iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 78 September 2015 May we all... lead many lives. When Travis died, I knew I wanted to print something for him, something to share with friends at the memorial I would be attending in New York. I sifted through letters and zines and finally came upon this wish for our younger selves:

Handwriting printed on a blank white postcard. "May we all stay in touch & lead many lives."

The back of the postcard. It's got a heart, and is signed "Travis" at the top. The text reads: "Words from an old friend. This is Keep Writing number 78 September 2015. for Travis Fristoe - Prolific penpal with distinctive and difficult handwriting. Honest critic, sincere listener, dependable friend. Choices were made. The consequences are our loss. May the peace that eluded you in life be yours now. Next month we return to the usual format of exchange, but this month, write to an old friend and ask them: how are you? really? and then listen."Write: 3205 Filbert St Oakland CA 94608www.gutwrenchpress.com

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

I think this phrase can read like it is telling you to buck up! Don’t be sad! That’s not it though: be sad. When you are full of energy again, reach out, support your pals. I was loving the pink and brown combo and again, I liked the gradient background. I often try things a few ways.

The postcard, filled out. "To be of use... HAPPY is pretty much my default setting, but I know that's not true for everyone. To be of use I spend time with one who is mostly sad. I do what I can to cheer them up and they tell me a day with me always helps. I hope that's true."

The postcard, filled out. "When I get anxious I often cave. Then I eat good food + find things to feel good about + realize the bounty in my life. Or sometimes I chase strangers. I let the bad play itself out, exorcise the demons, + keep living."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 77 August 2015 What keeps you going when you’re down I love this card but I think the wording was often misleading. You tell me: it is meant to say, you have to take care of yourself first. You can’t be depressed or sick and help others.

A postcard, two postcard lengths long. It is white, and the text is black and red. It reads - "July to August, summer vacation, sprinkled light and swimming, but the past 10 years I cry easily the whole month. I miss my friends. Something happened, something is still happening. Sadness, anger, anxiety, reasonable responses to the tragedies we remember in our bones. How do we prevent paralysis? I make these cards. I write to you. Your turn - How do you deal with difficult times? On the back of this card, tell me about the work you do that keeps you from the mire. Not your job, but how you keep going. Use words, pictures, or whatever you need. Then cut at the fold, stamp this card, and send it away. The other half is for you to keep." "Hope 3205 Filbert St Oakland CA 94608 USA" "Keep writing no. 77 August 2015 see archive of responses at www.keepwritingpostcards.tumblr.com."The bottom half of the double postcard has a beehive, both in large combs in the background in red, and a zoomed out picture of one on a table with bees approaching it in black. It says "It's hard to be useful + sad."

The back of the postcard. It has some of the beehive design from the front, and says "To be of use..."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Tucked into a lot not too far from my house in West Oakland was a small urban farm. They started in a garden just two blocks behind my house. I walked over on the weekends to buy produce and small bouquets of flowers. They also helped residents build raised planter boxes, way before the pandemic.

A handwritten response to the prompt. The person writing writes "Corte Madera, California" on the brown illustration.

The rest of the handwriting reads - "I don't feel like I live in a neighborhood because I am sort of living life on the road right now. When I'm not in travel/work mode I'm staying with my parents in their suburban home. I have known most of the people who live in this neighborhood for nearly twenty years. I enjoy watching each household evolve; the families grow up and we grow apart but we have + will always be part of each other's lives living along a golden hillside..."

Another prompt response, filled out in portrait this time. There are two round head illustrations of people looking at each other, one with a hat. The words read "People are learning to look one another in the eyes." The illustrations are saying "Hi", "hello: to each other. The rest of it reads "West Oakland 15. Mr. Blank Artfok 5. IAMURME. 7-20-15."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 76 July 2015 The best thing in your neighborhood When I lived in Oakland, I struggled to find the kinds of friends and community I had in New Orleans. But sometimes I would find something sweet that reminded me of my favorite city.

A double length postcard, a yellowish shade, with brown and red ink.

The text on the top half reads: "One year ago, we moved to a lovely large house in a rowdy part of town. It's nice to have studio space at home, but the situation outside is rough, sometimes sad. Three blocks away, a few folks started a garden in a park. Now City Slicker Farms is an urban farm with chickens, a farm stand with a graduated payment scale, and part of a Saturday morning ritual for us, walking a few blocks around the neighborhood, buying greens and eggs, giving a extra dollar because we can. They help the people of West Oakland access fresh food through backyard gardens, the farm stand, and outreach. They are currently raising money to complete building a new center on the land they own. Check it out: www.cityslickerfarms.org.

Your turn!

Tell me about the best thing happening in your neighborhood.Using words or pictures, talk about what makes it so great, and where it is. Tear at the fold, and drop it in the mail. Responses from the East Bay will be in a map available August 1st as part of a tour of neighborhoods."

Hope lists their address - "Hope 3205 Filbert St. Oakland CA 94608 USA."

The lower half of the postcard has an illustration of a garden, with the quote "We are stronger together than we are alone.", credited to Walter "Sweetness" Peyton.

A brown design in the lower right, leaving space for people to write a response.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 75 June 2015 YOU get better Why no question this month? Because sometimes I want a break. And I wanted to print a gradient like the background, something you can’t do on platen presses with an ink disk.

A grey and white patterned postcard, geometric, somewhat like snowflakes. There is blue text on the front that reads "I wish I could tell you that it gets better, but I can't because it doesn't. But YOU get better." The quote is attributed to Jean Rivers.

The back of a white postcard. The blue text reads - "With apologies to the 'it gets better' campaign. This is Keep Writing no. 75 June 2015. No prompt for a response because everyone could benefit from having a little less to do sometimes. Take a month to think about the balance of changing the outside world versus the change in you. Then send me all the postcards that are crowding your desk, your bag, your notebook and join me at EM Wolfman's in Oakland in July. Opening party dates TBA, plus letter writing parties and more. Time to renew your subscription? www.gutwrench.etsy.com. Mail: 3205 Filbert Street Oakland CA 94608."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Bear Hebert wrote a great essay about whiteness and yoga you can easily find on their site. Yoga teacher training made me a better teacher. I didn’t feel confident enough in my skills as a teacher to ask to teach letterpress.

The same postcard as the original picture. This ti me the text is a copper and black color, and the postcard is grey.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 74 May 2015 I am a________ having a__________ At this moment, I was in a yoga teacher training. I later quit teaching yoga because of the complicated ties with colonialism and cultural appropriation, and I wasn’t prepared to be go deeper into body and movement study.

A brown postcard, double length, with black and brown text. It reads "recently, a teacher said this to me, that we are not humans having spiritual experiences but the other way around. look, i know it's a bit woo-woo and i grew up catholic and still have my lingering doubts but this idea is amazing to me. we don't have to debate religion here but imagine for a minute that we are gobs of energy, love, electricity, whatever you want to call it, existing in this body for now. your turn: maybe this is too heavy for your afternoon mail or maybe you believe something else entirely. so tell me about it. on the other side of this card fill in the blanks. cut at the fold, stamp it and send it to me! soon!" The address listed is "Hope 3205 Filbert Street Oakland CA 94608 USA".

The back of the postcard in the previous picture. In redish brown text it reads "Not the other way around. This is Keep Writing number 74. A monthly postcard series that requests your participation. I send you this, you send something back. There are directions inside. And, though I usually tell you to take your time, send it back when you can - Get on it! Your responses will be shared in Oakland in July. Meanwhile, you can see them on th e internet: www.KeepWritingPostcards.tumblr.com. Or write me a letter:" And lists the same CA address from the first picture.

The back of the brown postcard. It says "I am a" and then leaves a blank to be filled in. The second line says "having a" with another blank.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

I assessed and cooked a giant pot of vegetables and sauce for pasta. I boiled eggs. For the following months, I cooked for friends, I cooked at the bike shop where we spent most of our days. I turned our canned goods and non-perishables into one-pot wonders.

The cityscape on the previous card, with little thought bubbles reading a variety of things - "A smile" "A book How to Survive" "Signing the last song" "A tam tam" "Sunflower seeds" "A good knife" "A cosmonaut costume".

A light skinned hand holds the cityscape bordered postcard. Inside is a drawing of a goat, piles of chopped wood, a small garden.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 73 April 2015 What will you bring to the collapse of industrialized society? In 2005, in New Orleans, while awaiting Hurricane Katrina, I collected all there perishables our friends bought to the house we would share during the storm.

A white postcard with purple and black text. On the top of the postcard, the text reads "with the collapse of industrialized society, what will I miss? straws, bubble baths and ice cream. of course, these are just the silly small things, the things I could give up now if I wanted. what will I bring to the post-collapse survival? a one-pot meal repertoire. making do for dinner! Your Turn: what will you bring to the apocalypse? on the back of this card, write about and/or illustrate your skills for survival. no skills too small! tear or cut at the fold above, stamp it and drop it in the mail to me. and remember to start sending past postcards to be a part of the show in july!" Hope's address is listed as 3205 Filbert St Oakland CA 94608 USA.The bottom half of the postcard has a purple city scape with a sign in front of it that says "TEAR IT DOWN".

A black box on the white postcard, with a little cityscape along the bottom.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no 72 March 2015 Encourage a friend Another design I liked so much I redesigned it in 2023. When Bear and I briefly shared a lofted 1 bedroom apartment near LSU, I was very unsure about my decision to move to Baton Rouge to be a 31 year old undergrad.

A creme colored postcard with blue text that reads "timely words from a friend, a postscript on a note of thanks. everyone could use some encouraging words. not generic cheers or self-congratulatory bits to let us off the hook from the hard work, but a little something to loosen us from the muck of self-doubt. your turn. tear this card at the fold, stamp it, and on the other side, send yourself or someone you know some love. i will leave the address blank for you if you want to send it to them. if you like, send me a photo on instagram to share @gutwrenchhope (of course you can still mail it to me if you prefer)." "Send it to:"On the bottom of the postcard, a person in a newsboy cap holds a sign that says "You're doing a good job at life right now."

The person in the newsboy cap from the front, but they've been decorated with a fancy mustache, lipstick, lots of bright colors. They are holding a sign that reads "Fly your freak flag always! #BelieveInYou"

The person in the newsboy cap from the front, decorated with some extra bronze and black sparkling lines. Their sign reads "You are loved" with a heart.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

I could hear the nightly helicopters over my neighborhood during protests; I lived near the on ramp to the Bay Bridge. The protests were inspiring but I rarely am one to get in the streets. This card is a call to other forms of protest, for demanding change, for supporting those in the streets.

The back of the postcard with the green trumpet, someone has printed tools over it in brown - a hammer, a pencil, a paintbrush, a pen nib. Below each are words in black - Build The Bridge, Draw Out the Steps, Embrace The Color, Rhyme The Truth.

The same trumpet, with a peace symbol by the mouth peace, and a heart by the opening. In black, the text reads "Racism sprints from the lie that certain human beings are less than fully human. It's a self-centered falsehood that corrupts our minds into believing we are right to treat others as we would not want to be treated."

The same postcard, decorated with black and white arrows, as well as the word "LOVE" written in colorful block letters. On the trumpet, under a row of multicolored hearts, black text reads "SILENCE IS CONSENT".

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no. 71 February 2015 How will you contribute to the fight for racial equality? Six months after the murder of Michael Brown, I was living in Oakland. The immense tragedy, frustration, months of protests, and lack of accountability by cops had me feeling worn down.

A creme colored postcard with green and brown text. The top half reads - "every time i hear the names of unarmed citizens killed by police i feel sick to my stomach. too many names, too many lives ended because of unchecked power and unexamined fear. do you think this doesn't affect you? our complacency allows it to continue. your turn. marching in the streets isn't for everyone. on the back of this card, share ways you want to help dismantle racism in our culture. use images, words, whatever you need to express your ideas. then cut at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail." hope's address is listed under an icon of a handshake - "hope 3205 filbert st oakland ca 94608 usa". the lower half of the postcard has a quote above a bronze printed tumpet. "what others did was their responsibility, for which they would answer when the judgement trumpet sounded. But what I did was my responsibility, and i would have to answer too." - James Baldwin, "The Fire Next Time".

The back of the same postcard, in green text. "because reading james baldwin is only a start. this is keep writing number 71 february 2015 in honor of black history month and the struggle that continues today. the civil rights movement didn't end in the 60s, there are still plenty of folks still fighting for what is fair. let's talk: 3205 filbert street oakland ca 94608. www.gutwrenchpress.com"

The same trumpet from the front, but printed in green.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

KEEP WRITING no. 70 January 2015 Happy New Year I remember printing this one on the Universal 1 again but who can trust memory. Again, with the experimenting. Linocut image, big type, opaque white ink tinted with purple on dark paper. Subtle colors, a not so subtle reference to water.

A dark grey postcard, with all caps, sans serif font reading "IMMERSE" in black. The bottom half of the postcard has blue waves that are under the lower half of the word.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Letterpress printed with polymer plates on French Paper Co madero beach with a borrowed Heidelberg Windmill Letterpress. If you want your chance to participate you gotta sign up! buff.ly/ynbjKdZ

The "MERRY MERRY" postcard, but now someone has drawn a Christmas tree in a silver pen with red ornaments. There is more silver handwriting that says "Decorating our vintage aluminum tree is one of my favorite traditions."

The same postcard says "Going on a light safari!" in a thick black pen. There are holiday lights drawn around the "MERRY MERRY" words, and little doodles of cars. A thin black pen writes "Happy holidays Hope!"

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 69 December 2014 Share a holiday tradition Sometimes you just want to draw palm trees and holiday lights. I was trying out making holiday cards, something I didn’t enjoy. But I like them as Keep Writing cards.

A white double length postcard, with blue cursive type, and some red block lettering. It reads "growing up, we spent christmas eve at my grandpa's. we opened one present before going to bed and ate chocolate oranges for breakfast. now in my 30s without kids and far from my family, we have thanksgiving without turkey, but with all our friends at our place, christmas is still chocolate and oranges but also baking cookies and listening to the santaland diaries. traditions are important, and so is adapting. your turn: on the other side of this card, share your holiday traditions. however and whatever you celebrate. cut this card at the fold, stamp it, and drop it in the mail." the address is "hope 3205 filbert street oakland ca 94608 usa."The bottom half has two palm trees printed in teal, with strings of red lights between them. The words "MERRY MERRY" are printed white inside red rectangles above them.

The text on the back reads "here come the holidays. this is keep writing number 69 december 2014. just a few more holiday craft sales and it's silk nog and rum in bed for me. welcome new friends, hello old. check www.gutwrenchpress.com. for archives, news, stories, and more. but i do prefer a letter, write 3205 filbert st oakland ca 94608."

In the middle of a white postcard, the words "MERRY MERRY" are white letters printed inside individual teal rectangles.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Before ANOTHER Supreme Court Justice was confirmed despite accusations of sexual harassment and assault. Have you watched Joe Biden’s questioning of Anita Hill? Letterpress printed with polymer plates on French paper grapesicle with a borrowed Heidelberg Windmill Letterpress.

On the back of the postcard, someone has written "ONGOING HISTORICAL EVENT" in a vibrant highlighter yellow, then under that, in red pen, "The 2,239,800 PEOPLE IN US STATE AND FEDERAL PRISON."

On the back of the postcard, black pen reads "Ohio State University lined up in formation shooting unarmed nonviolent protestors on campus. 4 dead in Ohio." There is a black and white photo of people lined up holding guns.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 68 November 2014 Share a forgotten historical fact There was a while where Anita Hill was just a law professor at Yale, before we had to listen to hours of similar testimony and interrogation of Christine Blasey Ford.

A lavender double length postcard with black and blue text. The text on the top half reads "I was a teenager when anita hill testified in front of congress about being sexually harassed by her boss. don't worry, he was still voted onto the supreme court and she is a professor at brandeis who endured public ridicule because her dude employer hit on her at work. i still get angry when i hear 'judge clarence thomas' on the news but i realized some of my friends don't know why. YOUR TURN: how short our memory is. on the other side of this card, tell me about a historical event that still effects you but seems forgotten. use drawings, words, news clippings, photos. cut this ard at the fold. stamp it, drop it in the mail and send it on its way. check instagram for yours and other postcards @gutwrenchhope." the address is listed as "hope 3205 filbert st oakland ca 94608 usa". The bottom half of the postcard has a print of two women holding a sign that says "I still believe Anita Hill."

The back of the postcard - The text reads: "after reading cassandra among the creeps' by rebecca solnit in the october issue of harper's, i thought: do you remember anita hill? this is keep writing no. 68 november 2014 the 'kids these days' edition. after much procrastination, my website is revamped. maybe i was waiting for technology to catch up to my minimal skills because it finally looks how i've been imagining. check it out, same name different face. www.gutwrenchpress.com. as always, write! 3205 filbert st oakland ca 94608."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 67 October 2014 Knuckle tattoos! I told you I was on a roll. It was fun to draw hands! It is fun to think about knuckle tattoos. I still don’t have any. Letterpress printed with polymer plates on chipboard and some French Paper with a borrowed Heidelberg Windmill Letterpress.

A double length postcard, with grey and orange font. The top half says "who hasn't thought about knuckle tattoos? this is my tribute to my home state -new hampshire- and one of its best features, a solid motto. too bad the libertarians agree. your turn. what will you put on your knuckles for all to see? or what do you have? would you change it? on the other side of this card, fill in the knuckles with your eight letter phrase. tear at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail to me. the other half is for you to keep!" there is an orange arrow, under which is an address, "Hope 3205 Filbert St Oakland CA 94608 USA".The lower half of the postcard has a pair of firsts, facing forward, with "LIVE FREE" tattooed on the knuckles in orange.

The same fists in the first image, but with no tattoos.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 66 September 2014 Share an annoying saying That story is long and a bit complicated but one part of it was that I agreed to be a temporary full time manager while a permanent one was found.

A Keep Writing postcard, open to show the "Your turn!" text and the print.

The top half, in a mix of orange and red text, reads: "For 3 months I worked with someone who often said 'moving forward...' as she discussed plans that led to hasty action. Or more plans. Or to another meeting. But we can't go back. We're always moving forward. Her words carried no weight with me. Now that I've lost my job, the options are open. I reclaim her bits of meaninglessness as a call to action. Your turn. Hello to new friends. Here is your challenge: Think of something that annoys you, a saying, an idea, a complaint. Now make it yours. Write, draw, or describe it on the back of this card. Tear at the fold, stamp it, and drop it in the mail. The other half is for you to keep! (Don't forget that I will share what you send on instagram @gutwrenchhope unless you ask me not to)". Hope lists their address in red - "Hope 3205 Filbert St Oakland CA 94608 USA".

The bottom half is a print in red and orange, that reads MOCING EVER FORWARD with several arrows pointing to the right.

The response part of the postcard, which is three red arrows pointing to the right.

The back of the postcard, in red text. "Here we go! This is Keep Writing no. 66 September 2014 the unemployed edition. If you've been meaning to renew your lapsed subscription, now is a great time - www.etsy.gutwrench.com or do it in person at the SF Zine Fest 8/30-31 and at the New Orleans Bookfair in early November. Phew. Summer was great. Let's keep it going. Write 3205 Filbert St Oakland CA 94608."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 65 August 2014 My goals Again, a month with no question but here’s why: I knew I would be traveling for July and August to the southeast. I planned ahead. I printed cards for both month’s, mailed July’s, probably from the airport post box as I often did when I traveled.

A kraft colored postcard that reads - "Goals for 2014" on a background of small v marks. The list reads: "Keep a savings account (checked off), write more letters (checked off), finish a new zine, go back to Rome, make paper (checked off)." There is an arrow pointing from the last point to a piece of handmade paper attached to the postcard, with the word "look!".

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 64 July 2014 Set a few goals The second most popular design. A former co-worker, Sol Weiss illustrated a few cards for me. The tight registration was something I usually avoided, but it looked good. I reprinted this card many, many times, and redesigned it in 2023.

A Keep Writing postcard, open to show the "Your turn!" text as well as the print. The paper is white and the ink is black.

Text on the top half: "Do I have lists of lists? Maybe. When Misha told me about the sign he saw on a middle school, I was surprised it took me so long to consider the balance between options and focus. I forget that is why I make lists - to prioritize. Your turn! On the back of this card, set a few goals for yourself - for the day, year, your life, your job, whatever. This isn't a bucket list (I hate that term) - this is ambitious focus. This is the work we do. Cut at the fold, stamp it, and drop it in the mail to me."

Hope lists their address beside the text - "3205 Filbert St, Oakland CA 94608."

The print at the bottom is a left hand leaning back, thumb facing the viewer. Text around it reads - "You can do anything, but you can't do everything."

A left hand, thumb facing the viewer, from the edge. It's cupping the word "GOALS" written in a stylistic font. The paper is white.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 63 June 2014 New address Ok, I moved into a new place in Oakland, a beautiful old Victorian that charmed me with a sunny front room and a tiny back yard. It soon revealed its own problems but in this first month I set up a studio in the front room which had gold flocked wallpaper.

A Keep Writing postcard, open, showing the front and back to the camera. It is a cream colored card with brown ink. There is sewing along both the left and right edges.

The top half is upside down to the viewer, and reads "We've moved! 3205 Filbert St, Oakland CA 94608, Keep Writing" with a dashed line at the top that reads "Cut here to form envelope flap". There is a squiggly, faint design behind the words.

The bottom half says - "Hey! It's an envelope for all the postcards you've been meaning to send. 1. Cut at the dotted line. 2. Fill with completed postcards. (Mail cookies separately). 3. Glue or tape flap and stamp it! Send it on its way. 4. If you live in the Bay Area, prepare for a house warming party." with a heart at the end of the last sentence. Hope lists their new address again for mailing purposes.

A close up on the text that explains how to mail postcards inside the envelope, as described in the previous picture.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

I do love the speed and clean printing of the Heidelberg. So this month, I offer a tool for anxious folks like me: dump all your worries onto paper and then cover it up with doodles. Ideally the last step would be to light it on fire and I guess there is still time for that.

The back of the postcard, now filled out. There are green and orange words written in layers that are impossible to make out, and over those, blue pen repeating the words "We are safe" over and over again.

A scared looking drawing of a face in the background is covered by the words "no monsters" over and over again.

Another fully filled out postcard, with writing and scribbling that is totally incomprehensible.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 62 May 2014 Dump all your worries here I feel like this is where I start hitting my stride. I know, I skipped number 60 and then the month of April, but the next year or two of cards is what I think of when someone asks about this project. Maybe it is the press.

A double length postcard, white paper with a mix of blue and orange text.

The top half is mostly written in blue, and reads - "I worry like it's a sport. There is a lot of garbage in my head lately that doesn't need to be there. I'm dumping it out and sending it to you in the hopes of a lighter start of summer." In orange, the words "Your turn". Back to blue - "On the back of this card, write down all the troubles and secrets you don't need to keep. Then bury the with scribbles, paint, glue, and paper, or whatever you need to compost those thoughts. Tear at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail to me."

On the right side, a blue arrow points to the right, and under that, orange text reads "Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607."

The response side of the postcard, with a series of dark orange scribbles on the far right side.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

This is part two of my collaboration with Jeremy Sedita. He sent a photo of his sketchbook and it become this two color print. I added the text. I am not a religious person but I do believe in paying attention. Is the sea speaking to you? Is it really what you know deep down trying to get out?

An answer to the prompt, written on the side with the ship and choppy blue clouds. It reads "There is beauty everywhere".

An answer to the prompt, written on the side with the ship and choppy blue clouds. It reads "Full sail! Full hearts!"

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 61 March 2014 Tell me about the signs you’ve been listening to. No. You didn’t fall asleep there. I got so excited that I was printing on a Heidelberg Windmill that I skipped number 60.

A double length postcard, with a combination of dark and light blue ink. The postcard is white.

The top postcard has the following text - "I believe in signs and listening to the sea. I asked an ancient mummy for advice. My cat is my favorite fortune teller. Mercury in retrograde or not. Things were all f*ed up for a few days. Your turn. What is the shore saying to you? Rewrite the caption on the other side of this card and tell me about the signs of superstitions you've been paying attention to. Tear at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail." Hope's address is listed - "Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607 USA".

The bottom half of the postcard is turned sideways, meant to be viewed in portrait. It's a print of a ship coming towards a cliff with a building, yarn-like smoke coming out of the windows. There is text that reads "Come Home".

The same image as on the lower half of the postcard in the last image, without any text or the yarn-like smoke. Now there are just some choppy clouds of navy.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 59 February 2014 Tell me how you met one of your good friends The sweetest response I received to this questions from two friends I had introduced, who sat at a coffee shop in New Orleans and wrote it together. They weren’t dating, just friends.

A white, double length postcard, with black and light grey text. The top says "Valentine's Day is for sweeties, sure, but old friends and close friends give the good love too. Your turn: On the back of this card, honor a good friend. Describe how you met, how you keep in touch or something special about your friendship. Tear at the fold, stamp it, and drop it in the mail to me. Go! Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607 USA." The bottom has a print of a castle inside an oval with swirling smoke coming out of its chimney, shaped like twirling yarn above it.

A white postcard with the same squiggly yarn design smoke from the first photo.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 58 January 2014 New Year’s Card Ok, as you know, most months I ask a question. Sometimes I skip a month, sometimes I use the wrong number. Sometimes, I don’t ask a question and just send you something to enjoy. I like this especially in January.

A grey postcard with a blue plus sign in the upper left and a smattering of abstract white flowers in the upper right corner. Blue text reads - "It doesn't snow in Oakland. Or even rain much. The constant sun, lack of drastic temperature function, a plethora of delicious food makes it hard to complain. Still. Complacency is easy if you let it settle in. Forget the hard work, let's get pizza. New Year's is my favorite because it is a reminder to look back, to check in, to see where you're going. Then dress up in all the sequins and glitter you can, slough off the unnecessary, welcome the new. So hello 2014, I'm not totally ready but I'm giving it my best."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 57 December 2013 What is your work? Well, reading the information on the outside of this card, I printed it at home, so I was still gratefully using Ben’s universal one. Thanks Ben. I doubt I thanked him enough.

A double length postcard with lavender and blue text. The top says - "my friend Bear teaches Vinyasa yoga in New Orleans. often at the beginning of a class a teacher will ask you to set an intention, something to work on, your focus. Your turn: as 2013 comes to a close think about what your work is, however you interpret that, tell me about it on the other side of this card. use words, pictures, whatever you like. then tear at the fold, stamp it, and send it to me. Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607." The bottom half has small blue crystals above and below a quote - "Do the work where you need to & soften everywhere else."

A drawing of a flower above a small blue crystal print. Arrows pointing down say "Transforming sunshine", arrows pointing up say "Accelerating decay".

A postcard with a pen drawing of a desert over a blue crystal print. There's a water tower, some cacti, some hills. A little stick figure sits on top of the tower, and the words say "Making time for unimportant things".

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

KEEP WRITING no 56 November 2013 Say thank you How cute was it to celebrate 5 years? Maybe I can say that now that I’ve had a 10 and 15 year anniversary party. I’m glad no one did the math in that it may have been 5 years but I was at least 2 postcards short of 60.

A double length postcard in a beige color with red and black text. The top says - "Five years ago I was riding my bike home from school. Already missing my friends and afraid I would never be able to keep in touch. Why was I in school anyways? Oh yeah, to make postcards! Thanks y'all for going along. Your turn: On the back of this card, thank someone you can't. If you can thank them, well why send me the card! Tear at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail. Thanks! Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607 USA." The bottom half of the postcard has three kittens in black, holding a little white sign with the word "Thanks" in red.

A beige postcard with teal text. The text says - "Celebrating 5 years of postcards! This is keep writing number 56 November 2013. Thank you for writing back, being interested, and inspiring me. As an anniversary special, during the month of November, you can renew your subscription for $5-30 for one year. Send your renewal via paypal to gutwrenchhope@gmail.com. And you will be sure to get 12 more months of postcards. Send what you can, it's ok if you can't. But keep writing! 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607. Send it to:"

A beige postcard with the word "Thanks" printed in teal in the lower left.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 55 October 2013 What are you reading? It also took me a full year to get an Oakland library card and ten years later I can’t picture any of the libraries I went to. Who was I in 2013? I was trying. (Editors note: these captions are written in July 2024. Summer.

Kraft colored double length postcard. Top has black text - "1. Joan Didion 'A Year of Magical Thinking' From the West Oakland Library. 2. Brian Herrick 'Ebb And Flood' A comic book I traded for at the SF zine fest. 3. 'Oxford American' A magazine of Southern writing that used to amaze me enough to continue a subscription, but lately it disappoints. Your turn: On the back of this card, tell me a little about what you are reading, where you got it, and what you think of it. Tear at the fold, stamp it, and put it in the mail. The other half is for you! Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607." The bottom half says "Reading Rules" in fancy font on red lines.

A kraft colored postcard with a small print of a bookshelf in black on the bottom.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

It is still something that, in 2024, I struggle with as I learn about RISO. This month’s card was an excuse to use a nerdy diagram to evaluate my life and try out some hand lettering. And practice registration. I think the challenge was making a one color diagram that retained a sense of overlap.

A venn diagram with one circle labeled "Time spent doing things I have to do" and the other labeled "Time spent doing things I want to do". The middle is labeled "Time spent doodling silly pictures".

A venn diagram with two circles labeled - One labeled "People who can fix cars" and one labeled "People who understand taxes". The middle is labeled "People I wish I were pals with". On the bottom, there's a note - "Hi hope. I got your lovely note card. Thanks. Train rides can be amazing."

One circle of the venn diagram has decorative font and reads "My ability to act and drive to create". The other side is written simply, and says "It's all been done before. My sense of hopelessness to even try. Not worth it. Hard work is hard and isn't proven to pay off." The middle has words breaking through bricks - "This is where I live... every day." The bottom has a note - "What it is to be human!"

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 54 August 2013 Venn diagram This project started as a way to 1)keep in touch with friends and pen pals and 2) challenge myself to try new techniques in printing and design. The second part gets lost sometimes. I was really excited about overlaps and balancing colors.

A double length postcard. The top has blue and orange text, and says "Venn diagrams illustrate the intersection of two ideas. Your turn. On the back of this card, fill in the diagram to demonstrate the overlap between any two things. Tear at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail. Send it back! Hope 1506 Center St. Oakland CA 94607 USA." The bottom has a blue and orange venn diagram labeled "My Life" - Blue is labeled with "as it was" and orange is labeled "as it could be".

A blank venn diagram - two blue circles, with an arrow pointing both left and right under it.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 53 July 2013 Never Get Old/Never Get Young I am not sure what I meant by this and if I re-printed it I might reconsider the phrase “never get young.” A better example of a pair of phrases that I carry despite their oppositional meanings would be: never give up//quit everything.

A double length postcard on white paper. The top text is yellow and blue, and reads - "Happy birthday to me. I like getting older and contradictory advice. Your turn. On the other side of this card, write two opposing phrases to contemplate while waking on a cold beach in July. Tear at the fold, stamp it, and send it to me before I turn 37. Send it back! Hope 1506 Center St. Oakland CA 94607 USA." The bottom text reads - "Never get young/never get old."

A white postcard with blue arrows pointing left and right. There are two kinds of handwriting in black - A swirly, stylistic one says "Fashion Style" and a blocky, serif one says "Style Fashion".

A white postcard with blue arrows facing left and right. On the top, cursive reads "Life is just a dream." and has a doodle with black scribbles above it. Under the arrows, handwriting says "Face Reality" with various geometric hashtag shapes around it.

A white postcard with blue arrows facing left and right. In block letters above them, black text says "Fully Embrace". Below them, cursive says "Do not attach".

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Letterpress printed with polymer plates, rule, handset type and hand carved linocut on French Paper on Ben Sap’s Universal 1 in our garage in Oakland. Edit: I found one blurry dark photo of the full sheet on Ben's press. you are welcome. I need to hire an archivist.

A blurry picture of the print that winds up being cut into postcards. It's a combination of magenta, tan yellow, and light grey ink.

In the upper left, it says "Prince Prints Son of" and has an image of the musician Prince. Upper right is the "Prince Charming Prints" from the first image.

The next layer down is two postcards wide, and reads - "The artist formerly known as Prince prints" with grey dots behind it.

The next layer down reads "I would dye 4 u" with a faint grey frame in the background. Next to that it reads "Pantone 239: Raspberry Beret" with plant designs in the back in light grey.

The last row has one print that has grey stripes in the background, a tan yellow crown, and a magenta word that reads "Printcess". The "Print Sexy" print is in the lower right corner, as described in the first photo.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 52 June 2013 Prince prints son of prince. The first place I lived in Oakland was this weird little compound. My roommate Ben brought a Vandercook Universal one and a bunch of type from North Carolina and was kind enough to share. It lived in a beautiful garage.

Pink postcards, one stacked on top of each other.

The one on top reads 'Prince Charming prints" with "Prince Charming" being in magenta, and "Charming Prints" being in a tan yellow, with the "Charming" overlapping in two colors. In the background, there are horizontal lines of stars and dots in a faint grey.

Under it, a card reads "Print Sexy" in magenta (Print) and tan yellow (Sexy). Around sexy is a frame of faint grey plants in a circle.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Letterpress printed with polymer plates on scrap chipboard. 🎈🎈🎈 I you want your chance to participate you gotta sign up! buff.ly/JTYnW0d

A response to the question. "Never bring a plant with mealybugs into your home." There is a picture of a mealy bug at the top, with lots of small legs sticking out from it's segmented body. Above it is the word YUCK.

Another reply, with a couple stamps of hands pointing at each other, ruffles around their wrists. The text reads "Never bring unemployed circus clowns into your home." The clowns portion is in a combination of upper and lowercase letters, stamped in red.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 51 May 2013 Never bring____________into your home I love a fill in the blank. Once in a while I like to turn a messy sketch into a card, especially when inspired by a fortune from my favorite vegan restaurant in Oakland’s Chinatown.

A Keep Writing postcard, kraft colored paper with black text and a black lined illustration.

The top half of the postcard reads - "Working full time between a few jobs and making post cards at home. Sometimes I come in the door a little grumpy, but on a day-off adventure recently I had the chance to draw a little and was given this advice. Things at home are even better."

Green text reads - "Your turn"

"What's your advice for a good home? Fill in the blank on the fortune on the other side of this card. Stamp it, tear it at the fold, and drop it in the mail to me."

The bottom half of the postcard is a sketch of Hope's home, showing the door, curtains. The style is fairly abstract.

A close up on a small patch of green text that reads "Never bring unhappy feelings into your home."

The back, upper left corner of the postcard. "Fortune cookie fortunes for a tired grump. This is Keep Writing number 51 May 2013 printed in West Oakland on Ben's Vandercook. Are you on the gutwrench press email list? Get special offers, and subscription information. Email me at gutwrenchpress@gmail.com. Otherwise, write! I will write back! 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607."

The "Your turn" portion of the card - It's a sentence with gaps for the receiver to fill in. "Never bring ___ into your home."

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 50 April 2013 What do you want to tell yourself? So cute that I was excited to make it to 50 cards! One of the most popular designs I’ve made. I redesigned it later, with a better question but the design remained similar.

A Keep Writing Postcard, open to show the back and front of the outside. The postcard is an off white.

The top of the postcard has black text with lavender embellishments. The text reads: "As a teen-ager, I left notes to myself on our kitchen table, mostly about feeding the fish or taking out the trash. My mom collected them. I still talk to myself, sometimes about feeding the cat but more often it is reassurance things are ok. Take a breath. Now go for it." White letters in blocks of lavender ink read "YOUR TURN". "On the other side of this card, tell me what you tell yourself these days. Use words, drawings, maps, cut and paste; whatever works for you. Tear at the fold, stamp it and drop it in the mail."

To the right of the text is a lavender arrow pointing down to Hope's address - Hope 1506 Center Street Oakland CA 94607.

The lower half of the postcard has a navy illustration of a person perching on the edge of a rock about to jump into the water. To the right is text in lavender that reads "You have all the tools you need."

The prompt side of the postcard. The top 2/3rds are blank, with text in the lower third that reads "note to self:" and is followed by three lines for writing.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

Letterpress printed with polymer plates and hand carved linocut on French Paper Co paper. Responses from April Marie Hale & Bertie Goldtooth. iIf you want your chance to participate you gotta sign up - buff.ly/eUlz4bt

The return postcard, handwritten in pen - "Hope. I wrote a note to Jessie and Jim - neighbors & friends. Told them how much Travis and I appreciate them & invited them over for drinks and a doggie play date. Tollie and Disko love each other. I wish you still lived across Acadian and we could all hang out! Oh well - I'll just have to visit Oakland. Best, Roberta."

Another return postcard, also written in pen - "Hi! I gave the other card to my SHKA neighbor Lindsey. She is an amazing writer. I don't know if she got it yet. I was going to sneak onto her porch early one morning and leave it but I chickened out fearing I would wake her. Instead I put the card in her mail folder in the SHKA office. My mail folder is right next to hers. My folder is red and I think hers is yellow. We go adventuring together, daffodil hunting, beach walking, kayaking. I hope you're ok! <3 April"

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 49 March 2013 Say hi to your neighbor. It’s almost like the guilt of skipping a month propels more complicated designs. Not the first 3 part card, but one of my favorite designs. Once card for saying hi to a neighbor, one for telling me about it.

A postcard, white paper with blue and black ink - This time, it's extra tall, two flaps opening from the middle.

The top third has black text - "New neighborhood means new neighbors. I don't let the West Coast passivity get to me. I still wave to people on porches as I ride by. Maybe you've just moved too or maybe you know everyone on your block. Your turn. This month, lots to share. There are three cards here. Tear at the perforations to separate. On the smallest card, write a note to your neighbor. Leave it in their mailbox or introduce yourself in person. It can be a new neighbor or an old friend. Then, on the card addressed to me, tell me about it on the lines provided. Stamp it and drop it in the mail. The other card is for you (see, it has your name on it!" Hope's address is listed as "to: Hope 1506 Center Street Oakland CA 84607."

The middle postcard says "HELLO neighbor" and has a hand holding a fist full of arrows."

The bottom postcard is a black square with lines to write on.

The full back of the postcard, including the text from the last photo. The top postcard says "HELLO", has black lines, and has a hand holding arrows. The bottom postcard (which is upside down) also says "HELLO" with added black text reading "I'm your neighbor". There are hands shaking each other.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 48 February 2013 Sometimes I get too upset for a question. This month, an experiment in layering metallic ink over a base of rubber ink. Letterpress printed with polymer plates on chipboard salvaged from packaged stamps.

A kraft colored postcard - There is sepia text that is printed over itself multiple times, and then white text over that which reads - "Don't teach your daughters to be afraid. Teach your sons to behave."

A picture showing both the back and the front of the postcard.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

At this point I was working in a print shop making plates with negatives. I ordered scrap plates from Boxcar and testing out ideas. In this case, I scratched the negatives with sandpaper to create the scratchy swirls. Then I printed in three colors, on more paper I found in the scrap pile at SFCB.

A response - A drawing of someone sitting in a hammock on a desert island, thinking "This year is going to be THE year".

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

KEEP WRITING no 46 again January 2013 What do you do to get out of the rut of regularity. An experiment in process and numbering. Yes, last month’s card was also 46. I am not my own best proofreader.

A postcard, opened to show the front and the back. The top of the postcard has a combo of white and purple text. "Water damage and new plans and moving and I'm barely settled in any way so I'll try something new with the tools I have. Your turn. On the other side of this card, experiment with words or pictures, draw cut paint burn or tell me what you will do to stay out of the rut of regularity. Tear at the fold and drop it in the mail to me!" Hope's address is beside that text - "to: Hope 1506 Center Street Oakland CA 94607"

The bottom half of the postcard says 2013 and has an abstract image from a negative photo of a cross or grave (?).

The response side of the postcard - There are small scribbled circles in white, and black text reading 2013.

The back of the postcard with a post-it note that says "MIS #" on it.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Letterpress printed with handset type on more paper I found in the scrap pile. You can see all the responses on tumblr! buff.ly/Mn4717W If you want your chance to participate you gotta sign up - buff.ly/eUlz4bt

A response - Someone filled out in black pen above the black wings. "I'm from worry, I'm from baseball, I'm from divorce, I'm from swamps, I'm from wondering, I'm from cigarettes, I'm from humidity, I'm from fireflies, I'm from daydreams, I'm from a town without sidewalks. XO, Jason N."

A response filled out upside down - It says "I'm not from here but I'm here now." And then in large, stylistic text, reads "Los Angeles".

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

KEEP WRITING no 46 December 2012 Where are you from? I love gold ink and handset type. Sharing the love for my new home in Oakland. What a wild time. It barely rained, my best friend lived a train ride away, my roommate let me use his printshop. I missed LA but I was doing my best to acclimate.

An open postcard on a redish/orange paper. Most of the font is in black, with some gold embellishments. The text on the upper half reads "Do you mean where I grew up or where I lived longest or where I call home?" There is a gold star, then "Your turn!" in black, then another gold star, followed by black text - "On the other side of this card, tell me how you respond when asked 'where you from?' Tear at the fold and drop it in the mail!" Hope's address is also listed - "Hope 1506 Center St Oakland CA 94607 USA". The bottom half of the postcard has a gold border with the words "I live in" in black, and "OAKLAND" in gold. There is a small print of skyscrapers and it has golden wings sprouting from it.

The response side of the postcard, with black prints of wings at the bottom.

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keep writing project @keepwritingproject.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

And my other job included training on a Heidelberg Windmill, my printing press of choice. Handset type leads to designs that are different than my digital designs and SFCB has an amazing collection of type. This month was a chance to get clever with wood type.

Someone has filled out the "Assume this..." postcard with black pen. The writing reads: "I had visited Athens, GA a few times before moving here. Bc of those visits, I assumed Athens was all about punk, vegan food, and vintage stores. Then I moved here & discovered FOOTBALL lots & lots of football. Also, SORORITY GIRLS & Nike shorts. Not nearly as many punk shows, either." There are little doodles below - One side has a person with curly hair and glasses, pizza, and maybe a sweatshirt? With a big "VS" written between it, on the other side a person with make up, a football, and a pair of Nike shorts. At the bottom, it says "But, as I correctly assumed:" with drawings of books, a cat, and a viking.

Another answer, in black handwriting.

"I. In Ashville, NC, people assume i am a hippie with a lackluster work ethic.

II. i lived in West Virginia for 6 years - the assumptions about that beautiful state are too many to list here.

XO hope, beth schanble."

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