Sunday, May 1, 2011

You've Got Mail

Today is the first of the month, and that means it's Theme Day for participating City Daily Photo bloggers. Today's theme is Mailbox.

A friend recently asked me if I had received something she had sent. I immediately checked email, blog comments, Twitter direct messages, Facebook and my phone texts. I didn't see anything from her, so I told her to resend it.

"I can't resend it," she said. "It's an actual piece of mail. You know, with a stamp on it?"

Sure enough, I found an envelope beneath a large pile of bills and an even larger pile of catalogues. Actual mail, with my name and address handwritten in ballpoint pen. In this age of spam folders, blogrolls and Evites, holding a real letter in my hand felt unique and strange. And somehow new.

Actual mail? Yeah, I predict it's the next big thing.

For a digital walk through a worldwide neighborhood of mailboxes, check out my fellow City Daily Photo bloggers. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

UPDATE: The beautiful and talented Jilly of Monty Carlo Daily Photo and Menton Daily Photo managed to photograph the exact same mailbox, halfway around the world. See for yourself.

11 comments:

Jilly said...

Laurie, snap! I posted exactly the same mailbox on Menton DP today. Now that's weird. Perhaps Americans own the house in Roquebrune village or perhaps this particular mailbox is/was available worldwide.

Virginia said...

I see you and J illy share this box today. I just love it. And good for your friend who still bothers to send letters the "real" way!
V

Sharon said...

I was on Jilly's site when I saw her comment that you had the exact same mailbox on your site. Now that is amazing. You may be right about the next big thing. It is a big deal to get an actual piece of mail from soneone! Great post.

Julie ScottsdaleDailyPhoto.com said...

i like the black and white for this photo. really changes the mood

Laurie Allee said...

Hi everyone!

Jilly, this is too cool. This particular style of mailbox is all over Monterey Hills neighborhood of South Pas. The region was built in the 60s and 70s, so that is probably when most of those mailboxes were installed. How cool is it that they are the same as yours?

Jilly said...

it wouldn't surprise me if the house in Roquebrune village is owned by an American - indeed a Californian. Perhaps I'll knock on the door one day and ask. I've never seen a mailbox like this before here in France. There has to be a good reason. We need a sleuth...

Your photo being in black and white - it is, in fact, the same colour as the one on Menton DP?

Jilly said...

I type too fast and then don't read it thru. Duh! I meant to write 'is it the same colour as the one on Menton DP?

Laurie Allee said...

Jilly, yes it is. Some of the others like it have been painted white but this one is just like yours.

Jilly said...

Fascinating. One day I'll solve the mystery...

TheChieftess said...

Too funny!!! Both that you actually got real snail mail, and second, that Jilly had the same mailbox photo!!! We have those mailboxes all over in the neighborhood above our Glendale home!!!

Shanna said...

Yes, REAL hand written letters are very special!