Stampalia

I hate writing this but Tom is back in the hospital. It's been two years since his stem cell transplant. Now he has developed several tumors, including one on his head and another on his spine, of a rare cancer called Myeloid sarcoma. I'm driving to Stanford every couple days to visit which usually means four hours in the car round trip. I definitely won't have as much time for swaps. Despite our credit card being maxed out and our savings already depleted I still have all the stamps my aunt gave me, so luckily I can keep participating and express my creativity through my postcards without spending money. Its so theraputic. I booked a temp job but they've canceled my first two shifts, so that sucks. I usually don't share like this in our nice swapping group but I'm struggling and I just need to get it out. I'm not religious but if you are and would like to add Tom Rea to your prayer list I would appreciate having as many people as possible sending out love into the universe for him. I'm very scared and unbearably sad but I appreciate all of you and the bonds we've made through swapping. 12/14/24

My husband Tom and I have a senior rescue chihuahua named Arthur. My parents live on the coast and we visit as often as possible.

I had a job for ten years working for a stamp dealer. We sold at shows all over the country. I loved the traveling and meeting so many collectors. They'd always ask if I was a collector, too. I certainly fell in love with all the different stamps. In all that time I never had any interest in actually becoming a Philatelist. Since I started Postcrossing around May '23 and then joined Postcard United and Swap Bot shortly after I have found not only an outlet for my creativity but also a way to use all the wonderful postage stamps that my aunt collected and left to me. So, I have become an accidental Deltiologist. I also love plants and flowers. I've worked in a grocery store floral department and a wonderful plant nursery in Santa Cruz, CA. I studied Horticulture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Ive always had an interest in earth science and zoology. I love animals and grew up in a home with dogs and cats. Our little Arthur is a man of mystery who was rescued off the street three years ago. Its likely he was abandoned from a puppy mill. He's very timid and doesn't exhibit dog behaviors like wagging his tail. We think maybe he's around 14 or 15. He is so quiet. He doesn't bark but he makes a sound like "boof".

I like black teas. I drink tea in the morning and I want the caffeine. Fruity ones like mango, peach, lemon. I like Constant Comment. I like Chai. Especially 'spicy' or vanilla. Someone in a swap sent me a nut flavored tea that was so delicious and I didn't take a picture of the wrapper so I can't remember what it was 😔 I like Rooibos. I've never tried white tea. I like Earl Grey but I don't drink it much and I really don't go for English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast.

DISLIKE green tea or matcha also floral teas like jasmine, rose or lavender

I'm not a stamp collector but I have a lot of stamps and I like to share. Mint and used. Most of the used is old. Some of the foreign is very old. If you're a collector of older material please let me know in swaps what countries you're interested in.

I like to recieve modern (2000 or newer) US or world wide- mint or used and either on or off paper. Topicals (if possible) would be plants and animals, libraries, books, reading, stamps on stamps, postcrossing, mail, food, women, holidays, Europa

DISLIKE Please don't send me pre-cancels. If you like pre-cancels I can send you bunches. No need to swap. You can just have them.

I don't collect postcards to keep them blank. For the most part I swap postcards to have more variety of postcards to send. I want to have a postcard to fit every person so if we are swapping blank in an envelope I like to recieve postcards of the things people ask for... lighthouses, waterfalls, volcanoes, schools, space, recipes, Stadiums, churches, weather, black and white, maps, transportation, Royalty, UNESCO, recipes, large Letter, Loupaper, Moomins, Blue Cats I'm always happy to get postcards from anything that's on my list of likes below. Also if you look at the topical stamps above it also lists some likes. I'm less interested in multi-view and typical city postcards for tourists.

My only dislikes are postcards that are old and in poor condition. Bent or with bad corners. Especially If you send vintage please keep that in mind.

This list is not all inclusive and it will change occasionally. My tastes range from rainbows and cutesy to dark and goth so it's hard to list it all. For example: these may be my favorite animals but I love any animals.

Animals: pandas,capybara, hippos, pangolins, cats and dogs, raccoons, platypus, hyraxes

Birds: Quail, peacocks, hummingbirds, cardinals, falcons, lorikeets, swans

Bugs: ladybugs, grasshoppers, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies

Plants, trees, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, berries, fruits and veggies

Flowers: orchids, dahlias, pansies, narcissus, California poppies

Kawaii: Hello Kitty, Gudetama, Kerropi, Bananya

Alice In Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, The Velveteen Rabbit, Smokey Bear, Calvin and Hobbes, Mr. Men - Little Miss

I love internet celebrity animals - Grumpy Cat, Moo Deng, Fiona, Pesto, Tater Tot, Wisp, Knights of the Rotund Table, Chili the Pug

Gary Larson, Edward Gorey, Kliban, Liz Climo

Animation- Disney, 80's throwbacks (Jem, Smurfs, Gummy Bears, Rainbow Bright.) Pixar, Studio Ghibli

Colors green and gold are current favorites but I love color

Halloween: my favorite holiday - I'm ok with cute or scary - ghosts, spiders, bats, witches, costumes, candy

Cryptids: Bigfoot, Mothman, Jersey Devil, Nessie, Champie, Jackelopes, mermaids

Easter and Christmas - secular only so just stuff like Easter bunny and eggs and Santa claus, reindeer and elves. I do have postage stamps with Christian themes for Christmas but I'll only use them if your profile says you'd like them.

Astrological Leo

Lunar New Year: Dragon

TV: Jeopardy, The Price is Right, all the Real Housewives, Top Chef, Survivor, Midsommer Murders, Bones, 30 Rock

Song I'm listening to on repeat: Europapa- Joost Klein

Best movie I've seen recently - Bolt

Favorite book I've read recently Necromancer by William Gibson

Sports: WWE wrestling and football. We have a family fantasy football league.

Art (any style) and Fashion also jewelry and gemstones

I am not religious. I am interested in Bhuddism and other Eastern religions like Hinduism.

Free Palestine! Feminist, pro-choice, anti-racist, anti-fascist, lgbtqia+ and politically left. Nudity and adult themes ok, too

It is very important to clearly write or print my address and use my full nine digit zipcode. 94597-7967. You should use yours, too. It helps the PO sort mail and improves accuracy.

I've noticed an issue with the machines tearing or peeling postcards (especially thicker cardstock and layered paper) on the address side below the stamps. I have begun covering the address along that edge with clear tape. If you have any suggestions for packaging or sending mail so it arrives in the best condition let me know.

I always rate. If I haven't rated your swap its because I didn't get it. Message me to discuss how long you want to wait before resending.

I keep photos of what I've sent but I don't go after people to rate me. Please, if you havent gotten a swap from me, send me a message. I usually send before the due date and our main office in Oakland is one that can still get mail from me to you in 2 weeks. That's to US and sometimes worldwide like Canada and Germany, too. I always take my mail to the indoor drop box and never on holidays. If it's gone beyond a couple weeks past the date I marked it sent, let me know. It was lost and I will always resend right away.

Items I don't need more of or I just don't care for:

Bookmarks

Long socks

Sticky Notes