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Blackdog Lin
5-1-13, 7:49pm
Well, it's probably a story that isn't gonna translate when I try to type it out - but will try anyway.

(1) I retired last year after 32 years (and 4 months!) with the USPS, which was almost all of my working life (I only worked 4 full-time years in the private sector.) My whole life WAS the USPS, it seemed like. My job frequently challenged me, and I was always proud of both persevering through all the crap, and being a career employee.

(2) In the, I think it was the later 80's (I forgot to look it up before starting this thread) several sets of lobby decorations that "corporate" sent out to us all were very realistic professionally-done heavy cardboard stamp replicas. They were all accurate right down to the perforated edges, and depending on the stamps were around 8"x11", and 11"x14". We hung them with fishing line from the Post Office lobby ceiling.

At the end of the "campaign" it was mandated that they be destroyed. But they were so beautiful, so gorgeous, so well-done! I couldn't stand that they were just going to be thrown away. I spoke to my Postmaster who agreed to look away the day(s) I rescued them from the trashcan. I recovered 6 various "stamps" that year. (please don't let it out that I am in possession of stolen federal property!) :)

Come the late '90's and I have an entry wall that needs a wall-hanging, remember those stamps, end up having 3 of them professionally matted/framed, and have enjoyed them even since. The one hanging in my entry is just.....beautiful. It's one of the Christmas Angel stamps (you know, some years are Madonnas and some used to be Angels), from a totally beautiful painting, and the guy did an awesome job with the mat and frame, and I've loved it ever since I hung it. Not only is it a gorgeous wall-hanging, but that it refers to both my belief in angels looking over me and my lifelong working career.....it's just a very cool thing in my house.

Okay, the story was too long. Here's the punch line that has me gobsmacked. Amazed. Awestruck at the synchronicity of the universe. Whatever. And I didn't even realize it till last week, just casually walking through the entry, glancing at the beautiful picture on the wall, and.....whoa! Check it out! Is that too cool or what?!!!

The stamps in question, that I have framed and hanging in our house, are 32-cent stamps. They have a large 32 on them.

treehugger
5-1-13, 7:58pm
That is really, really cool. How clever of you to predict that number, all those years ago. ;)

So, any chance we can see a picture, or would that incriminate you?

Kara

sweetana3
5-1-13, 8:13pm
My brother is working on retiring from the USPS. From his comments, he really likes his job or mail carrier. He has always lived in that city and in fact was born there. He probably knows each and every mailbox.

My other brother just retired from UPS. But we wont talk about him. :)

Blackdog Lin
5-1-13, 8:35pm
Addendum: I looked it up and I was way off. Stamps were 32-cents from January '95 to January '99. So that's when I recovered the marketing-campaign remnants.

I never knew the answer to the trivia question "what did stamps cost when you went to work for the Postal Service?" After looking it up just now: in 1980, when I went to work for them at the tender age of 23, a stamp cost 15-cents. Whoa! I am older than even I imagined.

Tussiemussies
5-1-13, 10:14pm
What a great coincidence, although I don't believe in coincidences :)... That stamp sounds beautiful and what a great way to remember your years there...

decemberlov
5-1-13, 10:29pm
that's so wonderful! promise I won't tell a soul! I don't believe in coincidences either Christine! I want to se a picture too!

peggy
5-1-13, 10:47pm
OK, well you do know that in about 20 or 30 years, there you'll be on the 'Antiques Road Show' with your stamp posters...with the little blurb instructing us to go to the web site to see just how much Blackdog Lin got for her stamp posters!

Simplemind
5-1-13, 10:48pm
How cool is that? I can't think of a more perfect way to have a daily reminder of two things that have been so important to you. The 32 just blows me away. Hope you are enjoying your hard earned retirement.

mtnlaurel
5-2-13, 6:46am
I just LOVE this! Thank you for telling us about it. What a great example of having things around you that you love and bring you happiness.

iris lily
5-2-13, 9:12am
That is a great story! And great wall decorations!

JaneV2.0
5-2-13, 9:23am
I'm trying to get over the part about willful destruction of beauty. I'm glad you were able to rescue a few of the little treasures.

Nice synchronicity, too. Jung would have something to say about that.

catherine
5-2-13, 9:33am
I love those "coincidences"! What a wonderful way to commemorate your career! I say it beats a gold watch!

Gregg
5-2-13, 9:51am
Synchronicity is a wonderful thing. It was a great album, too.

razz
5-2-13, 10:15am
Thanks for sharing this insight.

SteveinMN
5-2-13, 2:49pm
Synchronicity is a wonderful thing. It was a great album, too.
Amen to that! :)

Blackdog Lin
5-2-13, 8:45pm
Who did Synchronicity? I know I know, but boy! I suck at coming up with names in my old(er) age.

Thanks all for your nice thoughts.....

iris lilies
5-2-13, 8:51pm
Who did Synchronicity? I know I know, but boy! I suck at coming up with names in my old(er) age.

Thanks all for your nice thoughts.....

This evening I saw an ad on tv where kids were playing Smoke on the Water, the anthem for 1972. Anyone remember that?

Blackdog Lin
5-2-13, 9:08pm
OMG. Yes. Smoke on the Water has to be on the Top-10 list of ANY serious R&R "Best Of". Well, for a certain generation. Made in Japan was almost equally earth-shattering - but not quite as much.

Oh - I'm off to start a new thread I think you're gonna like. I think the Reviews section.....

Gardenarian
5-3-13, 12:21pm
That's a great story! What a wonderful career you've had.