4 things #9

Well, Christmas is almost here !!! I'm on vacation from my job, and these days the only things I'm doing is watching TV and taking some pictures. Talking about pictures, I finally began taking pictures for my project (I took the first one yesterday), the link to the set is here. This finishing week I did everything I planned to do, so that's nice.

This upcoming two weeks (yeah, 2 weeks, because I'm going on vacation and I won't be able to post next Sunday) I plan to:

1.- Eat LOTS of delicious food in the place I'll be visiting.

2.- Take LOTS of pictures of that new place.

3.- Spend good time with my family.

4.- Buy some nice handmade things in the town I'll be visiting.

Wait for the pictures !!!

4 things #8

This was a good week: I'm almost on vacation at my job (I'll work until Wednesday, and then start again on January 7th), and I bought some Christmas gifts for my dad and my sister (I still need to find something nice for my mother, I need to do it this coming week, before Christmas).

So this week I plan to:

1.- Put my girlfriend's gifts in a nice package.

2.- Buy a gift (or gifts) for my mother.

3.- Eat more Christmas food.

4.- Buy a couple of bottles of wine.

4 things #7

Well, although this wasn't a good week, I managed to do almost everything that I planned to do: I bought the ingredients for the "hallacas" (we prepared them today), I helped my girlfriend to choose a new camera (it's a Sony P&S) and I bought some postcards. I was looking for my birthday gift, but the online store that usually sells that kind of stuff will get it next week, so I have to wait.

This week I plan to:

1.- Take some Christmas pictures.
2.- Buy a gift for my sister.
3.- Buy a gift for my dad.
4.- Buy a gift for my mom.

Here I am

I know I've not been around here these days, but a few things are happening right now: I haven't get any mail  in the last few days, and I'm really busy at job (it's the end of the year, and we're going on vacation soon). Also, I had a car accident this week (I'm fine, but the car is quite damaged. It wasn't my fault, actually I was totally stopped, but I was impacted by another car and that made me hit another car). This weekend I'll be quite busy because we will be preparing "hallacas", our traditional Christmas food. But I'll write a couple of letters this weekend and mail them maybe on Wednesday or Friday. And I'm quite worried because my letters are taking a lot of time to get to my pals (some of the letters arrive soon, but some take a longer time, even if I send them the same day, but they finally arrive).

4 things #6

Well, this week was a good one: I started reading a book (it isn't a new one, but one that I really like), today I bought something nice for my girlfriend (a nice Christmas gift with a good surprise, I hope to not scare her), I got a nice sticker for my car (it's a Ron Jon's Surf Shop sticker), and I got some nice ideas for my photo project (although I didn't take any picture of it yet).

This week I want to:

1.- Buy the ingredients for the "hallacas" (it's not a "want", it's a must).
2.- Find some nice postcards for my friends.
3.- Get my birthday gift (I know what I want, but I haven't found it yet).
4.- Help my girlfriend to choose a nice camera.

Germany stamps

Germany stamps

I really like these stamps from Germany, specially the colorful one on the right.

South Africa stamps

South Africa stamp

As you should know, I really like stamps with birds on them, and I love this one, my first stamp from South Africa.

South Africa postcard

South Africa postcard

This is my first South African postcard, I got it from Lizelle, and it's a very nice multiview postcard.

Romania stamps

Romania stamps

These are my first stamps from Romania, and I really like them.

Romania postcards

These are my first postcards from Romania, I got them in a swap with Andreea. I love them all, they're pretty nice, specially the one taken with a fish-eye lens.

Romania postcard

Romania postcard

Romania postcard

Romania postcard

Today's mail

Today I got a postcard from South Africa (from Lizelle), a postcard swap from Romania (from Andreea) and a letter from Germany (from Tanja). It was nice to get them today, specially because those are my first postcards from Romania and South Africa.

Today's mail

4 things #5

This finishing week I ate salad and fruits about 4 times each, so I did it. But I wasn't able to go out to practice street photography, and I think I'll be able to do it when I go on vacation (that's in a month). Talking about my new photographic project, I didn't take any pictures, but I've been developing some funny ideas (let me say that there are 2 characters: a dinosaur and a Stormtrooper).

This week I plan to:

1.- Start reading a new book.

2.- Buy some Christmas gifts for my girlfriend and my family (that will be next Sunday).

3.- Find a nice sticker for my car.

4.- Get more ideas for my photography project.

USA stamps

USA stamps

Today I got this nice stamps from the USA, I like a lot the one on the right, showing a Peregrine Falcon.

Singapore postcard

Singapore postcard

I got this beautiful postcard from Singapore, sent by my good friend Pascal.

Incoming mail

Today I got a letter and a postcard. The letter was sent by Joanna (from the USA), and the postcard was send by my good friend Pascal (from Singapore). Pascal is from Germany, lives in Switzerland but he travels quite often to Singapore because his girlfriend is from there, so this time he sent a postcard from his latest trip to Singapore. What's more impressive is that this time they took less than 3 weeks to be delivered here, so I think IPOSTEL is improving the delivery of incoming mail.

Incoming mail

Outgoing mail

Today I sent a few letters: Jennifer (an intro letter for The Netherlands), Ines (China) and Elena (a reply to an intro letter from Russia). Also, I sent again two intro letters, one to Anne (I got an incomplete address and I got the letter returned last week) and another one to Fenny (from Indonesia, I sent the letter a long time ago but she never got it). I sent them certified, and I hope all the letters arrive safely this time.

Also, I checked at the post office if my previous certified letters are on their way, and all of them already left Venezuela (sadly, I can't check certified mail on our postal service's website, instead I need to go to the post office with the codes and they check into their system).

4 things #4

Well, this week I did the 4 things that I wrote last week: I practiced some Solid Works (actually I designed a cool mechanical piece in 3D), I practiced the Harris Shutter Effect (I didn't like the result, but I'll practice more), I drank tea every afternoon, and I didn't drink Coke.

So, this week I plan to do this:

1.- Eat salad at least 3 times.

2.- Eat a fruit at least 3 times.

3.- Go out and practice some street photography.

4.- Start a new photographic project (I already have a funny idea).

Russia stamps

Russia stamps

I got these stamps from Russia, and I must say that I love them. They're beautiful, and are my first Russian stamps.

China postcards

China postcard

China postcard

China postcard

I got these 3 postcards as a swap from Ines, from China. I really like them, specially the one of the cemetery. It might sound weird, but I LOVE taking pictures in cemeteries.

This week's mail

This week's mail

This week I got 2 letters: one from Elena (from Russia) and one from Ines (from China). Ines sent some postcards with her letter. Actually, we arranged a postcard swap, but we also sent letters, and now we're pen pals.

Outgoing mail

Today I sent an intro letter to Vesna, in Slovenia. We don't know how much time will it take to arrive there, but we hope it won't be so long. Also, I included a nice postcard for her. At this moment, I don't have any more letters to write/reply, so I won't be updating this until I get something else.

4 things #3

This week was better at finishing my goals: Washed my car, finished this book, wrote a letter (although I'm still preparing that small envelope with nice things) and found some white address labels (now I'll try to print something nice on them). Now, this week I plan to do this:

1.- Practice more with Solid Works.

2.- Practice the Harris Shutter Effect on GIMP or Photoshop (I already took the pictures).

3.- Drink a cup of tea every afternoon.

4.- Stop drinking Coke.

4 things #2

Well, this week I didn't do all the things that I proposed last Sunday: I started a new book (No habrá final, by Roberto Echeto) and I cleaned my desk, but I wasn't able to wash my car and I didn't take the pictures to try the Harris Shutter Effect (I only used my camera yesterday to take pictures for my previous posts). So this week I'm planning to do these things:

1.- Wash my car (it's a must).
2.- Finish reading this new book.
3.- Write a letter and prepare a little envelope with nice things.
4.- Try to find some address labels (it isn't easy here in Venezuela).

Japan stamps

Japan stamps

These are the stamps that I got on Aya's envelope, I love all of them !!! This is the first time that I get a round stamp :) It's a nice one.

Japan postcards (7 of them)

These are the postcards that I got from Aya :) I love all of them !!!

Japan postcard

Japan postcard

Japan postcard

Japan postcard

Japan postcard

Japan postcard

Japan postcard

A surprise from Japan

Since last month, Aya is hosting a nice monthly contest, and I won !!! Today I got an envelope from her, with my lovely prize: some photography themed stationary (I LOVE photography), some nice paper clips, a bag of tea (I'll try it this weekend) and a bunch of postcards (7 of them). Also, with nice stamps !!!

In this post, I'll show you the envelope and some presents, but the stamps and the postcards will be featured in upcoming posts, enjoy !!!

A lovely envelope from Aya

Photography themed sticky notes

Photography themed card/picture frame

Mango and orange tea

Nice shaped paper clips

Outgoing mail

Today I wrote a postcard and an introduction letter for Lizelle, one of my new pen pals that I met through this awesome Facebook group. She's from South Africa, and my first pen pal from that mysterious continent. I don't know how long will it take to arrive there, but I hope it won't be so long. But I'll try something: I'll send the postcard as "normal" mail, and the letter as "certified" mail, to see if it makes a difference.

4 things #1

I've seen this on many blogs, so I decided to give it a try. This week, I want to do these 4 things:

1.- Start reading a new book.

2.- Wash my car.

3.- Throw away a lot of old and useless stuff from my desk.

4.- Take some pictures to try the Harris Shutter Effect.

I think I'll be able to do it :) Next Sunday I'll post the results of this.

Outgoing mail (Updated)

Today I finished replying some letters from my new pals, all of them are introduction letters, so they're shorter than usual, because the first 1 or 2 letters are the most difficult for me. Also, I wrote an introduction letter to another pal, and I'm sending a couple of postcards for another friend. Tomorrow I'm going to the post office to send letters to Manuela (Germany), Mariell (Norway), Andreea (Romania), Barbara (Finland) and Linda (Italy). I hope to not have any problem at the post office with one of the letters, because I enclosed something else on the envelope (and I hope it will arrive in one piece, too).

Talking about postcards, tomorrow I'll be sending the last two I had at home, so I'm going to buy some more during the weekend.

Update: I just came back from the post office, and I decided to send them certified, because I think it will be a little bit faster and safer (and it isn't as expensive as it's on another countries).

Venezuela postcard

Venezuela postcard

This is one of the postcards that I got from Postmuse, as part of her Orphaned Postcard Project. I won't say here why did I choose it, instead I'll write it on the postcard and mail it back to her. Although I'm Venezuelan, this is the first time that I get a postcard from here.

USA postcard

USA postcard

This is one of the postcards that I got from Postmuse, as part of her Orphaned Postcard Project. I won't say here why did I choose it, instead I'll write it on the postcard and mail it back to her.

Argentina postcard

Argentina postcard

This is one of the postcards that I got from Postmuse, as part of her Orphaned Postcard Project. I won't say here why did I choose it, instead I'll write it on the postcard and mail it back to her.

USA postcard

USA postcard

This is another postcard that I got from TheSnailMailer. I love it !!! It's a picture of Cindy Sherman, one of my favorite photographers.

USA postcard

USA postcard

I got this beautiful postcard from the USA, from TheSnailMailer. She went to Washington in the summer, so she choose this beautiful view of the Washington Monument.

USA stamps

USA stamps

Another nice set of stamps from the USA. I love those on the right, specially the one with the bull.

USA stamps

USA stamps

I love these stamps from the USA, specially those on the right: Miles Davis and Edith Piaf.

New mail, mixed feelings

Today I got two letters from the USA, one from TheSnailMailer and another one from Postmuse. I really love getting new mail, it's exciting to arrive home and find some letters in the mailbox, but this time I have some mixed feelings about these letters: besides being happy for getting them, I'm kind of sad because I won't be able to reply to them until December 25th (remember this post). I don't like to make my friends wait for such a long time, even it isn't my fault. Well, I'll take my time to prepare some good letters for them, and mail them as soon as the service works again.

I almost forget to say that you should check Postmuse's project: Orphaned Postcard Project. She has LOTS of postcards, you choose those you would like to adopt, and she sends them to you in an envelope, you write anything you want on it, and send them back to her. Check the project here.

Today's mail

Germany stamps

Germany stamps

A nice pair of stamps from Germany, I really like the one on the right.

Italy stamps

Italy stamps

These are my first stamps from Italy.

What I got this week

This week I got 3 letters, and that's awesome because our postal service is really slow and I don't have many pals, so it was a great surprise to get them. All of them are first letters/introductions. It's one from Italy (from Linda), one from Finland (from Barbara) and one from Germany (from Manuela). I really enjoyed reading them, and I already started writing the replies, and also a letter/postcards for another friend (Andreea, from Romania).

This week's mail

Also, it was a great surprise to get some tea samples from Linda. I love tea, every afternoon I drink a cup of it after arriving home, and this Italian tea is delicious.

Italian tea