The 2026 edition of the SDMB Postcard exchange - new management, old rules

Ok ok, I’m sorry :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:. I thought that the act of sticking (is that the right word?) something to a fridge door is also called “pinning”, but then English is only my second language.

It’s a magnet AND a pin!

…and a floor wax and a desert topping!

No, you’re probably* right ! The verb “pin” can be used for more than just pins.
Eg, wrestlers can “pin someone to the floor” and they’re not allowed to use
pins (as far as I know).
:grin:

*ok, definitely right !

I did receive the cards from @Die_Capacitrix ( a view from a mountain in Switzerland), @rebo (Flag of Texas), @PT (Sydney Harbor Bridge with the Opera House), and from someone whose name I can’t make out of “The Spirit of Kansas.”

Your group appears to consist of RollOutTheBarrel, Die_Capacitrix, Rebo and penultima_thule, so I would guess it’s from RollOutTheBarrel.

All the ones I sent had flowers on them.

I received a postcard from the Australian Museum of Contemporary Art, and a pudding-themed bookplate, from the inestimable @penultima_thule today!

And I just received another card from @penultima_thule of a gorgeous artwork of flung bronze called Moon in a Dewdrop by Lindy Lee, from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

Also, a card of an Eastern Rosella - a very colorful Australian parrot, which is no doubt poisonous like everything else over there.

I received a postcard of “Sydney from Above” in an envelope with a bunch of pictures from all over Australia! Thanks @penultima_thule!

Today was a good day to get a postcard from @penultima_thule - I got the Gold Coast under a setting sun! Thanks!

I always thought sand was the best desert topping.

Just got a nice postcard showing sunny downtown Sydney, including the famous Opera House, from penultima_thule. Many thanks!

Apparently the bite of a grass parrot can be very nasty.

It is a idiomatic that Americans think Australia is very dangerous because of the wildlife while Australians think American is very dangerous because of the guns. But a key difference is, were somebody to bring a crocodile into an Australian primary school and it killed 26 pupils and staff, Australians wouldn’t go out and buy more crocodiles.

You’re preaching to the choir here.

It’s only circumstantial of course but the only doper in the 2026 exchange from Kansas is @Baker. Which would be good news.

Today I learned about “the Ghan” an experiential tourist train whose route bisects Australia. Thanks @penultima_thule !

And that means my 2026 postcard collection is complete.

I have never been to Texas, but I just got a pretty card from there. And there’s even a cow!

Thank you @Rebo !

I unexpectedly received a neat postcard from @penultima_thule of the “in light of the visible” art installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. That was very neat to look up and find additional photos of.

I also think he’s on a one-man crusade to educate the rest of the world about the Eastern Rosella as he included that little card as well :slight_smile:

Thanks P_T, I’ve never received mail from so far away before!

The Ghan captures a core essence of Australia. The current passenger service which is very well patronised takes 52 hours to cover almost 3,000km through the heart of the continent.

In Jan 2018 the SBS TV network commissioned a “slow TV” project and put a couple of cameras on the train. Mostly just using a single forward shot mounted on the engine. Sometimes using a drone to glimpse passing features. “The Ghan” program ran for 3 hours. No dialogue, no commercials. Occasional captions. And rated it’s socks off. Trended #1 on Twitter. Mesmerising. Highest rating show on SBS for the year. Highest rating show on Australian TV that week.

So in response to the unprecedented demand the next week SBS showed absolute faith in their capabilities and broadcast the full program. 17 hours of continuous TV. If you had a spare day, to have it playing in the background as the scenery of the continental transit washes past, highly recommended.

There’s a TV series which runs on the Smithsonian Channel here in the U.S. called Mighty Trains, which gives hour-long profiles on various iconic passenger trains and routes throughout the world. As a lifelong train nerd, I love that show, and their episode on the Ghan was one of the most fascinating ones.