snail mail project

[bigdane]

I've been kicking an idea around in my head...I take care of my disabled mom and when we were pulling out Christmas stuff I came about a box of old correspondence...family letters and cards some 60+ years old. I'm a letter and card writer...meaning I like sending cards to my friends who ALWAYS love them. Most people rarely save emails or other electronic correspondence but most save snail mail.
So here's my idea...what if I collected cards, from anyone who wanted to participate (recognizing some people are understandably protective of their physical presence and would opt out) and sent a card or note, some form of snail mail. I'd like to write to others. Then if anyone wanted to send a return postcard I could bring them to BRC and make some sort of collage?? I'm just in the beginning thoughts of this and regurgitating it here...
Does anyone else still believe in the art of letter writing? I love the historical nature of letters, the intimacy of the words on paper, the handwriting of the author, the permanence of the expression and the absence of spell check!!! I love the fact that, short of beginning anew, the letter reflects the development of a thought in a (semi) permanent medium. The choice of paper, card, note, postcard, ink, pencil, handwriting - cursive or print, salutation...all of it coming together to illustrate that one person cares enough to take the time to connect with another...it's poetry, it's beautiful.

I'm open to feedback, like I said this thought is in its infancy..

this may belong in another forum...i just wrote it here....

[trilobyte]

You could also have some fun with sending letters to friends from the playa, or having them send letters (and even packages) to you. We haven't undertaken any kind of project along those lines, but do try and work out some kind of incoming/outgoing correspondence from the playa. A couple specific friends enjoy sending and receiving something from that thing in the desert.

[AntiM]

I mail postcards from the playa, and receive them too. I love it!

I once was a big letter writer, being in the Navy, it was a lifeline. I am unhappy I can't find my address books just now, because I have all sorts of eplayan addys in one, and wanted to send winter cards!

We could move this to 2012 art section if you'd like.

[theCryptofishist]

I love written cards, letters, even if I'm too damned lazy to do it any more.
You can always call it Palimpsest, even though it's pretentious, because it's cool and pretentious. (IMHO)
You might want to join tribe.net and search on "random acts of postcards", see something related. (Don't think it's the same, even if it were, your doing it would make it different.)
There are some wonderful images here, too. I just googled "mail art", which is a totally legitimate cromulent term, and if yo udon't believe me, wikipedia will back me up on that.
There are dozens, hundreds, of ways to go with that, and I have stacks of images of various sorts that I'd be willing to send on.

[bigdane]

I love written cards, letters, even if I'm too damned lazy to do it any more.
You can always call it Palimpsest, even though it's pretentious, because it's cool and pretentious. (IMHO)
You might want to join tribe.net and search on "random acts of postcards", see something related. (Don't think it's the same, even if it were, your doing it would make it different.)
There are some wonderful images here, too. I just googled "mail art", which is a totally legitimate cromulent term, and if yo udon't believe me, wikipedia will back me up on that.
There are dozens, hundreds, of ways to go with that, and I have stacks of images of various sorts that I'd be willing to send on.

That's an awesome project name...Palimpsest....perhaps I could send a blank postcard to people...written in pencil...that they could erase, write over, decorate the front and mail to the playa....

[trilobyte]

The BRCPO is also an excellent option for 'walk-up volunteering' on any given day. Just show up and they'll put you to work helping to deliver throughout the city.

[bigdane]

You could also have some fun with sending letters to friends from the playa, or having them send letters (and even packages) to you. We haven't undertaken any kind of project along those lines, but do try and work out some kind of incoming/outgoing correspondence from the playa. A couple specific friends enjoy sending and receiving something from that thing in the desert.

is there a "post office" that operates in BRC during the week???

[AntiM]

You could also have some fun with sending letters to friends from the playa, or having them send letters (and even packages) to you. We haven't undertaken any kind of project along those lines, but do try and work out some kind of incoming/outgoing correspondence from the playa. A couple specific friends enjoy sending and receiving something from that thing in the desert.

is there a "post office" that operates in BRC during the week???

Yes! You do need to bring your own stamps for postcards and letters. I know you can receive packages (I got a couple last year), but I don't think they can process the to go out.

They always need volunteers to deliver mail to camps.

[bigdane]

They always need volunteers to deliver mail to camps.

OOOHHH sounds like something right up my alley!!!

[AntiM]

They always need volunteers to deliver mail to camps.

OOOHHH sounds like something right up my alley!!!

If I could bike, I'd be all over it.

[theCryptofishist]

Black Rock City has its own cancellation mark as well. Making those cards and letters sent from there even more special.

[bigdane]

I'm getting closer to a better vision of this project and the drum beat goes like this...

1.Mail yourself a letter or a picture postcard(?) perhaps something handmade??? to the BRC post office.
2.Have it delivered by one of the brcpo volunteers (I’ll be volunteering for certain!! – maybe I’ll document people receiving their mail!!)
3.Smile
4.Share it with your camp mates
5.This part gets a little cloudy cuz I’ll have to find some camp that might consider letting me hang there a couple hours hear and there to provide a place for folks to come and make a postcard to mail back to themselves from BRC.
6.Collect all the mail and take it to the BRCPO (Black Rock City Post Office) to be postmarked after the burn. I understand that in years past (as Cfishy pointed out) BRC has had a commemorative, special events USPS cancellation stamp.


Thoughts?

[maryanimal]

bigdane, I think you have a wonderful idea!! I'm going to volunteer for BRCPO! I'll have my own bike next year! How fun is that!!

I had an idea for something myself but it didn't come to fruition last year. But I think I can pull it off this year!

[bigdane]

((MA)) how fun indeed!

[theCryptofishist]

They always need volunteers to deliver mail to camps.

OOOHHH sounds like something right up my alley!!!

If I could bike, I'd be all over it.

Maybe we could do a cripple run in my van...

[theCryptofishist]

Mail art meets Spam!

[wh..sh]

5.This part gets a little cloudy cuz I’ll have to find some camp that might consider letting me hang there a couple hours hear and there to provide a place for folks to come and make a postcard to mail back to themselves from BRC.

Thoughts?

I would suggest sitting at center camp (shady and cool), then move your goods next to the man, then to next to the temple, then to really famous theme camps, art installation. These would be the high traffic area. You would find people with "free advice", "hugs" placards and they pretty much sit anywhere they want (as long as you are not disturbing anyone or in the path of art tour buses).

You can sit on the ground. Bring small folding table, postcards, pens and you should be good.

[gaminwench]

BigD...

If you want an Esplanade (dog willing) theme camp to host you for regularly scheduled times (maybe post in the What/Where/When) so folks can find you, our camp (DOTA) has a lovely shaded dome in which we host 'chill' daytime events...

[AntiM]

I can see a mobile postcard making set up in a briefcase! Yes, try to find friendly camps to host your efforts.

My campmate Paul made handmade cards with photos and funny captions which he gifted out, some via my Home for Wayward Art. They were well received and cherished.

Damn, we need to get an Art Ghetto theme camp going for 2013. A smallish camp with a courtyard full of small individual creative interactive art projects (and no sound, thanks).

[wh..sh]

handwriting - cursive or print, salutation...

I am a huge handwriting freak and consequentially in love with art of beautiful penmanship and calligraphy. I have been wanting to do a calligraphy project myself.
But I still haven't quite figured out how and what would work.

Your project sounds cool. Good luck!

[bigdane]

I would suggest sitting at center camp (shady and cool), then move your goods next to the man, then to next to the temple, then to really famous theme camps, art installation. These would be the high traffic area. You would find people with "free advice", "hugs" placards and they pretty much sit anywhere they want (as long as you are not disturbing anyone or in the path of art tour buses).

You can sit on the ground. Bring small folding table, postcards, pens and you should be good.

love this idea...mobile is good!

I can see a mobile postcard making set up in a briefcase! Yes, try to find friendly camps to host your efforts.
My campmate Paul made handmade cards with photos and funny captions which he gifted out, some via my Home for Wayward Art. They were well received and cherished.

Damn, we need to get an Art Ghetto theme camp going for 2013. A smallish camp with a courtyard full of small individual creative interactive art projects (and no sound, thanks).

perhaps I can pick up a crazy old mid sizesuitcasr at the Goodwill in Reno to put the supplies in....
Art Ghetto Camp sounds like a great idea!!!

[Sail Man]

I love written cards, letters, even if I'm too damned lazy to do it any more.
You can always call it Palimpsest, even though it's pretentious, because it's cool and pretentious. (IMHO)
You might want to join tribe.net and search on "random acts of postcards", see something related. (Don't think it's the same, even if it were, your doing it would make it different.)
There are some wonderful images here, too. I just googled "mail art", which is a totally legitimate cromulent term, and if yo udon't believe me, wikipedia will back me up on that.
There are dozens, hundreds, of ways to go with that, and I have stacks of images of various sorts that I'd be willing to send on.

The USPS runs a contest ev year called the Graceful Envelope

Here's one, thinking of you Fishy Graceful Fishy

[theCryptofishist]

Nice! Thanks, Sailman.

[illy dilly]

Big Dane,
This sounds like an awesome idea!
Depending on how events un-fold over the next few months, you are (most likely) more than welcome to come set up shop at The Gnome Dome for an afternoon.

Also, when the time gets closer we should coordinate for some BRC-PO volunteering. I've been meaning to volunteer over there for years but always end up doing something else. But if I had a commitment then I'd be sure to get up and go do it.

[moonrise]

Fun idea! I think a briefcase is big enough and maybe get yourself a mailbox Bigdane...mail boxes can be made from almost anything (might want to be careful how much and how big your 'stuff' is since you're a loooong distance traveler to the burn and all) Maybe a mailbox attached to your bike (or at your camp for incoming mail) and a sturdy handle on a deep/big, used briefcase. I think a small suitcase would be a drag to haul around, I could be wrong, but uh, my gut intstinct, is a briefcase.

I collected post cards for years, I had over 15,000+++ at one point.
They were stapled in beautiful designs on the walls & ceilings inside a few rooms, including over doors and up the staircase of the house, down a looong hallway, ceilings and all, and exploding into bedrooms (it began in the kitchen and just kept on going...for over 10 years!!) I would pencil/draw the outlines of the designs w/suggested colors noted and leave a stapler with many boxes of staples out for freinds and visitors bearing post cards.
They would staple the cards up themselves. It became a massive art piece over the years!!

It'd be cool to start a legal post card chain letter originating from BRC. I tried to google post card chain letter and came up with a ton of unrelated schtuff [I gave up]

I think you can contact the BRCPO on the website www(dot)brcpo(dot)com and ask them what's up.

A while back I read the brc postal workers were disappointed that most of the out going mail was not within Black Rock City & they want more mailings inside the city because it's more fun than driving the mail to Gerlach to be mailed to the default world. The deliverers like the adventure of finding the camps and the mail boxes and the rewards they often get... (I think some of the deliveries take a long long time to complete, maybe alllll day...BIG rewards might be approriate in that case, uh huh)

I think the size and scope of your project is good/manageable for a burgin traveling long distance. Once on playa it's portable, that's gooood. I imagine you will easily seek refuge from the heat in the places everyone has offered and suggested. wh..sh is right about busy spots and center camp, cool cool shade and plenty of people there.

Maybe we can all send C/O [enter the eplayan name(s)] mail to Barbie Death Camp on Thursday in the morning! Haha, Doc and the gang can handle the excitement, I think....(can you?) Does BDC have a mail box?

P.S. If you no show to the MnG, we burn your mail

[Dr. Pyro]

Of course we have a mail box! What self-respecting theme camp doesn't? One year somebody crammed a stuffed monkey into it. Talk about your MOOP machines. So sure, use us as your Thursday morning letter drop and we'll have everything sorted by the time the M&G begins.

[jkisha]

Fun idea.

[moonrise]

Sounds good Doc!

Did the monkey taste good?

[unjonharley]

Of course we have a mail box! What self-respecting theme camp doesn't? One year somebody crammed a stuffed monkey into it. Talk about your MOOP machines. So sure, use us as your Thursday morning letter drop and we'll have everything sorted by the time the M&G begins.

mmmmmh "stuffed monkey" yummy

[AntiM]

I could use a good stuffing for my monkey.