a similar concept as bookcrossing.com (which shares books).  Postcrossing allows the sending and receiving of postcards from around the world. 

Since I wanted the widest possible distribution of postcards for my growing collection, I signed up to send postcards to all over.  To date, I have sent fifteen postcards and have received eleven postcards.  I have sent them to Taiwan, Germany, Russian, Ukraine, Finland, China, and more; in return, I have received cards from the US, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, and more.

Because I send postcards overseas, they require an airmail/first class stamp, which is the same postage as if I were to mail a letter.  Postcards within the United States have a lower postal rate, but I digress. The current airmail stamp that my local branch of the post office sells is a picturesque painting of an Amish horse and buggy traveling down a country lane.  Every time I buy one, it strikes me as highly ironic that this particular US stamp used only for airmail purposes shows a lifestyle that is considered simple, doesn't use electricity, and forgoes most forms of technology.  Perhaps I am the only person who sees it that way.  I am sure those postcrossers who receive my postcards don't see the irony; they only see a stamp of the United States and one that looks different than their own. 

Of course, with the expected postage increases coming at the end of January, perhaps the United States Postal Service will be coming out with a new stamp for airmail that won't hit me with the same amount of irony.