1. Please tell us about you!
My name is Mandi and I'm a 22 year old stay at home mom from Birmingham, Alabama. My son, Jacob, was born on June 17th, 2009. I can't believe he's already 5 months old! He's getting big!
Me and Jacob.We live with my boyfriend Eric. He is 26 and a grad student. He'll graduate in May 2012 with his Doctorate of Pharmacy. We have been together since September 18, 2006.
We don't have any pets, but I love all animals... Except spiders! The reason we don't currently have pets is that our apartment complex charges a whopping $500.00 as a pet fee. I plan on getting a pet whenever we move to a place that will allow them for cheaper.
Here's my Facebook profile and my MySpace. I'll warn you though, I am rarely on since Jacob keeps me super busy! :-)
2. Describe your personality in 10 words!
Friendly, open, honest, caring, loyal, trustworthy, outgoing, curious, funny, and happy.
3. How long have you been penpalling? How did you first start? Tell us about your first penpal!
I have been penpalling for six years. I was looking for Yahoo Groups online to find something to do with my spare time and I happened to come across groups for pen pals. I joined one and soon had a pen pal. Her name is Katie. We have been friends since then and plan on meeting sometime next year. She is 4 years younger than me, so she calls me her big sister. :-)
4. How many penpals do you have now and where are they from?
I have about 20 pen pals and they are mostly from the USA. I have one pal in England and one in Canada. Some are single with no kids, some are married but without kids, and others are moms (single & married).
Me, Jacob and Eric.5. What are your favorite topics to discuss in letters?
I like to hear about everyday life, music, movies, TV, and what we are reading at the moment.
I also love it when my pals & I ask each other questions that really make us think - like "If your house were on fire, other than your family & pets, what three items would you save?". It really opens up conversations.
6. What are you looking for in a penpal?
I'm looking for someone who will write often, at least once a month if not more often. Someone who won't quit writing after only a few letters. I'd prefer women from the USA - any age, race, religion, etc. I'm very open-minded.
7. What do you like the most about penpalling?
Being a stay at home mom, my pen pals are my social life! I like forming friendships and feeling like I can tell my pals anything. I like to be able to rant to them, share joys with them, and just ramble about anything.
Jacob.8. In what language(s) do you correspond?
Right now, I only write and read English, but I am learning Spanish. Maybe one day soon I will be able to write & read Spanish.
9. What are some of your habits in regards to letter writing?
I usually write my letters at my dining table, but sometimes I write while laying in bed or watching TV.
I try to write back the same day I get a letter, but sometimes it takes me a day or two to get to a letter. The longest it's ever taken me to write back to a letter was 5 days after I got it, but that was right after I had Jacob.
I like to use stationary and letter sets when I have them. If I use plain notebook paper, I dress it up with stickers.
This is my attempt at photography.10. Has anything strange/funny ever happened to you since you've been penpalling?
I've received a mysterious postcard in the mail that was from someone who wanted to be pen pals but neglected to include their address (or even email address!).
Also, someone once wrote asking me to be pals... And to send them a stamp with each letter so they could write back.
11. Have you met any of your penpals?
I haven't yet, but I would love to. I plan on meeting one of my pals within the next year.
12. Are you currently looking for more penpals?
I am looking for new pals in the USA. Women only please, any age. :-)
Thank you Mandi!
If anyone is interested in being featured as Penpal of the Week on my blog in December, please let me know!
Julie xox
Someone wanting to be penpals, but asking you to send them the stamps so they can write you back is not, strange, it's rude if not downright outrageous. Why would anyone do that? It's like paying for a friendship.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's what I thought too! Maybe the person was really really poor but still wanted to have a penpal? But still, a stamp is not very expensive!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious Mandi, did you write back?! ;)
It´s funny that you are talking about that... I had a pal that asked me to send her back the stamps she used on her envelopes (to re-use them)... But as for me enevelopes are part of a letter.... I don´t want to distroy them!!!
ReplyDeleteI did it once... till I started thinking about pen-palling as a really serious issue, maybe it happen since I got my first true pen friend and I realized that every piece of their letter were a piece of affection to me, and since there I save everything and I don't want nothing back. Actually still many people does it, even here, not long ago someone asked me stamps back but I refused the proposal because I love stamps more then anything...
ReplyDeleteHi.Yes i also think its rude to ask for people to ask for their stamps back.I mean if you cant afford stamps why do you have penpals?? I have 2 penpals who ask me for their stamps back but i dont see them as true friends.You cant put a price on friendship.So if you cant afford stamps the dont write letters.Thats how i see it.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest with you, I think you all are being very small minded. I have a couple of penpals who ask for their stamp back and that doesn't bother me at all. Postage is very expensive in some countries, and not all have their life sorted out and can afford it. And what would you say if someone told you that you had to give up a hobby that you love just because you can't afford it? (I think that you would also do what it takes for you to be able to continue!)
ReplyDeleteTo me it's more important what they write in their letters, and I think that's what should matter. It's the inside that counts if you ask me. None of my penpals ask for their stamp back for the fun of it -they do it because if they didn't, then they would have to give this hobby up. So as long as they keep on writing great letters to me, I'll be happy to send their stamps back.