This month I signed up for Postcrossing, a postcard exchange. I already sent my first five postcards (to Germany, Netherlands, England, China, and Japan) within the last week and now I wait for them to be received and for my first five to come. Tonight I wrote my profile which I think does a good job of summarizing where I am in life:
Hello - my name is T.J. (Thomas James). I loved the idea of Postcrossing when I heard about it. I used to have pen pals - for language exchanges, to learn of life abroad (of which I was so interested) - and I miss those interactions. I have few opportunities for grand adventures anymore. These days two toddlers call me Daddy and that encompasses most of my time. So, I must find adventures locally, or through books, or through postcards from world abroad.
About me:
My family teases that I always have my nose in a book. I read about 50 a year, mostly non-fiction. Sometimes I worry I won't think of a good next book to read and sometimes I worry I won't live long enough to read everything on my list.
I like to exercise (barbell weightlifting, sometimes running). I wish I could swim proper strokes better, I'd like to learn. I'm not sure if its a midlife crisis but I'm considering martial arts, like judo (I used to wrestle long ago). Actually, I wish I had a craftier hobby, where I could make something with my hands. Making my own journals sounds interesting. I used to play music (trombone, harmonica, my brother taught me some drums, I taught myself some piano - but all are mostly forgotten) and would love to find an outlet for that again. I suppose my only "artistic" outlet now is cooking. I come from a family of feeders (it's quite the family trait - my mother has it, her sister has it, my grandfather had it, I have it). Make more than what you need is the menu-planning philosophy. I want to learn to make bread and pastries better.
I used to love to hike and camp semi-regularly. Being in nature is very centering to me. I'm taking my eldest camping for the first time next year. She'll be content to be near a river she can throw rocks in.
When I would travel, seeing the landmarks was nice, but one only meets other tourists. I liked to sneak into everyday places - the public transit, the grocery stores, the libraries, even the churches, just to be among the locals. But I still find I have plenty to explore in my region, even my hometown.
My superpower is I can sit quietly alone in a room for a long, long time.
In school my teachers singled me out for notoriously bad handwriting. I haven't practiced much since school. My wife asks me to decipher my love notes to her. That is to say, if I write something you can't read, I am sorry. :)
I have studied at some point, and would be happy to receive a postcard in: Spanish, French, Latin (I'd be very impressed to receive a Latin postcard), Italian, and Portuguese. Actually, I'd be happy to read a card in any language.
If you can't think of anything else, tell me a favorite recipe or local food I should try, a place in your hometown or country I should visit, a phrase in your language, or even just about your daily routine.
More than anything I'm curious about you and where you come from, and I'm interested. It's never a bad day if I learned something new.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
