postcardist

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One of the great honors of my life was when OG invited me to meet her Urgroßmutter. You see, Margarethe was not only a beloved great-grandma to OG, but as a young girl she created a magazine that became a much-copied icon. That magazine was called The Bayer. It’s studied in many journalism courses as the forerunner of the New Yorker magazine. 🏄‍♀️ Meeting OG’s great-grandmother involved a bit of an adventure. She lived alone in a beautiful Alpenhaus on a Bavarian lake that was named for her. Only problem was, we had to paddle across that lake to get to her. OG said we had to get dressed up to visit Margarethe, so OG wore a dirndl and I pulled on some too-tight lederhosen (too many sausages that summer), and we made our way to the edge of Margarethezee. It was then that OG told me we’d have to paddle board. Now, between my snug leather pants and lack of balance, there was no way that was happening. So OG pulled out pocket knife and cut down a tree so I could be a bump on a log while she paddled us across to meet her Urgroßmutter. I was nervous. But OG stuck a feather in my cap and paddled smoothly. We arrived in a couple hours. I was waterlogged. 🍺 Margarethe met us at the dock. She teased @original.gitti about her new hairstyle, then broke into a laugh about my tiny lederhosen and cane. Then she suggested we take a refreshing 10km hike in the Alps to stimulate our appetite. It was at that moment when I realized where OG got all her fortitude from. Margarethe was old, but she outwalked me by a long shot. Plus, my pants were squeaking. I will say I was happy when we got back to her cabin and she brought out the bier steins and showed us old issues of The Bayer magazine. Prosit! 🍻 In the morning, Margarethe decided to go for a swim across the lake. She towed me behind while OG almost fell off her paddle board laughing at me. #adventureswithog @original.gitti https://www.instagram.com/p/CqQflGRADy5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This complete set of maxicards from Carnevale 2023 that Melissa sent are just spectacular. https://www.instagram.com/p/CqQbekbgzD7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This nice wish thanks to @wilelouise https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp45xVhASTl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Two spectacular art cards created by @rachelannwentworth. Breathtaking FDOIs. These are going in my space collection. Thank you so much, Rachel. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpTW6Wyvvif/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I closed out The Postcardist Podcast with Episode 141: The Finale. And @indysuz sent this wonderful hand painted card with my favorite number as a momento. How very kind. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpSe8UWgMxh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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My adventures with OG started in Munich years ago during Fasching, which is what Bavarians call Carnival. I was walking through the town center on Weiberfastnacht, which is the Women’s Carnival Day, wearing my very best bespoke suit and a brand new Hugo Boss tie, when a young woman wearing a mask ran up to me, looked me straight in the eye, and then took a pair of scissors out of her costume pocket and SNIP! She cut my very expensive tie right off of me. “Why did you do that?” I hollered in English. The mask-wearing woman replied, “Weil i di mog.” I was so flustered, I thought she said “Wild night, you know?” It was wild, all right. On Weiberfastnacht there are no rules. And women do as they please. Some give out kisses. Some cut the ties off unsuspecting Americans. 🍻 The tie cutting happened on a Thursday. Fast forward to Tuesday, what they call Fastnachtdiesnstag in Bavaria. It’s Mardi Gras times 100. There is partying. Lots of beer drinking. Everyone is in costume. And I got in trouble. Some guys decided they didn’t like my lederhosen hot pants costume paired with a poet’s shirt. Several of them dragged me outside the bierstube to give me a pre-Lenten beating. The first few kicks started happening, then while I was covering my head I heard a bunch of thuds. The bad guys were sprawled on the ground. And that masked young woman who cut my tie off a few days earlier was holding an Akido Jō, a wooden fighting stick, above her head. The bad guys staggered up, then ran away. And I said, “Thank you. But why did you do that?” And my masked protector answered, “Weil i di mog.” 🥋 So when I got this card from OG this year it brought back so many memories. My tie. How she rescued me. And how she taught me a very important Bavarian phrase: Weil i di mog. It means “because I like you.” Weil i di mog, @original.gitti. Thank you for all the adventures. I’m glad it started with this one. #adventureswithog https://www.instagram.com/p/Co7RKkwgKHi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#adventureswithog

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OG and I went to Nagano to watch the Winter Olympics. OG wanted to drive the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo. I just wanted to eat some shinshu soba. We both got our wish. But you’ll never believe what happened next. 🏔️ The Moldovan bobsled team was at the table next to us the night before they were supposed to do their runs. But while OG and I ate local foods, the Moldovan team indulged in another Nagano specialty: sake. And they had a lot of it. In fact, at some point they were so full of sake they gave OG and me their green team jerseys and brown helmets. 🛷 The next day OG and I carried the equipment to return it to our new Moldovan friends. Except they were nowhere to be found. Just then, an Olympics official ran up to us and mistook us for the Moldovan Bobsled Team. OG smiled. And I knew we were in trouble. She pulled on the green sweater and brown helmet. And said some words in gibberish. (Then whispered for me not to worry — no one knows what Moldovan sounds like.). OG grabbed the sled. And another Adventure with OG was on. Of course, OG was the pilot. And I was a gentleman and only put my arms on her shoulders. I can’t run fast, so we didn’t get a good time. But we did get interviewed on Moldovan TV. Turns out even Moldovans don’t even understand Moldovan, so OG spoke in Romanian. And I spoke in Pig Latin. We were famous. For a minute. Until the real Moldovan team turned up with big headaches and asked for their equipment back. OG and I just sipped warm sake. And laughed. #adventureswithog @original.gitti (at Nagano Japan 長野日本) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn97WVaAfOn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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And a Happy New Year wish from @belkavesna and a group of Russian Postcrossers. Thank you so much. Also, look at those stamps! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn66aIzgfNZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This beautiful Christmas card just arrived from Valery. We haven’t had but a dusting of snow this year. It’s January 27 and the ground is clear. I need to make at least one snowman this year. Thank you for this @belkavesna https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn66GiAAETN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Maggie sent butterflies, front and back. Thank you @stamp_and_away https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn65zgwgF7U/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Tess and Hunter S. Thompson. What a great combo. Thank you for this collector’s card, @tkubalekedmunds. Buy the ticket, take the ride. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5K6H8vHVT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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A lunar New Year welcome from @wilelouise https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5KLgXvFnT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Never think you know everything. We must always learn more. Gracias, Betsy. @mermaids_and_mailboxes https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5J-I7P_A2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This beauty from Shanny at the best wings place in the world. @shmaaac @jtimothys https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5Jsa-PLM6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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My favorite year and number on a beautiful card from @bhumika_snailmail https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5JewsPxfY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Happy holiday cards from @sentfromdisneyland https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5JYXBPilR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This beautiful lino cut from @luluvision celebrating the Year of the Rabbit https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5JK3jPiRP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=