A couple of little rants....

I have been using the festive period to sort through old but not-continuing correspondence from over the last 16 years. One InCoWriMo, I received an introductory/generic letter, but it was from someone I had previously received an introductory/generic letter 3 years prior - am I that forgettable? As I was going through the letters, I realised I was also forgetful of some of the names I'd sent letters to, but also many I do remember. There was Katy in Israel in 2015 I had written to: one letter I wrote was being composed in a McDonald's and I had put sugar on my fries, instead of salt - at least edible; I doubt salt in a cuppa tea would be delicious! 

Many of the failed correspondences have come via the February letter writing projects. The idea is to write a letter every (postal) day that month. One of the projects says also to reply each letter/postcard you receive through the project. And that is where it falls down. So many letters - they can't have all gotten lost to/from me? There is a forum associated with that project and Disqus comments for one of the other February letter writing projects, so if you really don't want to write back, letter acknowledgement is possible. 

I do know I can't get on well with everyone, and penfriendship would not work with some people. Maybe there's also a time/moment issue -  you'll probably have a day here/there where you don't want to speak to a particular friend, but would be willing to catch up another time. 

Another little rant is postage... It ain't cheap, I get that. But I am less likely to respond / acknowledge a letter if it has insufficient postage from overseas. I don't know all the postal rates from overseas, but do know that ONE domestic FOREVER stamp from the US is not sufficient postage to pay for a letter INTERNATIONALLY. Do you really expect me to think that it costs the same to send something regardless of whether domestically (within your country) or internationally? 

Domestic forever valued postage stamp, of a volleyball

OK, perhaps one or two people new to snail mail or Postcrossing might not know any better, but there was one letter I received I  haven't acknowledged (not even in my correspondence diary, incoming mail list) with a postage label (presumably bought from a machine in the post office) for one cent (0.01 euro). Definitely am not surprised the sender decided not to use a return address on the envelope nor even in the letter itself (email address was provided). 

Deutsche Post postage label, for 1 euro cent

That is definitely wrong, and not a genuine mistake. Postage rate then I think was 1 Euro and 10 cents, DEFINITELY NOT ONE CENT ONLY, not mixed up in a postal rate change (as was the case this month, I received something with stamps adding up to 68p, which was the second class rate at the start of the year but now is 75p). Surprised Deutsche Post let this one through and postmarked it.