When I roll the dice with Postcrossing, more often than not, the person's profile requests "no free cards." Too bad! Some of the most interesting postcards in my possession are "free cards." I pick them up in cafes, movie theaters, bars, boutiques, even on the sidewalk. Like purchasing postcards, one has to be discriminating in one's selections. But so often the free cards are graphically beautiful, topically edgy, and reflective of the times and location. This card is a perfect example. I saw a small stack of them in the window of Mission Pie. I've not seen an "Occupy" postcard before and this one is a call to action in Spanish.
More and more postcards are replacing posters and print ads in newspapers. It is amazing that these little bits of history can be collected for free and easily shared globally via mail. No doubt these cards will soon be made obsolete by the internet. Until then, I am a magpie, swooping down to collect colorful bits of San Francisco history.
