Dec from Jeannette and Nov from Christy (USPS processing centers)

This fun little bird is collaged. Jeannette's adhesive was strong enough to stand up to the USPS machines. Christy, below used washi tape which stayed put. Washi tape is hit or miss on whether or not the USPS machines remove it. Personally, I do not use it and if asked, would not recommend it. I've been swayed by the years that my son worked on the machines that handled the mail and he reported that there was a serious amount of shredding of the mail. He thought that the only thing that should be stuck on an envelope is a stamp. 

He has moved on to the world of locks, cluster units and other types of maintenance.

I've posted some info about USPS matter - and I know there are some other related topics coming up. It's possible that there will be some repetition. None of this is required reading. I apologize if I sound like I am harping on any of the topics. I'm experiencing a lull in the writing portion of the blog. The art part seems to be in a pretty good place.

 One of our exchangers sent me a notice that I said I would share with the readers. I will add my 2-cents after this:

Effective December 24, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmarks and Postal Possession rule clarifies how postmarks are applied, which may affect how the timing of mailed charitable gifts is determined.    Under this rule, machine-applied postmarks are now generated at regional USPS processing centers rather than at a local post office. Historically, a postmark served as proof of when a gift was mailed. With this change, the postmark date may be applied several days after mail is dropped off locally and is no longer a reliable indicator of the mailing date.  As a result, this change could affect whether certain mailed gifts qualify for a 2025 income tax deduction.  To help ensure timely end-of-year giving, donors are encouraged to visit a USPS counter and request one of the following:

A Postage Validation Imprint (PVI)  A Manual Postmark  A Certificate of Mailing, Registered Mail or Certified Mail

Please note that self-service kiosks and third-party mailing services do not guarantee compliance for charitable contributions.  *** My 2-cents This notice is directed at the people who want to document that they made a charitable donation by the end of the year. Apparently, the date of the donation depends on when you mailed the check rather than when the check cleared. So, all you have to do is go to the counter and ask for one of the 3 ways to document when the letter was mailed. There are other times when people may need to prove that something was mailed by a certain date - but, I imagine those situations come up less often now that most documentation is done through email and eSigning. In the past, I know from my son working for the USPS - that it was a very big deal that every single piece of mail that was dropped in the box at the main post office - by the 7:00 pm deadline - would get a postmark on that day. They understood that sometimes the date on a postmark was important. This new notice - that the only way to assure your mail will get postmarked on the day you mail it  - is to have it postmarked by hand - in person.  I think it's going to be really hard for the USPS to explain what's going on with these new processing centers. Personally, I understand it - and it's complicated - but - I'm going to go ahead and give it a whirl. It is affecting people who live where the mail had always been processed in their town - but now all their mail is sent to a different town (or city) and it's taking longer for local mail to be delivered - back to the original location where it was mailed. My son has worked on machines that are old and becoming difficult to maintain - and which will be replaced at some point. He's talked to people who have been to the new improved regional processing centers that are gradually replacing the old centers all over the country. The people who have seen the new centers are very impressed. They are huge. They are efficient. They are shiny and new. They are almost space age. They will run for many years - but they too will have a lifespan....just as the current machines which are out dated are being replaced. The cost of the new improved processing centers has made it necessary to consolidate some of the regions. For example, Wyoming and Montana have so few people - the USPS probably can't justify giving each of those two states their own new improved processing center. They are probably going to put a processing center in one of the states - and the other state will have their mail sent to the first state for processing - and then returned. To some people, that seems absurd.  But, I can see how the USPS tracks the amount of mail they handle in all the different regions - so - they're going to draw lines that make sense for efficiency - and those lines have nothing to do with state lines.  My son has even heard that the new improved regional processing center where Des Moines' mail will be processed might not be in Des Moines. If that happens - I know people will think the USPS is bonkers - but, I totally see how that could happen.  So, that's my explanation. If you find out that your mail is going to some place that is far from where you live - you might think that's bonkers - or you might consider that the USPS has been chugging along for 250 years - and they might be doing a decent job of handling mail and packages at a cost that is less than UPS/FedEx and now Amazon --- who is trying to be the new way to *mail* things.  We can't predict the future - but for now, it is probably safe to say that the changes will be coming gradually and while we may not like them - we'll figure out a way to adapt.