Comments for postcards | First edition

While I’d like to think that I only blog for myself and for non-selfish reasons, I would be lying. I blog for friends and family, yes, but I also have darker aspirations – aspirations of fame. Not crazy fame, of course, but just some recognition. I guess that’s also why I take photos – I hope that people will appreciate them, comment on my work, and follow what I do. I would love for someone to find what I post helpful. I would love to feel that all of this effort isn’t for nothing (aka, just for me, which isn’t nothing, but you know what I mean). In short, I would love for my blog to get a stronger readership base, but especially, I would love comments.

A comment, on a blog post or a photo, is a grand gesture. To the non-blogger, it may mean nothing and seem like nothing, but I think that I can safely say that all blogger long for comments. Comments are like gold stars – it means “I was here and I cared”. You may not have liked what I wrote, but it was significant enough to give you the desire to comment. Comments make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. It makes me smile and happy. Even constructive criticism is welcomed – how else could I learn and grow?

Now, I know that begging for comments is petty and somewhat defies the point, but I thought I’d give it a shot. Why not? One of my goal this year is to boost my blog readership, and this might be a good starting point.

As an incentive, I have come up with the Comments for postcards “contest”. Purchasing postcards and mailing them are part of our traveling life, but they do add up, sometime to the total of 1 daily budget. Because of this, each month we have to decide who gets postcards and who doesn’t – this way, you get decide if you’d like one!

This month, postcards will be from Laos. Incredibly beautiful, limited edition postcards have been purchased – none of that run-of-the-mill mass-produced stuff! The images come from the “A Taste of Laos – Portraits and landscapes depicting moments of life in Laos” by Adri Berger, an exhibit currently showing in Luang Prabang at the Big Tree Gallery Café (worth a stop if you are in town). Adri is a super talented guy – I would not hesitate to put any of the pictures from this exhibit on my walls (if I had a home).

Should this first edition prove to be successful, I might turn this idea into a tradition!

Comments for postcards rules & fine print:
– There are only 12 postcards – 3 of the postcards are reserved for our moms and dads. This leaves 9 postcards available on a first come, first served basis. Moms and dads can still comment though!
– Feel free to comment even if you do not want a postcard!
– If I do not already have your mailing address, I will use the email address used in your comment to obtain your address.
– Postal systems are slow in Asia, expect a delivery within a month or so.

PS. Should you also be in Luang Prabang looking for a different way to explore the area, Adri gives 1 to 3 day photography workshop which take you through the city, on the Mekong and to neighboring ethnic minority villages. I wish I would have know about this earlier!