I'M IN LOVE WITH ONLINE STAMP-BUYING

As much as I like to go to the post office to view their array of stamps from a living breathing person, the local post office branches often don't have the stamps that I'm looking for. Because I love stamps, tiny works of art that they are, I am picky when it comes to picking them out for a big mailing. It's just not worth waiting in a LONG line, only to be dissappointed by the selection available.

For my Valentines Day mailing, I really wanted the Love: All Heart stamp and I knew the post office branches wouldn't be carrying it because it's from 2008. So I hopped online and ordered a whole bunch of them from the USPS website.

It took all of five minutes to order the stamps online! I'm gonna remember this in the future.

I AM IN LOVE WITH THE EAMES STAMPS

Before I bought these stamps, I only knew that Eames was a famous dude who designed famous chairs.

I did not realize that the Eames were a man/wife couple who designed all kinds of things.

According to the Wikipedia entry,
"Charles (1907-1978) and Ray (1912–1988) Eames (pronounced /ˈiːmz/) were American designers, married in 1941, who worked and made major contributions in many fields of design including industrial design, furniture design, art, graphic design, film and architecture."

So this is the beauty of stamps - they are miniature works of art that open our minds to new worlds.

POST OFFICE OF MY DREAMS

As a lover of all things post office - looking at and buying stamps; sending letters and care packages; and interacting with postal workers who love to show all the new stamps - I sure do wish that they would build a post office in my neighborhood.

Every time I have a envelop or package of an unknown weight, I have to trek out to another neighborhood to get it weighed and shipped off. This is true of everyone else in Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, too!

My dream post office features:

* children's artwork on the walls

* a comfortable lounging area

* a deejay playing lounge-y music

* an adjoining coffee bar

* little water bowls for dogs outside the door (like Commerce Bank)

* happy and well-paid/well-treated workers