Swap-bot Time: December 23, 2024 7:28 pm
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AzEkologi

AzEkologi
Date Joined: August 21, 2020
Last Online: December 23, 2024
Birthday: April 24
Country: United States
My Wife's Zazzel Postcard Shop

About Me

Hi, my name is Rick. I'm 40something; happily married for over 25 years, have a 21 year old son, a black cat (Salem), a black pug (Lucy), and a fawn pug (Ethel). I work as an environmental scientist and volunteer my time as a bicycle mechanic at a local bicycle cooperative/education center devoted to teaching people in under-served communities about bicycle maintenance, building, and repair as a bike is often their only mode of transportation.

My childhood summers were spent in the mountains of Northern Arizona where I fell in love with science and nature. Spending time in natural environments is paramount to my being. These two John Muir quotes define my approach to nature; "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness" and "Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt". I also believe this Aldo Leopold quote should be the foundation to one's approach to the environment; "Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal."

Bicycles are my passion. I own twelve bikes, all of which I regularly ride. My collection is basically a small museum of carefully curated pieces from 1964 to 2017. My favorite is the one that I'm riding at that exact moment, but I do really like my 1964 Schwinn Typhoon beach cruiser "Old Crusty" - a bike I saved from a trash pile and pieced together with vintage parts over the course of several years. It's heavily patinaed, won't win 'best in show' by a longshot, but is quirky, nostalgic, and has a certain 'feel' that conjures images of riding down Main Street of small town America to get a Slurpee at the local Gas-n-Sip. Several years ago I stumbled upon and purchased my 'retirement bike', a virtually unridden, garage-kept 1978 Schwinn Town & Country adult tricycle. Yes, my wife and son lovingly tease me that I'm going to end up being that old guy who rides around the neighborhood on his big tricycle trying to save the environment by picking recyclables out of the trash with a stick that has a nail on the end...ya, that's probably going to be true...and I'm going to love it! I'm far from retirement, but ride the bike now for fun and because it turns heads. I typically have to kick my son off of it..."hey, whippersnapper, who's got the hip ride now?!?"

I'm also an avid tea drinker - "There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life" - Lin Yutang. Black teas are my favorite, I have two cups of strong, English-breakfast style black tea every morning. I also like green teas, my favorite afternoon cuppa is a honey-ginseng green tea from Republic of Tea. In the winter I cap the evening with calming herbal tea. I don't care for rooibos/red teas and despise sweeteners of all kinds.

My family and I chose to switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet several years ago for health reasons. As such, please don't send any animal food products. It was a big change for us,and a change that isn't for everybody, but we've never felt better.

Favorite Books

Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest - Suzanne Simard

Sand County Almanac - Aldo Leopold

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson

Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jarrod Diamond

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

Hot Zone - Richard Preston

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Archie Comics - John Goldwater and Bob Montana (a guilty pleasure)

Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss

Walden - Henry David Thoreau

Favorite Music

80's

Ska

Punk

Rockabilly

Aquabats

Better than Ezra

Cake

Elton John

Gogol Bordello

Goldie Lookin' Chain

Gretta Van Fleet

Nerf Herder

PPL MVR

Red Elvises

Teenage Bottlerocket

Volbeat

Showtunes (Hamilton, Heathers, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Les MisƩrables, Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot)

Likes

Papercraft, postcrossing, writing letters, washi tape, gardening, hiking, boating, canoeing/paddling, drinking tea, anything (everything) bicycle related.

Postcards

Some ideas for postcards if you don't know what to send or if the swap isn't specific. I would love to hear about your hobbies, interests, home, books you're reading, holiday traditions, your favorite play or musical, or what you like best about where you live, what makes you happy, or anything you want to share!

I would love to hear about or see postcards of:

  • birds, especially birds from your country - What's your favorite bird?
  • bicycles (I own 12!) - Do you have a favorite bicycling memory?
  • nature, wilderness hiking, camping (We camp every summer, do you have a special camping memory?)
  • black and white, retro, or vintage postcards
  • tea (but coffee is a close second) - What's your favorite tea?
  • live theater (and pictures of theaters) - What's your favorite play or musical?
  • science fiction (Star Trek, Dr. Who, Firefly, Star Wars)
  • Harry Potter (I love the books, but I do not support JK Rowling's views)
  • gardens and gardening - What do you like to grow?
  • reading and libraries
  • baseball stadiums (Iā€™m a Red Sox fan, but love the sport as a whole!)
  • cricket (or any bat sports)
  • homemade postcards
  • vintage comics or comics from your country (My favorite is Archie).
  • pin ups (vintage, modern, photograph, or illustration - art is beautiful, beauty is art).
  • gnomes/dwarfs/woodland fantasy creatures

Almost anything is really great the only thing I really don't want are Christian/religious cards (alternative religions are ok). I'm not too picky or easily offended.

I prefer to receive post cards "naked" (written on, no envelope). I love the sincerity of a handwritten message, am always thrilled to see vintage or special postage, and thoroughly enjoy examining the stamp cancellation.

Ratings

5
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Comment: Thank you so much for the cute Santa Christmas card and the delightful goodies inside! I love the VIntage Christmas Postage stamps you used! I am saving them in my Christmas journal!! Wishing you a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year filled with good joy, laughter and good health!
RNRISLOVE rated for Ho Ho Ho...Christmas Postcard Swap on Dec 14, 2024
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Comment: Thank you for the interesting Christmas card. We just have cold weather here.
fortannam rated for Chunk-O-Cardboard - November 2024 on Dec 12, 2024
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Comment: thank you for the fun chunk and coffee comments!
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Comment: Thank you for the interesting postcard! I hope you enjoy your AZFO meeting. I don't go to anyth8ng like that, but it sounds interesting!
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Comment: Thank you for the pumpkin chunk! I don't care for the pumpkin flavor, but my husband does and so does our dog. We fill a kong (a dog toy) with canned pumpkin and freeze it!
cookies37 rated for Chunk-O-Cardboard - October 2024 on Nov 17, 2024
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Comment: Hi Rick! Love Halloween šŸŽƒ! My niece loves everything pumpkin, me not so much. I bake a pumpkin bar with cream cheese icing that is so good. Treat or Treaters on Halloween are my favorite, love all the kids in their cute costumes. Hayrides at the pumpkin farm is also my fave. Spring & Fall are the best seasons. Donā€™t like really hot weather, Iā€™ve been to Phoenix many times, former semi driver. I can still feel how hot the grab bar was jumping out of the cab. We hauled tires and had to roll them out of the back of the trailer, really hot! Thanks for the Chunk and the really nice message. Take care & Happy Thanksgiving ~ Judy
Saba rated for Chunk-O-Cardboard - October 2024 on Nov 8, 2024
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Comment: Thank you! I hope your pumpkin beer hunt was successful!! Do you switch flavors to hunt down as the season progresses?
greenbug728 rated for Halloween Postcard 5 on Nov 2, 2024
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Comment: Thank you so much for the AMAZING Kawaii Halloween card!! Yes, you picked the perfect card for me and I love how you decorated it! Its going in my journal. My favorite Halloween tradition is watching Garfield's Halloween Adventure after the kids and I get home from trick or treating every single year! It reminds me of my childhood lol.
SkaGirl rated for ZAZZLE POSTCARD SWAP #1 on Oct 29, 2024
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Comment: Thank you! :)
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Comment: This is a handsome postcard. Thankyou.
KrystalCook84 rated for World Postcard Day 2024 on Oct 18, 2024
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Comment: Thank you for the postcard
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Comment: Thank you for the beautiful card.
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Comment: What a fun postcard and postage stamps! To answer your question, I just recently joined a women's spirituality group that meets at a Unitarian Universalist Church twice a month. They follow the Wheel of the Year which is what I am also interested in. Before this I attended a few group rituals and celebrations through an awesome pagan shop in Phoenix, AZ (I lived in Phoenix for 18 years before moving to ME last year). If you haven't heard of Fantasia Crystals in Phoenix, check it out! Love that place!
Karen07 rated for Halloween Postcard on Oct 16, 2024
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Comment: Thanks for the great card and Happy Halloween! Glad to say that I survived the hurricanes!
MissBrenda rated for Halloween Postcard 4 on Oct 13, 2024
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Comment: I thank you for the cool Halloween PC. Your family must be great, mine not so much as they aren't as accepting about me being a witch, Oh well. I really don't care what those people think, I just wish they were more openminded. I think it's grand that you are working on getting together a travel altar! What a great idea that is! I would have never have thought of it. I do have a travel smudging kit, though. My plans for Samhain are still up in the air. I have a couple of ideas though. What are your plans? Happy Samhain to you!
TishaAnn rated for World Postcard Day 2024 on Oct 9, 2024
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Comment: Hi Rick. Everything about your PC was so cool! From your career to the amazing stamps and your shared love of animals! Hope you had a great camping trip!
Response: Hey Tish! I'm so that you you thought it was cool. I enjoy sending stuff that I think people with like and that comes from the heart. I leave for camping early tomorrow morning (SO EXCITED). I hope that you have a great weekend and that we swap again soon. Best, Rick!
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Comment: Yes so nice to swap with a guy. And what a great chuck of cardboard. It even features my favorite color combination. Thank you.
Response: Glad that you liked it! I look forward to swapping with you in the future. Best, Rick!
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Comment: Thank you for the nice bird postcard. I have seen hawks where I live.
Response: Hawks are AWESOME! Glad that you've been able to spot a few. Best, Rick!
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Comment: Love Pretzels too... Haven't bought any for years. I do like to eat regular ones along with a Glass of Cold Milk...I want to make some myself...My fav. indulgences is Hot Fudge Sunday with pecans. or Heath Candy Bars!! Thank you for writing on the Postcard something other than Hello !!! !
Response: You have to get, or better yet make, some pretzels (I too want to do that, just never make the time). Ooohh, hot fudge...I do love that stuff too. I'm happy to have been able to swap with you and hope that our 'postal paths' cross again soon. Best, Rick!
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Comment: Thank you for the postcard! Congrats on seeing the acorn woodpecker!
Response: Thanks! Seeing that woodpecker was totally unexpected and a nice surprise while camping. Best, Rick!

Rating Overview

Overall Hearts Stars Hosted
5.0000 364 58 54
Completed Fives Threes Ones
259 420 0 0
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Uncategorized
6 247 6 0
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Comments

ensigncelery on Jun 27, 2024:

I got your angeled postcard in the mail today and I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate you šŸ„ŗ It's so sweet that you've noticed me joining your swaps, and that you took the time to personalize so much of the card.

Thank you so, so much! šŸ’œ

USAFwife on Sep 28, 2021:

Thank you so much for the nice surprise card. :) I hope you had a nice harvest celebration. :)

Cindi

ariestess on Sep 18, 2021:

Happy Autumnal Equinox and Merry Mabon! I hope you have a truly lovely harvest, a smooth and stressless rest of 2021, and a blessed and happy 2022. Blessings to you! aj

USAFwife on Sep 17, 2021:

tPCC: Mabon greetings, from USAFwife

Rick, At this time of equal light and equal dark, may you find your balance, and be surrounded by those who love you. Blessings! Cindi

isandie on Jul 29, 2021:

I got your angel package!!! Thank you so much!!! I live the ā€œbee happyā€ notebook! And the extras are amazing! XOXOXO ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø

CookieMomster78 on Nov 26, 2020:

You have been one of the lights in a seemingly dark world.

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