15 Minutes, 37 Cents
Oct. 23rd, 2003 05:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penpusherMy most recent trip to the Post Office was yesterday, and I saw a small display case with stamps of Andy Warhol. Of course, there is a law saying that no one living can appear on a US Postage stamp, but if Andy could have seen these stamps I'm quite sure he would have been amused.
Just the fact that there are stamps with Andy's head on 'em that DON'T have tabs of acid on the back makes these collector's items! Excellent planning for them!
I guess it's time to get around to 1960s icons for mailing purposes. Anyone for Malcolm X? Timothy Leary? That Beach Boy that drowned in the pool? Nixon? Actually, wasn't Tricky Dick already on a stamp? You won't have Nixon to lick around any more.
There was also talk, some years ago, of having stamps with advertisements on them. Like a "Scope" mouthwash stamp, with a bottle logo on the front, and backing gum flavored to match the product! It almost makes you sorry they went to a pressure-sensitive glue, doesn't it? The things you think of while you wait.
The stamp ad concept isn't so horrible, if you think about it. Obviously, certain products are natural for this: Hallmark and American Greetings would surely be popular choices. Starbucks coffee bean flavored stamps. But could you mail a Venti package with it?
Anything to keep the costs down and the government from making things more costly, I say. This considers everything from how to raise revenue to who's working there!
The people at my post office are pretty friendly, and generally understanding and helpful. I'm sure that's because they like their jobs. But, it only takes one disgruntled worker to spoil the whole thing. Being happy in your career is so, so important!
The Post Office is sort of wild. It's like the last vestige of the Old West... people lining up, bellying up to the counter, purchasing little squares of paper to stick on their envelopes and turning those over to the pony express riders to deliver! Eee, doggies.
Will the package get there, and get there on time? Will the payroll come through? You never really know without that FedEx tracking #.
But with an overnight service, you don't get the pleasure of Andy Warhol, staring blankly at you from the upper right corner.
I wonder if my $4 Space Shuttle stamp is worth more or less, now that the program seems to have been scrubbed? I guess eBay knows for sure!
Just the fact that there are stamps with Andy's head on 'em that DON'T have tabs of acid on the back makes these collector's items! Excellent planning for them!
I guess it's time to get around to 1960s icons for mailing purposes. Anyone for Malcolm X? Timothy Leary? That Beach Boy that drowned in the pool? Nixon? Actually, wasn't Tricky Dick already on a stamp? You won't have Nixon to lick around any more.
There was also talk, some years ago, of having stamps with advertisements on them. Like a "Scope" mouthwash stamp, with a bottle logo on the front, and backing gum flavored to match the product! It almost makes you sorry they went to a pressure-sensitive glue, doesn't it? The things you think of while you wait.
The stamp ad concept isn't so horrible, if you think about it. Obviously, certain products are natural for this: Hallmark and American Greetings would surely be popular choices. Starbucks coffee bean flavored stamps. But could you mail a Venti package with it?
Anything to keep the costs down and the government from making things more costly, I say. This considers everything from how to raise revenue to who's working there!
The people at my post office are pretty friendly, and generally understanding and helpful. I'm sure that's because they like their jobs. But, it only takes one disgruntled worker to spoil the whole thing. Being happy in your career is so, so important!
The Post Office is sort of wild. It's like the last vestige of the Old West... people lining up, bellying up to the counter, purchasing little squares of paper to stick on their envelopes and turning those over to the pony express riders to deliver! Eee, doggies.
Will the package get there, and get there on time? Will the payroll come through? You never really know without that FedEx tracking #.
But with an overnight service, you don't get the pleasure of Andy Warhol, staring blankly at you from the upper right corner.
I wonder if my $4 Space Shuttle stamp is worth more or less, now that the program seems to have been scrubbed? I guess eBay knows for sure!
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Date: 2003-10-23 06:18 am (UTC)Ha!
That was a brilliant post! Typically when I'm at the post office, I don't get to ponder the stamp offerings... I have to watch for old ladies and old men who try to cut the line, not to mention watching said old ladies/men arguing with the miserable postal workers.
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Date: 2003-10-23 02:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-23 05:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-23 05:21 pm (UTC)I guess I was a bit surprised that there wasn't more to do about the Andy stamp. Or, maybe there was and I didn't hear about it!
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Date: 2003-10-23 06:32 pm (UTC)EEE doggie.
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Date: 2003-10-24 04:12 am (UTC)at my post office...
Date: 2003-10-28 07:50 am (UTC)i just thought you might find the difference in our postal experiences interesting.. :) good day to you dj.. :)