FOT Forum

FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: KickTheBobo on January 01, 2010, 10:02:52 AM

Title: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 01, 2010, 10:02:52 AM
hi. I was thinking about this last night, and wanted to see if any of you folks would like to participate. With the exception of Secret Santa, I probably haven't received a personal piece of correspondence in over a year. I used to love getting letters from friends, and also sending them, but doing so has really tapered off with electronic contact.

Basically, this game would involve sending the next person on the list a legal-sized envelope (no packages) with something inside. Could be a letter, drawing, cut out articles from the local paper...whatever. The only rule is that you must send out a letter within 3 days of receiving one.

This does involve a certain element of trust, as it would require real world addresses, so keep this in mind.

the roster would be generated by random.org

Any thoughts?
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: yesno on January 01, 2010, 10:29:50 AM
Yes. I would like to do this.

Here are mail-related anecdotes.

I last sent and received physical correspondence when I was in boot camp, in 1999.  In addition to the letters themselves, friends would photocopy and print out things for me to read, as most personal books and reading material (with the exception of religious texts, a loophole I used to sneak in a copy of Paradise Lost) were forbidden.  Thus by samizdat I read Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet and The Onion's Our Dumb Century.

When I was in middle school, a friend and I would compete to see who could mail the other the most ludicrous items through the mail.  For example, we would put butter and sand in an envelope. I recommend against this approach.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 01, 2010, 10:47:07 AM
Yes. I would like to do this.
Quote

I'm in - I was kind of bummed that I couldn't do that audio thing, as I have no skills in that dept. Sending weird-ass stuff to friends, tarting up the envelope, etc etc ... that's all gone now. Hey, I"m starting to see more and more zines again, so maybe the time is right.

Here are mail-related anecdotes.
Quote

These are both great stories - I love them both!

Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Martin on January 01, 2010, 10:50:26 AM
I'm in!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustSheaNo on January 01, 2010, 11:07:02 AM
In!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 01, 2010, 11:11:11 AM
Yes. I would like to do this.
Quote

I'm in - I was kind of bummed that I couldn't do that audio thing, as I have no skills in that dept. Sending weird-ass stuff to friends, tarting up the envelope, etc etc ... that's all gone now. Hey, I"m starting to see more and more zines again, so maybe the time is right.

Here are mail-related anecdotes.
Quote

These are both great stories - I love them both!




What on earth did I do to the quote brackets here? I'm not THAT hungover.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: erechoveraker on January 01, 2010, 12:10:02 PM
I like real world addresses - I mean IN!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 01, 2010, 02:11:03 PM
Count me in!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: emma on January 01, 2010, 03:08:55 PM
Yes! Please!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Regular Joe on January 02, 2010, 12:16:50 AM
I would like to participate in this. Another step towards FOTLabs tenure!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustNicole on January 02, 2010, 12:19:54 AM
In!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Trotskie on January 02, 2010, 09:05:06 AM
In.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 02, 2010, 09:20:13 AM
Cool! Glad you folks are up to it, but I wouldn't expect any less from such a fine community of individuals.

Signups will close at 9pm EST on Sunday. Any late signups will be added to the end of the roster. We may have to close signups after a period because the way that this will work is that the FIRST person will send something out, but will not receive anything until that LAST person sends one out.

I will be sending out a mass PM with details to come.

ktb
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: senorcorazon on January 02, 2010, 09:56:11 AM
Yes please! 2010 is for good things.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 03, 2010, 10:25:33 PM
Hi folks,

Thanks for agreeing to participate, this should be fun. So, what I need you to do is send me your real life name and address to kickthebobo@gmail.com so i can put the preliminary list together. I will send out your assigned recipient and post the roster (sans addresses) to the board.

I am going to keep signups open for another week or so, just to be fair to those who maybe don't check the board that much. This means that the last person on the roster will not receive their recipient until signups officially close.

anywhoozle, I know that the only stipulation is that we keep this to standard legal envelope sized mailings. I would like to see what can be done within the 4 1/8" x 9 1/2" (10.4cm x 24.1cm) that is afforded to you. Maybe if we do another round we can open it up to more formats.

and yes, there are a few of you who will have to pay a little extra for International postage. If the extra $1 to send out a letter over the pond (ugh, did I really just say 'over the pond'?) then inform me and we can switch out your recipient.

oh, and you have 3 days from when you receive a letter to send one out. Be nice and abide by this to keep the lovelines flowing.

Please, keep all submissions PG-13. Okay, maybe a soft-R.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on January 03, 2010, 11:19:03 PM
I would like to be in on this.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Pat K on January 04, 2010, 02:28:07 PM
This sounds like fun - I'm game.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 04, 2010, 02:38:35 PM
All are welcome to join in, but please email me your contact info here:

kickthebobo@gmail.com
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Sploops on January 04, 2010, 03:04:11 PM
I'm in.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 04, 2010, 11:47:49 PM
Do we have to send them by a certain time? Because My inspiration for this type of nonsense comes from school. And school starts next week, so I'd say I'll start getting inspiration the week after. So, two weeks?
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Kim Kelly on January 05, 2010, 12:01:12 AM
I'll do it.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Big Plastic Head on January 05, 2010, 12:45:27 PM
Yes, please.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: todd on January 05, 2010, 12:58:57 PM
Is it too late? I WOULD LOVE TO BE INCLUDED SIR!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 05, 2010, 01:05:18 PM
to answer your questions:

We changed the rules, so now you don't necessarily have to wait to receive in order to send one out. It would be nice to send something out within a week, though. Remember, it doesn't have to be crazy amazing. I spent about 15-20 minutes on mine. Enthusiasm counts!

Yes, we are accepting late signups. Please email me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com


If this works out successfully, maybew we'll try another iteration. That one will be more involved, where everyone sends everyone else on the list something (over the course of a month or so). We'll see how this turns out first.

Thanks for participating!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 06, 2010, 09:37:06 PM

oh, and you have 3 days from when you receive a letter to send one out. Be nice and abide by this to keep the lovelines flowing.


Well, here I've gone and fudged things up - I think I'm already late. What can I tell you, I"m slow.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on January 06, 2010, 10:47:21 PM
I just put mine together, sending it out tomorrow, so don't feel bad...
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: erechoveraker on January 08, 2010, 12:30:51 AM
Finishing mine up, I'm honestly probably not going to get it into the mail until monday. I work thurs-mon so I'm like in the mirrorverse of being able to mail things it seems.

FEAR NOT, RECIPIENT!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Mark in Helsinki on January 08, 2010, 07:13:37 AM
I would normally consider participating in this (or any) nonsense game but the last legal-sized manilla envelope that was sent to us from the States took nearly two months to arrive.

 ???
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Martin on January 08, 2010, 07:17:43 AM
I am also a bit behind on things, but I expect to mail mine out on Monday.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: yesno on January 08, 2010, 10:00:53 AM
Whoops, I just used a letter envelope.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustNicole on January 08, 2010, 10:09:24 AM
Whoops, I just used a letter envelope.

Me too. I thought KtB meant Legal Manilla envelope but then he said 4 by 9. Fun either way. Mine's going out today.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 08, 2010, 10:28:00 AM
okay, I guess I meant legal sized white envelope because it can fit a tri-folded piece of 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. I forgot that those aren't manilla.

envelope variance is okay, just no Coleman coolers!

note: to anyone who has additionally said "I want in on this" in this thread, you can still join in! You DO need to send me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 08, 2010, 02:38:47 PM
Mine will be sent out on Monday.                           
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustSheaNo on January 08, 2010, 08:45:41 PM
Mailed mine today. Should get to its recipient by Monday/Tuesday. I hope my enthusiasm counts enough to make up for what I lack in execution (http://www.fandome.com/video/116997/Most-Painful-Figure-Skating-Falls/).  

Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 08, 2010, 09:29:54 PM
uh oh. I think there might be a little miscommunication here.

We weren't planning on posting what we receive, right?

That set of Polaroid "art photos" are for the recipient's eyes only. Don't judge!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustNicole on January 08, 2010, 10:42:10 PM
uh oh. I think there might be a little miscommunication here.

We weren't planning on posting what we receive, right?

That set of Polaroid "art photos" are for the recipient's eyes only. Don't judge!

I hadn't thought that far ahead. Now I'm scared.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: senorcorazon on January 09, 2010, 11:26:00 AM
I got mine, and it was awesome! Thanks yesno!

And no, no nekkid photos in mine. But a combination of Virgil and a rainbow sticker that cannot fully be described correctly.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: yesno on January 09, 2010, 11:44:55 AM
Glad you got it intact! I would describe it as "the kind of thing you have to do when you're not an artist but have volunteered to be part of an art project." Using leftover art paper from artist wife.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Trotskie on January 09, 2010, 12:10:24 PM
Got mine today as well.   Very awesome senorcorazon. 

My girlfriend, who hasn't been able to eat pizza in years due to a wheat allergy, just keeps staring at it and repeating "this makes so much sense".
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Pat K on January 09, 2010, 01:58:12 PM
I would describe it as "the kind of thing you have to do when you're not an artist

Whoa - "not an artist"?! I was under the impression this was for serious artists only! Who let this impostor in here?


Mailing mine out today, btw.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustNicole on January 12, 2010, 08:28:16 AM
I got mine yesterday. Brightened my day. Thanks, Blake. I especially like the old timey picture of the cow and the guys on the farm in Maryland.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 12, 2010, 12:11:43 PM
I got mine from Steve in Bloomington last night! It's a rebus puzzle, so I should be able to solve it in another year or so.

Thanks Steve! It's super cool!

I am mailing mine now - my first wacky project went awry, so I had to go to plan B.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 12, 2010, 12:46:54 PM
Mailed mine out today. I've decided to take the idea and use it as a preliminary for my painting for class. heehee
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Pat K on January 12, 2010, 12:56:23 PM
I basically cleaned out my junk-papers drawer, to a certain extent.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 12, 2010, 01:03:00 PM
Oh- and I thank JustSheaNo for the delightfully lovely elephant cutout piece! Very marvelous.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 12, 2010, 01:10:52 PM
I have five to six hundred old notebooks filled with mysterious lists, sometimes just page after page of numbers. Maybe I should come on board.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Martin on January 12, 2010, 01:19:14 PM
I mailed out mine yesterday.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Pat K on January 12, 2010, 01:30:18 PM
I have five to six hundred old notebooks filled with mysterious lists, sometimes just page after page of numbers. Maybe I should come on board.

Are you Robert Crumb's older brother, the one who had "compulsive graphomania"?
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustSheaNo on January 12, 2010, 01:32:27 PM
Oh- and I thank JustSheaNo for the delightfully lovely elephant cutout piece! Very marvelous.

So glad you like it!  Its the most creative I've been (outside of the kitchen) in a very long time.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on January 12, 2010, 04:53:25 PM
I got mine from Steve in Bloomington last night! It's a rebus puzzle, so I should be able to solve it in another year or so.

Thanks Steve! It's super cool!

I am mailing mine now - my first wacky project went awry, so I had to go to plan B.

Glad you like!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: erechoveraker on January 12, 2010, 11:14:42 PM
I got my letter today from Nicole, only had time to glance at it, but planning to check it out in depth in a bit once all the day stuff is done.

In predictable me news, I have not mailed my letter yet. I zigged when I should have zagged, and found time to be a commodity I always think I have more of. Hope to finish it up tonight, sorry friends (of Tom).
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 12, 2010, 11:19:00 PM
I got mine from Steve in Bloomington last night! It's a rebus puzzle, so I should be able to solve it in another year or so.

Thanks Steve! It's super cool!

I am mailing mine now - my first wacky project went awry, so I had to go to plan B.

Glad you like!

oh, it's not just like, it's TORTURE-LIKE! It's teasing the hell out of me; I've got the pics spread out on my kitchen table in the hopes that I'll see some kind of connective tissue as I walk past.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 13, 2010, 02:59:28 AM
I have five to six hundred old notebooks filled with mysterious lists, sometimes just page after page of numbers. Maybe I should come on board.

Are you Robert Crumb's older brother, the one who had "compulsive graphomania"?

I think he died, but I am applying for the position
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Sploops on January 13, 2010, 09:33:37 AM
Thanks for the art, you know who you are.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustSheaNo on January 13, 2010, 06:18:14 PM
I mailed out mine yesterday.

That was seriously Speedy, considering it came from Sweden! Thank you so much, I really like the poster, et al.

JSN


Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 14, 2010, 09:45:33 AM
We still need one more participant to round out the late entries.

Email me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com to join up. It's FUN!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 14, 2010, 10:47:13 AM
We still need one more participant to round out the late entries.

Email me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com to join up. It's FUN!

Does this thing go in rounds, or what?
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Regular Joe on January 14, 2010, 02:57:22 PM
This year has been a great year to be a FOT receiving stuff in the mail! Big Plastic Head, thank you for the five amazing envelope shaped photographs!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 14, 2010, 06:22:36 PM
We still need one more participant to round out the late entries.

Email me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com to join up. It's FUN!

Does this thing go in rounds, or what?

No, but once this game ends (everyone has received their mail) I am going to announce signups for FOTLabs Mail Art XTreeeeeme. This will be where everybody sends something out to everyone else. Send a dozen, get a dozen. The allotted timeframe will be a month or so (depending upon participants)
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Big Plastic Head on January 14, 2010, 06:30:52 PM
This year has been a great year to be a FOT receiving stuff in the mail! Big Plastic Head, thank you for the five amazing envelope shaped photographs!

You are welcome!

By the way, now that I have your address, LET THE STALKING BEGIN!!!!!

Or not.




Or WILL it!?










It won't.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on January 14, 2010, 07:45:47 PM
To anybody that sent me something: I'm not being an ungrateful jerk, it's just that my mailbox was destroyed a while ago and I only got around to fixing it today.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 14, 2010, 10:24:18 PM
We still need one more participant to round out the late entries.

Email me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com to join up. It's FUN!

Does this thing go in rounds, or what?

No, but once this game ends (everyone has received their mail) I am going to announce signups for FOTLabs Mail Art XTreeeeeme. This will be where everybody sends something out to everyone else. Send a dozen, get a dozen. The allotted timeframe will be a month or so (depending upon participants)

Yay! This will give me time to be inspired by school! This means everyone will get my notes from class, insanely decorated!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: JustNicole on January 14, 2010, 10:32:39 PM
We still need one more participant to round out the late entries.

Email me your address to kickthebobo@gmail.com to join up. It's FUN!

Does this thing go in rounds, or what?

No, but once this game ends (everyone has received their mail) I am going to announce signups for FOTLabs Mail Art XTreeeeeme. This will be where everybody sends something out to everyone else. Send a dozen, get a dozen. The allotted timeframe will be a month or so (depending upon participants)

IFLT
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: yesno on January 16, 2010, 12:44:34 PM
I got mine from Steve in Bloomington last night! It's a rebus puzzle, so I should be able to solve it in another year or so.

Thanks Steve! It's super cool!

I am mailing mine now - my first wacky project went awry, so I had to go to plan B.

I just got your submission--but, as it was in a manila envelope and not a normal letter envelope, it violates the rules.  So I had to throw it out without opening it.

If I had opened it, I would have thanked you, especially for the David Lee Roth trading card, which will go up in my office.  I also would have thanked your for the beauty propaganda which would have gone nicely with a brochure I picked up at CES: http://img70.yfrog.com/i/wtes.jpg/
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Christina on January 16, 2010, 01:00:25 PM

I just got your submission--but, as it was in a manila envelope and not a normal letter envelope, it violates the rules.  So I had to throw it out without opening it.


I know! *SOB* I BROKE THE RULES!

(really, I didn't want to eff up the beauty lesson)
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on January 17, 2010, 12:56:32 AM
My mailbox is back. Thanks to Pat K! I liked the historical bit about the elephant.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: emma on January 17, 2010, 02:08:31 AM
I love this project. My landlord fixed my mailbox thursday so friday i got a fuckton of mail . KTB is excellent, and as such his letter is now up on my wall of excellent things (it's in the perfect place - i can stare at it every morning when i wake up).

Plus Edward Gorey and a mysterious old(ish)-timey postcard. I want the next round of this to happen now now now.

Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Martin on January 18, 2010, 11:55:39 AM
I was thrilled to receive my FOT Mail today, from none other than Emma (formerly) from Toronto!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Pat K on January 21, 2010, 08:33:11 AM
DoodleJump, your letter showed up in my mailbox yesterday. I love it! You really went the full 9 yards with the envelope decoration and everything. That drawing is going right up on my fridge. Thanks!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: DoodleJump! on January 22, 2010, 07:35:16 AM
DoodleJump, your letter showed up in my mailbox yesterday. I love it! You really went the full 9 yards with the envelope decoration and everything. That drawing is going right up on my fridge. Thanks!

I'm so glad! I'm sorry for the lateness. I had fun with the picture (and envelope!), so I'm flattered that it gets the honor of sticking to your fridge!
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: Pat K on January 22, 2010, 12:14:33 PM
DoodleJump, your letter showed up in my mailbox yesterday. I love it! You really went the full 9 yards with the envelope decoration and everything. That drawing is going right up on my fridge. Thanks!

I'm so glad! I'm sorry for the lateness. I had fun with the picture (and envelope!), so I'm flattered that it gets the honor of sticking to your fridge!

Yes - right next to the magnetic poetry and those parking tickets I keep forgetting to pay.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 23, 2010, 10:52:49 AM
I am not smart. Am I waiting to receive something before I send something, or should sending something have been automatic?

I'm so sorry.

dfk
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: senorcorazon on January 23, 2010, 12:30:58 PM
You should be making something now and you should have a person to send it to. Hopefully the person lucky enough to have you as a sendee is doing the same thing now.
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: todd on January 23, 2010, 01:55:33 PM
I wrote down the wrong address and got it shot back to me. I'm not saying who I got, but it should be on its way to the correct address now!

(Tell your neighbor I'm sorry)
Title: Re: FOTLabs: Mail Art Nonsense Game
Post by: iAmBaronVonTito on January 25, 2010, 01:55:44 PM
i'm very sad that i missed this (lack of internet lately), but excited that another more extreme version will be in effect soon!