The Joy of Sending Cards

I was stationed in Washington, DC, in 1976 when I met my first computer. It was a giant mainframe machine in the basement of the National Institutes of Health across the street from the National Naval Medical Center, where I was the assistant Military Personnel Officer. We had a remote data entry station. My systems guy could create reports but had to drive over, find a parking spot and go into the data center to get the printouts. I think I drove him crazy thinking up new ways to use this new tool. We finally got a printer and that made life a little easier.

The second machine we had was an IBM magcard typewriter. The technology was new but we took advantage of it. We only had to type a document one time. When we upgraded to the magcard2 it got even easier. As you revised a document the new version was saved to the second card. At one time my brother had a shop full of these old machines. He was an IBM typewriter repairman and worked in the factory that made the magcard machines.

I got my first computer a couple of years later. It was an Atari 800 and I was hooked, especially when email and the Internet came along.

In the fall of 2008 and friend showed me a neat program called Send Out Cards. It combined the benefits of the computer with the warmth of actually sending and receiving a card in the mail. The card has a first class stamp and can be written in own handwriting.

Today I average better than a one heartfelt card a day. I'm able to use my own pictures for a little more. The average card costs less than a $1.40 when I use my own pictures. I love taking someone picture and then sending them a card with their picture on the cover. I have also scanned old family photographs and used them on the card, like this picture of me and a friend.

Not everyone has an email address, I don't know it, or cannot find it. I have learned to send a card and in a few days I usually get an email or a phone call.

Why not try it out? Just click on the "Custom Greet Cards" link to the left and I will let you test drive the system. you can send a couple of cards on me and experience the fun of sending out greeting cards. One warning, it can be addictive.