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01.08.2013 | 循環郵票

[Volume 8 Issue 8, #1764]
乜嘢係住喺一個角落, 但係又可以經常環遊世界呢?? 估中都當然冇獎啦, 上面幅圖咁明顯~~ 大家貼郵票嘅時候, 係唔係都會貪方便, 直接申條脷出嚟, 用口水濕咗張郵票, 跟住「啪」一聲將郵票貼咗喺信封上呢?? 我就要睇情況, 如果就手有水或膠水嘅話, 當然唔會咁做啦, 說到底都唔係衛生嘛.. 記得以前電郵尚未普遍, 尤其讀大學嘅時候, 書信來往係唯一同親友聯繫最經濟嘅途徑.. 當年書信一來一往其實郵費都相當剌利, 於是我哋就「發明」咗一個郵票循環再用嘅方法.. 非常簡單, 只要喺張郵票面上涂上一層透明膠水, 之後將呢張做過手腳嘅郵票寄浸入水內.. 於是層透明膠水就會溶解, 連帶郵政印章都跟住洗甩啦, 晒乾張郵票之後, 又係一張可再用嘅郵票喇.. 哈哈!! 不過唔好以為永久可用呀, 一張大概用上三四次度啦, 都算慳返一筆嘅.. 當然, 我只係當年仲係學生嘅時候先會咁做啫, 依家都真係得鬼閑費鬼事咩?? :D
what stays at one corner but can always travel around the globe?? no prize for guessing it right, since the answer is so obvious in the photo above~~ when you are affixing a stamp, do you usually out of convenience just dampen it with a little saliva on your tongue (i.e. lick it), and then spat it right on the envelope?? for me it depends, if there's water or glue conveniently available of course i wouldn't, afterall it's really not hygienic at all doing so.. and i still remember when email wasn't that common yet, especially during my uni days, letter correspondence was the only more economical way to keep in touch with family and friends.. those days having letters sent might be quite a burden, hence we "created" a postage stamps recycle method.. very simple, just coat a layer of transparent glue on the stamp, when you soak it in water, the glue will dissolve and naturally the date stamp would be ripped off the stamp itself, dry it and the stamp is usable again.. haha!! however don't expect one stamp could be used forever, with this method i'd say it can last for 3-4 trips, at least saved us some money right?? of course i only did that when i was a student back then, now i don't even bother to waste time to think about doing that, haha!! :D

66 comments:

  1. Hahaha

    I did that!

    Happy Thursday morning everyone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uiks!

      Still no one?

      Wakey wakey everyone! Time to spam SK. :-D

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    2. Happy Thursday Mak Glam, Sharon and all bloggers!

      Time flies so fast and it is August already.

      Today Ah boy is talking about stamps! I love stamps and used to collect many albums of them plus many old First Day Covers which dated since WW2. I hope to sell off all my stamps and First Day Covers in a few years time. Maybe they might fetch big sum of money and I can buy a house! Muahahahaha

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    3. Wah, first sip today lina!

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    4. Me too .pakat with the penpals . .lol

      Tak sangka ah boy does that too.

      Fuiyih lina got the first sip today.

      Long time tarak see HS first sip leh

      Not surprisingly if anay stamp collection will make you a small fortune leh.

      Sone rare stamp can sell up to millions leh.

      10 yrs ago punya 10 sen stamp may worth rm10 now especially with the nicely stamped date.

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  2. I cannot remember the last time I bought stamps now!

    Used to be so rajin sending letters.

    Now, reply to e-mails also so malas...

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    Replies
    1. I hardly buy stamps too BUT I got excited when I could buy one. It made me happy and brought back sentimental memories. How silly of Anay!!

      I will be sending some postcards to some bloggers soon. Stay tuned!

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    2. At least am a tad better than you la. I still remember I boughg stamps in march. Coz hv to register school for j. They asked for self stamped envelope.

      On and off I still send letters la. But not frequent la.

      Anay hng where for vacation? Want to send postcard pulak. China and jpn gone before. This round go visit ah boy's hometown ka or yoi go to you kingdom checking the kfc outlets lol....see if the compliance of food quality is adhered to.

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    3. I wanna send postcard when I go visit Penang again later this year! Who wants? :P

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  3. Replies
    1. Beside the stamp u mention, we have sticker form stamp, just peel out and stick on the letter, etc...

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    2. Sticker type stamps would be very convenient. I dislike searching for water at the post office.

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    3. Uiks have ah sticker stamps?

      .am now feeling very outdated. Didn't know hv such thing as stivker stamps

      Sure makes lifes easier. I hate liking stamps too. Just imahine elwhere the stamp have been...in some drawers...maybe havd roaches crawling on yop...yuck....usually I won't put on my tongue..just dab a biy salive on my finger n dab the stamp

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  4. but they also chop on the stamp, how is it possible to reuse again??

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    Replies
    1. SK already mentioned how it can be dissolved in his post dy la... :-)

      I used lotion sometimes.

      But better select stamps that are not really heavily stamped to recycle. ;-)

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    2. Lotions works? Wont the ink smudges ?

      Usually I put glue. Just wash away then kau tim

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    3. Can la. Ink just fade away and won't smudge. :-)

      I never used glue. Can ah? Today I learn something new.

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  5. Great idea!!! With the postage rates these days - that certainly would be something worth trying!

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  6. Yeah~sometimes I will use my drool and sometimes if there is no glue of course I don't have to lick the stamp. LOL :D

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  7. Yupe~if we are lucky the stamps can be reused. Especially if those working in post office are too lazy they will just stamp without inking the stamps. Ha :D

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  8. But then again postal rate has increased....haih...so just use email then. :p

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    Replies
    1. email cannot send physical stuff especially presents from SK. ^_~

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    2. true, I can't send stuff to my people through email.

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  9. I heard of this method too but never tried it last time for fear that the letter will not reach the desired destination to save the mere 15sen or 20 sen those days... :) Last time ignorant, I used saliva .. hahahaa...

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  10. Well, when I need to use the stamps but no water is around, I would surely use my saliva. Of course, when water is just in front of me, I would use it. Sometimes, there is glue but no water. I would use the glue too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. During my school years, I love to collect stamps. But since I left school, I was lazy and didn't collect stamps anymore. I remember I would buy first day cover too.

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  11. I'm receiving letter everyday. Not really a letter because they're actually from the clients or suppliers, mostly account statement, receipts or invoices. So this time around, I'm gonna recycle the stamps buahahaha!!!!!

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  12. How much is a stamp cost? Need to reuse...

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    Replies
    1. Last time when student that time, even 30sen counts.

      We don't do this anymore, right?

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    2. Yea last tine school time no money leh

      Pocket monet per day only rm1. If 30 sen stamps means habis lor 30% of yhr pocket monet. Save as much as we can lor

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    3. Especially last time got so many pen pals. Wanna send letter to them but have to budget also.

      Alternative was recycling stamps lor...

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  13. I always used my saliva of course! My DNA will reach the recipients and they could feel my warmth and smell!!! Muahahahaha

    I have been doing that since I was a kid and the taste of their stamp's glue probably provided me with extra Vitamins and starch!!!
    I used to put the stamps onto my tongue to moisten them before pasting to my envelopes. I remembered having almost 40-50 Chinese New Year Cards to send out every year. My dad told me off and brought me a saucer filled with water to use instead. I threw away his water into the flower pot instead.

    These days I seldom send mails so I would probably use my finger to wet the tip with my saliva and moisten the stamp instead as I was in the public place. It would look silly of me to lick with my tongue!

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  14. Good morning SK and everyone!

    Thursday already!! Weekend is coming! ^^
    Stamping topic today, I just came back from post office, haha xD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So SK, I have sent out the gift just now, probably will receive it next week la!
      And I saw the staff used glue instead of saliva to affix the stamps, so don't worry, it's clean, haha xD

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    2. The recycle method you mentioned, I did that almost all the time last time, haha xD
      My pen friend taught me that actually, and whenever we used this method, we would write it down to remind each other, so one stamp can reuse a few times, haha!

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    3. But that was last time la! We no longer write letters ever since the existence of emails, messengers, FB and all.
      But this is really an useful method! Can save a few cents also good ma! *auntie mode*

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    4. By the way, I love the question you asked.
      'what stays at one corner but can always travel around the globe??'

      Very interesting! ;)

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  15. I would agree that it may not be hygienic to use our tongue to wet the stamps BUT nothing happened to me. You know I am half century egg now. LOL.

    I have heard of many horror stories from these licking stamps. Here you can read an American incident that was aired in CNN and I actually watched it myself in disbelief:

    A woman was working in a post office in California. One day she licked the envelopes and postage stamps instead of using a sponge. That very day the lady found a cut on her tongue. A week later, she noticed an abnormal swelling of her tongue.

    She went to the doctor, and they found nothing wrong. Her tongue was not sore or anything. A couple of days later, her tongue started to swell more, and it began to get really sore, so sore, that she could not eat.

    She went back to the hospital, and demanded something be done. The doctor took an x-ray of her tongue and noticed a lump. He prepared her for minor surgery. When the doctor cut her tongue open, a live cockroach crawled out!!

    There were cockroach eggs on the seal of the envelope. The egg was able to hatch inside of her tongue, because of her saliva. It was warm and moist.

    This true story was aired on CNN.

    When the story broke, one TV viewer, Andy Hume, wrote: "Hey, I used to work in an envelope factory. You wouldn't believe the things that are found in those gum applicator trays. I haven't licked an envelope for years!"

    Another wrote: "I used to work in a print shop (32 years ago) and we were told NEVER to lick the envelopes. I never understood why until I had to go into storage and pull out 2,500 envelopes that were already printed and saw several squads of cockroaches roaming around inside a couple of boxes with eggs everywhere. They eat the glue on the envelopes".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the same thing with canned drinks.

      Better to wash off the can especially the top part before drinking. Right, Anay?

      Delete
  16. I NEVER licked the stamps or envelope ! Disgusting

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elder people tends to use their saliva to count money too ! or flip a page of a book ! Yucks ! hahaha

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    2. ohh...i din know we can apply glue on the stamps and soak in water to remove the date stamped. I used to collect stamps long ago.....wonder where has that album went to.

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    3. Read an article never to lick any stamps firstly the glue could pose a danger to the tongue and second fear being cut by the stamp

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  17. Now we know the reason why Pos Malaysia did not make profit haha

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha, which make sense that they have 6 counters but only 3 are available!!! =]

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  18. Its been donkey years didn't buy stamps already

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  19. I used to lick stamps but not anymore nowadays. But am glad these days, there are envelopes with tape.

    I was shocked at how much postage has gone up but it's about time really.

    Happy August. Nice template. *Like*

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    Replies
    1. Phew HappySurfer you are real sharp to notice the wooden template, cannot run eye! Did you count the 22 nails? haha

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  20. Sorry to say Auntie here got affix stamp using saliva before.... hehehe

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  21. Then i think it is better to use glue and normal water will affix too.

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  22. Blame my uncle... he taught me last time.(*^ω^*)

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  23. Many of my friends used that recycled method to post letters. But i prefer to buy new stamps. I very kiasi that they won't send my letters out....

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  24. I will never, ever use saliva to lick a stamp or an envelope. I just cant do that! haha..

    you know, when i was younger there is this hidden rule with my friends that whenever we post a letter, we MUST apply glue on top of the stamp and whoever the recipient is, will cut and soak the stamp in water. The stamp will turn out clean without the postage chop and can be reuse!! Brilliant or not us that time? :D

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  25. I like to send letters and cards to people once in a while even thought internet and email is so convenient and advanced nowadays cos I love to see the physical thing.

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  26. 一張大概用上三四次?咁盞鬼?!我未曾做過如此行爲,可能爲人老實兼純情。

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  27. I actually licked envelope and licked stamp with my tongue before. I didn't do that anymore. I will go find glue.

    Now, I seldom paste stamp on envelope. Whenever I have something to post out, I will ask jin jin (my personal office boy) to bring to post office and post it out.

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  28. well that method of licking it gives a some
    sort of connection, it seems like you sent
    a kiss through that hahaha just kidding

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  29. honestly, i have tried such once,
    back then when were trying to communicate with
    my grandfather, those were the time
    facebook is not yet born

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  30. good thing we now have emails, it
    was way too better, and only if we can
    send packages too that would be so cool haha
    can you imagine how that works?

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  31. but anyway, the magic of such process was something
    that is un-explainable i mean the way my mom used to tell stories of how she and my dad used to write for each other to keep in touch, that sounds sweet for me

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  32. have a great day and happy blogging sk
    take the best of care and god bless you

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  33. This is such a great idea, I always arranging my sister's stamp, but I never know that's way to reuse the stamp!!! =]

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  34. Plus now people seldom use post letter, nowadays just use email!!! (but I'm old people, I still use the old way)

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