Morten (aka bokmorten) comes from Norway and has been using Postcrossing since 2014. We learned about his work as a librarian and children’s books expert, and got curious about how he found us and how his Postcrossing journey has been going.
- How did you get started sending postcards? What is your earliest memory of them?
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When I was 8, my father introduced me to stamp collecting. That was a link to sending and receiving post as well. Later, in my teens, I had pen pals home and abroad. I have always been curious about other people, their lives and customs.
- How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?
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I read about Postcrossing in the newsletter of Foroya Post (Faroese Post). Tried it right away, and I’m still here.
- Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!
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As you might see, we live in a small village/suburb with rural surroundings.
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Morten’s mailbox - Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.
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I am not a collector per se, so there are only a few cards I’ve kept, using them as decorations or book marks. Among those, I’ve been enjoying some “Gesamtkunstwerk” where stamp and card share the same theme. Like the Gaston from France:
Or this Austrian card and stamp with Ukraine flag theme and some of the Moomin cards from Finland with related stamps.
I must also mention the very nice Hungarian postcrosser who sent me a Hungarian translated version of a famous Norwegian children’s book. She’s still a Facebook friend.
- Do you have any other interesting hobbies or collections?
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I’m a frequent contributor to Norwegian Wikipedia, awarded “Wikipedian Of The Year 2013” in Norway. I also write and edit other non fiction writing in local history, children’s literature history and in the Norwegian academic encyclopedia Store Norske Leksikon.
- Is there anything else that you are passionate about?
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Through my work, I am the proud and eager editor and publisher of children’s books in the threatened minority language Southern Saami, and into other Saami languages as well. This work has awarded us two national awards, among them 'Library of the Year 2019', and two times nominations to the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest children’s literature prize. Read more about our work in English, or Scandinavian (for Scandinavian readers and those putting their trust in web translations).
Thank you for answering our questions, Morten!
41 comments so far
This sounds a little confusing to me, so i assume he is interested in the stamps ......while Postcrossing is about postcards.
Hope you don't mind my thoughts 😉
Best wishes!
I understand that for some postcrossers the idea of Building A Large Collection of the received cards, are almost the core idea of Postcrossing. To me, it isn't. I'm not a collector, neither of cards nor stamps. When I mark a received card as a favorite, it is because I've enjoyed receiving it, and can continue to enjoy it in my digital collection.
I'm rather a _connector_, enjoying the nice occations when Postcrossing connects me with kindred spirits around the world - because we have something in common: experiences, interests, humour or attitudes.
I'm also a _sharer_, enjoying the occations when the effort i put into a special card is well received.
It was not necessary to explained but you did it brilliant!
As Shakespearsaid it in "Summer night dream": "Well roared , lion".
I keep postcards that touched something inside me, so it is a kind of new collection too.
Concerning online collections - I don't really believe in immaterial assets. Partly, because I lost online access to quite a number of online courses that I've been buying for several years on "The Great Courses" and some other incidents like that, but in general it must be because I am just a kid of older times. I love to know that all I need to see my cards or stamps is my reading glasses.
Still, the mystery of what you do with received cards persists. If you are not interested in keeping them hope you are donating them to a school or library. I think it would be a pity to just lose them.
Thanks again and Happy Postcrossing to all!
Happy Readings & Happy Postcrossing
Also, I am curious about the postcards that sound like they may be discarded. Perhaps a school, seniors home or library, would like them to read, and maybe display, or an artist can make collages with them for an event or small museum or gallery.
Hope there is no offense, but these are just suggestions! 😘
I love receiving these delightful and charming postcards.
Thank you 💗
Carlos, a proud teacher from Brazilian countryside...
https://www.mazzamuseum.org/
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