The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!
It’s July now, so here in the UK most university students have just finished with their exams, schools are winding down ready for the summer, and we’re all complaining it’s too hot. (Or, if it isn’t warm, we’re complaining about the rubbish summers we get in this country. It’s a national sport.) So for a lot of us, it’s time to think about how we’re going to put our feet up and relax.
For me, not too surprisingly if you’ve seen my other posts on the blog, my primary way of relaxing is to spend time reading. I have a magpie mind and I’ll try pretty much anything once, so I read all sorts: sci-fi, fantasy, mysteries, romance, science, history… My special favourites are the British Library Crime Classics. I even have a subscription with the British Library so they send me the newest book each month.
The other main thing I do during my downtime is play Final Fantasy XIV. It’s an MMORPG, so there’s a main storyline (which I’ve finished), lots of side stories (which I’ve barely begun) and various different levels of difficulty. Pictured is my character hanging out with the with one of the mail “moogles”, a little creature that delivers mail in the game. In one of the sidequests, you take on the mail moogle’s job and deliver mail, eventually earning yourself a postal worker’s hat… I’m still working on mine, though!
How about you? What do you do to relax? Are you looking forward to a quieter summer after finishing exams, like me? We’d love to hear from you via comments, but you can also use this prompt to help you write postcards this month!
47 comments so far
Reading + playing Stardew Valley for me! :)
Going for a coffee for me 😀
Everyday when I go to post my cards I call to my local café (The Lighthouse) to enjoy a one shot flat white with oat milk. While there I check in case I may have any more cards to write (I bring a small varied stash with me wherever I go). Then I meet with the post(wo)man who is collecting from the letterbox to catch up on the news from the local Sorting Centre and my former colleagues 😁😁
I buy myself some chocolate.
I love to relax with reading. I'm reading at the moment the books from the Seven sisters (Lucinda Riley) and can't stop.......
I love to relax in a "hot-tub" or a good sleep in. I love also a good walk in the nature or to ocean. I on stress with coloring.
I love to draw. I learned a small line drawing technique through Zentangle.com. It relaxes me and it’s so easy to just pick up a pen and draw on a small paper time 3x3 inches. My Avatar picture is a snapshot of my work. And I love to swim. I live in the Coachella Balley desert. Today it will be 110 degrees!
We have a glass table out in the yard under an umbrella, It is my "go-to" place. I can sit there and read or write or draw or sew.....unlimeted!!! And it doesn't matter what the weather is like, I go there anytime (except in the dead of winter!)
I have a sun room looking out on flowers and birds. I settle on the cushy couch there with a book and coffee in the morning, or wine in the afternoon. Reading is my great escape!
Being an artist; teaching and designer is my happy place and very meditative. I’m Buddhist also so meditation and calm is essential to my life thus making for a relaxing head space.
When I have time at least an afternoon I read a poetry or a song and I draw a sentence - An example Mäneskin "Baby Said" so draw around < Give me your head >
Sleeping with my cats relaxes me so much.One on my face, the other on my tummy and the third besides my feet...
I watch a lot of ASMR videos on YouTube. They really help to relax me and calm me down. They are also very comforting.
Eu faço crochê, medito, escrevo cartas e postais! Sempre acompanhada de um bom e delicioso café.
Também adoro ir para a academia. Exercitar meu corpo acalma minha mente!
I am an dental assistant, when I see patients have to receive treatment，i feel sad.I hope my friends can keep healthy
I like to eat some snacks and watch Netflix or my anime or I read Wikipedia random articles or topics!
I work on scale models during lulls in my activities. In the evening I play a couple of video games although they are a bit challenging so I don`t spend a lot of time with them. I also read during the day and listen to classical music. I also like certain martial music - British for the most part. It is the rain season here so it can be hot and very humid, which I don`t care for.
My time to relax always begins in late autumn. In the summer I am very active with photography and cycling. The best way for me to relax now is when I'm sitting in a beer garden with friends and having a few happy hours.
To relax I go to a beautiful German beech and oak forest.
Or I visit a castle or palace with a garden.
A book
A cup of Coffee
This is how I relax
Hiking :)
Listening to classical music and reading a book (currently "One Last Dance" by Judith Lennox) or doing sudoku puzzles - I usually fall asleep over a sudoku in the evening.
I am relaxing this summer by traveling. Well, some of the actual travel part is not so relaxing. But once I've braved the inconvenient parts of travel, the rest is relaxation. Right now I'm in Italy. I came for a work-related event, a writing retreat. But I've stayed a few weeks extra. Sipping a cup of cappuccino or an Aperol spritz at an outdoor cafe on a piazza in an Umbrian hill town is one of my favorite ways to relax, especially if I have a good book on hand. My next trip this summer is to Maine and Canada; it's to bring my son to a program in New England, but while he's busy, I'll just be hanging out. And connecting with my inner Anne of Green Gables.
I love listening to music or read and just have some quiet time.
Reading and building with my Lego.
Working-out at gym, jogging,swimming, playing violin, reading, and cooking.
I enjoy listening to podcasts (I have a playlist) and either lay down or find a good place to sit. Sometimes I have heard late night trains carrying cargo rumbling in the distance
Making coffee n then registering postcards n sending them too....a daily affair. Cheers.
Register received cards n sending out too. To the post office n then have coffee nearby..........a daily routine. Ah PostCrossing....a relax affair. Cheers.
Walking my dog into the woods + Visiting new temporary exhibitions from my town museums + Writing postcards + Reading
Feeling the warmth of the sun.
Feeling little raindrops on my face.
Feeling the wind blowing.
Smelling the flowers in my garden.
Hearing the birds sing.
Hearing the frogs croak.
Seeing my kids play.
Hugging my mom.
Chatting with my best friend.
Cuddling with my loved ones.
Drinking water with mint and lavender.
Drinking a smoothie to feel energized.
Swimming in the lake nearby.
Strolling through nature.
Running to test my condition.
All the little big things.
I spend my relaxation time reading and creating architectural embroidery.
Walking in nature, Zentangle, reading and crocheting.
Write postcards, read a book or sleep.
I like to follow the movement of the clouds as I lie on the grass 🧺
I’m still waiting for my first postcard to send. Since I’m retired, my downtime in the summer is pretty much the same as it is all year long, I get to do what I want. I participated in postcrossing a number of years ago for quite a while and now I want to come back. I’ve been re-reading all of my postcards from around the world and I love seeing them and the stamps. Can’t wait to send and get some new ones.😊
For it is so exiting and gives me so much pleasure I just move on Postcrossing :-)
Greetings to all Postcrossers :-) !!
It's summer now, a time of new discoveries for me as a young mother) After all, I spend this summer with my one-year-old son in my homeland, in my parents' house, where my childhood and youth passed. Relaxation for me is an opportunity to ride a bike to the post office to send postcards while my son sleeps during the day. Along the way, I look at how my native land has changed, I rejoice in every flower. And in the morning I pick strawberries for breakfast in the garden, it's like a little meditation.
I honestly feel relaxed just reading these posts! :)
I relax at home in the bathtub, preferably with nice music and a few candles, or read a good book there.
I also like to relax on my sun lounger by the pool.
For me there is nothing more relaxing on vacation than lying on the beach and watching the waves and the sea.
I recently visited a private spa with a sauna, hydro-massage bed, whirlpool and swinging chairs, and I was also able to relax and escape from everyday life.
I hope reading is the way how I relax...but I prefer to listen to music、 watch dramatic programs and follow the Pamela video.
I like to read books to relax myself and go into the fantasy world of my books.
When I want to relax, I have this habit that I go through my camera roll and watch some old videos and photos of mine...
Heck yes another FFXIV player!
For me relaxing is sipping a homemade chai tea latte while seated on my Chofa (chaise lounge/sofa) with a great book in hand. I also love relaxing by the ocean. The sound of the waves relaxes my mind, body, and soul.
When I have time to go out with my camera, I love to look for birds. I got more familiar with all my neighborhood birds species during the pandemic, and it's now quite rare that I see a bird I can't identify. This afternoon, when I walked to the mailbox to send a postcard, on my way home I heard a cardinal behind me. He was at the very top of a telegraph pole, and hard to see behind a tree, but I was pleased that I've learned their call. When I hear cardinals or mockingbirds, I always take a moment to look for them -- these are two of my favorite feathered neighbors. <3
Walking with my dog Mango a toy poodle is fun and relaxing in nature. Reading is a favorite. Just finished reading The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.
Games are one of the ways I relax. It was wonderful to meet some nostalgic characters in FF14's mail delivery quest. It's fun to be able to match the hat you received as a reward with your chocobo partner. Nice to see FF14 here.
@zentravel I love zentangle too! I'm an avid reader and currently have about 40 books waiting in my to-read pile, from hitting all the used book sales last spring. Writing & decorating postcards is relaxing too.
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