A Lighthouse Postcard Round Robin is about to start - for US addresses only! Round Robins are a bit "different" from usual postcard exchanges. An envelope with 10 Lighthouse Postcards will be sent for you to look over - select any or all of the 10 postcards you are interested in keeping. Replace the removed cards with the same amount of cards that were removed - always keeping 10 in the robin. (Duplicate cards are welcome, but please do not put more than 3 in the same robin.) Cross your name off the list and mail the round robin, within 2 days ( NO LATER THAN 5 DAYS ) to the next person on the list - notifying them on the thread that it has been mailed. A round robin can last quiet a while as long as everyone stays honest and keeps mailing the postcards as agreed. It's a great way to exchange cards.
A person can remove their name from the round robin list at any time, or else stay on the list and continue receiving and sending the robin.
All Postcards added to the robin must have a Lighthouse on the card and must be clean and unused. If you are interested in trading and collecting Lighthouse postcards from other states and locations, please send me your name and address and I will add it to the round robin going out soon. For any questions or comments please email me at bjexum@floridalighthouses.org
Hope you enjoy your collecting experience! Thank you

Hello BonnieJean! Welcome to the forums, I'm glad you desided to join us. You will find a great bunch of folks here that are all just as WACKO about Lighthouses as you are!

Put my name on the top of that list. You know the address

Stephanie Dingler

Hi Bonnie Jean, ...Welcome to the Collector Forums! I like what you are suggesting and I would definitely be interested in joining the postcard "round robin".

I'll send you my home mailing address when I get home. I do not have an email account on the computer I'm using at the moment.

Bob

I like this idea. I'll send my new address as soon as I know it.

shirin

GREAT IDEA !! Put me on the list!!!!

Sounds like fun. Please add us to the list. We'll send our home mailing address this evening.

Thank you for the wonderful response everyone has given for this Round Robin postcard exchange. I hope that the rules are clear, if anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. I have decided to start the round robins out small at first to make sure everyone understands the rules. This way anyone who doesn't want to receive the robin again can remove their name from my lists.

The first robin will go out today. The list will be as follows:
1) Stephanie Dingler - Mobile, AL
2) John Chidester - Scottsdale, AZ
3) George Pavelonis - Wells, Maine
4) John & Karen Tamlin - La Porte, IN
5) Me - Brooksville, FL
Please post that you have received the robin and have mailed it to the next person. This way everyone can keep track of where it's at, and we can watch for it in our mail boxes! :p

Each time the robin is returned to me, I will add new names to the list from other robins and will mix the order. This way everyone has a chance at cards from everyone.

I will send the second round robin as soon as I receive addresses from Bob M, Shirin, Pharologst, and Tom & Joyce Abbott. And the third as soon as I get four more names and addresses.

KEEP SENDING THOSE NAMES AND ADDRESSES!

BonnieJean

P.S. A note to all involved - the postage for the envelope will be 60¢. That is - as long as the US Postal Service doesn't mark-up their stamps again! Shh! Don't say that too loud - they may hear us!

The second Round Robin is ready and will be mailed out tomorrow. The list is as follows:
1) Dennis Whelan - Trenton, NJ
2) Bob McKeon - North Attleboro, MA
3) Jennifer Coburn - Sacramento, CA
4) Bob Scroope - Mount Sinai, NY
5) Me - Brooksville, FL
Please post that you have received the robin and have mailed it to the next person. This way everyone can keep track of where it's at, and we can watch for it in our mail boxes!

If you are not on this list and would like to join the Lighthouse Postcard Round Robin, send me your name and address and I'll add you to the list. As fast as the names and addresses are coming, I don't believe there will be much delay in getting enough names to send out the next round robin. :p

Thank you for joining - I hope you enjoy the Round Robin as much as I am.

BonnieJean

Hi BonnieJean and welcome! This sounds like a neat idea! Please put me on a list for one of your round-robins. I don't have too many "extras" currently as I've usually been buying just enough cards for a PC exchange plus one to keep, but I do have a few. Will send you my info. Thanks.

Put me down for the next one! I like this new way of exchanging cards. You should have my address by now. THANKS!!!!

Okay! Round Robin #3 is as follows:
1) Shirin Pagels - Ardsley, NY
2) Tom & Joyce Abbott - Desoto, TX
3) Ann Graham - East Point, GA
4) George Hood - Murphy, NC
5) Sue LeFever - Phoenix, NY
6) Me - Brooksville, FL
As usual, please post that you have received the robin and have mailed it to the next person. This way everyone can keep track of where it's at, and we can watch for it in our mail boxes! :p

I suddenly had an influx of addresses from New York. I now have three on my list, more than any other state. I'm trying to keep everything mixed up so that the robin doesn't go to two New Yorkers in a row - it kind of defeats the purpose of exchanging postcards if they're all from the same state or area.

Randy, I don't know what happened - your email shows that it was sent at 2:49 p.m., but I didn't receive it until 10:21 p.m. I have added you to the Round Robin #4 - hopefully I won't get another 2 Ohio's in a row.

Round Robin #4 will be sent out as soon as I receive another 4 names and addresses. Keep sending those addresses!

BonnieJean

P.S. I love those little smiley faces! :p

When we do this posting of the sending on of the cards we'd better use separate threads for the different round robins or things could get mighty confusing!

Thank you Mombo - I was starting to think the same thing. I'll post them now!

BJE

Also, it would behoove all of us to write the Round Roobin # (e.g. " RR#3") on the outside of the envelope to help in keeping track of what's going on!! As stated before, many of us are in multiple exchanges, RRobins, etc.

George, I'm way ahead of you on that one! I typed up labels for everyone to use when sending out the Round Robins. I have enclosed directions, rules, and the member list to the robin, along with labels for each member to use to send to the next person on the list and labels that state "Round Robin #__ DO NOT BEND!" I've tried to make the robin as easy as possible.

If you have any suggestions that you think would make it easier after you receive the first robin coming your way, please let me know. Thank you.

BJE

Hi Bonnie Jean. I'll join with Randy and give this a try. I'll e-mail my address to you.

Okay Lighthouse Junkies - The offical count is in and I think we have a problem! First - A little pop quiz (which I'm sure all of you will know the answer) - what state has the most Lighthouses? *The theme to Jeopardy plays in the background* Give everyone a Gold Harbour Light - Michigan!!! But unfortunately I don't have anyone from Michigan in our Round Robin. You have such beautiful Lighthouses - please join us, I'm sure we would all love some of your cards.

Sadly I don't have anyone from the state with the most lighthouses, but I have two from states that don't even have Lighthouses! Now that dedication!! (I'd have to move to a state that had lighthouses ) Of course New York outnumbers all the other states in participation of the robin.

Here's the offical count:
Alabama - 1
Arizona - 1
California - 1
Florida - only me
Georgia - 1
Indiana - 1
Maine - 1
Massachusetts - 1
New Jersey - 1
New York - 4
North Carolina - 1
Ohio - 1
Texas - 1
Utah - 1

Let's see - we need Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and MICHIGAN! We pretty much have the eastern coast covered - especially with all those New Yorkers! :p LOL!

Everyone, keep sending in your names and addresses - the more the merrier - no matter where you're from.

BJE

This sounds like fun, and I do collect post cards, old and new, so I'll send you my mailing address.

Joyce (Virginia)

You are assuming, I think, that individuals will be including cards with lighthouses from their 'home' state. I gather my exchange post cards from my travels -- or by special arrangement from individuals who live in states with at least one more lighthouse than we have here in AZ.

My big problem now is to go through all my lighthouse post cards and pull any duplicates and have a checklist so that when the "saddlebag" makes it's round to 'Gelding Drive', I'll know which ones to pick.

Some are in albums, others are in a box.

Heck no! A good deal of the postcards I've been sending out are from Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Michigan, but for the most part - the large portion of postcards I've been sending out are from Florida. I collect them from every state we go to, but the easier to find postcards are always from your home state (well, if your home state has any lighthouses). Of course my small little town doesn't have any Lighthouse post cards, but I can drive 1½ hours in any direction (well except west, they don't seem to sell postcards in the middle of the Gulf) and buy a Lighthouse postcard.

Usually when I buy a lighthouse postcard I buy four of the same card - one for me, one for my Lighthouse photo album, and two for either trading or giving to a friend. There are times also when I pick up 8-10 of each, which is why I started the Lighthouse postcard round robin - I have all these duplicate postcards and there are so many out there that I would like to have, why not exchange?

Well, on the next go around there will be one less participant from NY. After this first round i will be able to update my address to CT. I'll be sending the new address out soon.

shirin

I have Round Robin #4 ready to send, but I need one more name and address - If anyone else is interested, please send me your name and address. My email is bjexum@floridalighthouses.org

For your information: It took 3 days for Stephanie from Round Robin #1 to receive the first Round Robin. Since I sent the next two only one day apart, Dennis Whelan and Shirin Pagels should be receiving their robins within the next two days - unless their snails are considerly slower than Stephanie's were.

Thanks all for joining - I look forward to trading many postcards with you!

BJE

Hi Bonnie, ...If you have no takers to fill this round, please put my name and address on the list. I'm already in round robin #2, but I wouldn't mind being in another.

I enjoy receiving lighthouse postcards from all over the country. Whenever I'm out and about at shops near the coast, I always look for lighthouse postcards to add to my collection. If I spot a card I've never seen before I usually purchase at least 15-20 of them. I have a stock of around 100 new duplicate postcards right now.

Just let me know if I'm in for this round.

Bob

Bonnie Jean,

This sounds like lots of fun. I just sent you my address as I would like to join in!


Thanks,
Linda Ann

Round Robin #4 is as follows:

1) Randy Kremer - Mason, OH
2) Charles Bernth - Eastport, NY
3) Lorie Roe - Sandy, Utah
4) Joyce Holland - Chesapeake, VA
5) Linda Manning - Nashua, NH
6) Me - Brooksville, FL
Please post that you have received the robin and have mailed it to the next person. This way everyone can keep track of where it's at, and we can watch for it in our mail boxes!

Chris, I received your name and address - you will be put on Round Robin #5. Anyone else interested may email me their name and address - bjexum@floridalighthouses.org

Also, those of you that are already on a Round Robin and are interested in being put on a second one, please let me know and I'll add you to the next one going out. George, Bob, and Stephanie - I already have you added to the next one, but I need one more name to send out the next robin!

Keep sending those names and I'll add you as we go!

BonnieJean
Keep Collecting!

Also, Dennis (from Round Robin #2) and Shirin (from Round Robin #3), you should be receiving the Round Robin at any time now - please let us know. John (from Round Robin #1) you should also be receiving the Robin at any time now. Please keep us in touch! Thanks!

BJE

If you still need another name for Round Robin #5, please add us. You have our address.

I'm getting a bit confused. I thought if you were on one of the round robins you stayed unless you quit. Say once RR#1 was returned, it would then be sent out to the #2 folks, etc. If this is the case why would you join more than one? Unless I misunderstood and it's a one time thing?

I understood that if you were in #1, for example, by the time ran through the 6 people, it would be sent on to the first person again and should have 10 new cards, depending on how many each person took and replaced.

Okay, sorry if I have confused a few of you. Yes, you are in the Round Robin until you decide to quit. Once the Round Robin comes back to me, I take out the postcards I am interested in, replace them with postcards of my own and send it out again to the people on the Round Robin. I however am going to mix the order the robin goes out each time. I know that each of you visits lighthouses from many different states, but I also know that people from one area tend to have postcards from the same area, so I didn't want anyone to receive the same cards in the robin. For example, I am from Florida and tend to have A LOT of Florida postcards, I don't want the first person in the robin to always receive a majority of FL Lighthouse postcards from me, it wouldn't do them any good to get the robin if it was the same cards all the time - they couldn't collect and trade. This way we all get a chance at different cards each time.

About being added to a second robin. A few of you have asked to be added to a second robin, this way they have 20 cards to choose from each time (10 from each robin sent to them). It just doubles their chance at getting postcards they may want. You don't have to join a second one to keep getting the robin. I don't want to have too many robins going out - less than 10 of them would be nice. I have started the robins small - 5 to 6 people per robin. I will add to them as they come back to me - usually the Round Robin has 10 people per robin.

I hope this answers your questions, if you have any more questions I'll be more than happy to answer them also. Thank you!

BonnieJean

Could I still join one?

You sure can Jake - please email me your name and address and you will be added to the next one going out. Thanks!

BJE

BJ, If you have an opening in the next one, please include me! This is a great idea and I'm up for another one!

BonnieJean, did you ever fill up RR#5??

We had signed up for #5, but no response was posted here in the forum and didn't receive any response from two separate e-mails to Bonnie.

BonnieJean has been in the hospital. That is why she has not been on the forums for several days. Be assured (I know BonnieJean) as soon as she is up to it, she will be back in FULL force!

Nothing serious folks, just some elective surgery. You should be hearring from her in a few days.

Stephanie

Good news, get well and come back soon Bonnie Jean!!

Okay, I'm back up and running - good as new!

I have found that we have a slight problem on Round Robin #2, which I will get to the bottom of. For those of you in that Robin - I am sorry for the delay. I will contact the last person that the robin was sent to and try to find out what happened. If that person does not answer, I will put 10 new cards into the robin and will send it out. Due to the robin not getting to Bob S - I am placing him on the top of Round Robin #5. I hope everyone else understands.

Round Robin #5 will be mailed tomorrow (Saturday) - the list will be as follows:

1) Bob Scroope - Mount Sinai, NY
2) Christine Grass - Florissant, MO
3) George Hood - Murphy, NC
4) Stephen Sostaric - Highland, IN
5) Stephanie Dingler - Mobile, AL
6) Tom & Joyce Abbott - Desoto, TX
7) JoAnn Dawley - Astoria, OR
8) Me - Brooksville, FL

Randy K, you asked to be added to another Round Robin also - I am going to add you to Round Robin #2 - since I will have an opening once we clear up the problem.

Anyone else interested in joining the Round Robins - please send me your name and address: bjexum@floridalighthouses.org

Thanks! I hope every one else is having fun with the Robins.

BonnieJean

Bonnie, these RR's are great. I only wish the USPS would hurry up so that we can get that much more enjoyment faster!! (By the way, I really do think the mail is delivered by mule here in the mountains of NC!! LOL) Seriously though, all mail here in Murphy is sent to Asheville (100+ miles away) for sorting and then delivered, EVEN IF IT GOES TO MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR!!! No wonder we all call it Snail Mail.

Okay, an issue has been brought to my attention. As with everything else, you learn as you go. Each time an issue is presented, you correct it and figure out the best way to avoid the situation again.

From now on, when I post on each Round Robin the order the robin will be mailed in I will post the person's forum name instead of their real names. This will avoid any confusion as to who is next (since most of us don't know each collector's real names) and it will keep everyone's real name off the forum for their own security. I'm not sure if the latter is a problem for any one, but in case it is - this will no longer be a problem.

I hope everyone is enjoying the Robins - if you have any other suggestions, please don't hesitate to post them or to email me with them. Thank you!
I look forward to receiving your postcards!

Okay, I received Round Robin #1 back. So far I've had problems with Round Robin #1 & Round Robin #2. I would like to know, were the rules/directions easy to understand or do I need to re-write them? I'm really trying to make the robins as easy as possible so that everyone can enjoy them equally. If anyone has any suggestions or noticed something I may have missed, please post them or email me. Thanks!

I will be replacing the 4 cards I took from Round Robin #1 and the 6 non-lighthouse postcards that were placed in the robin incorrectly, and mailing the robin out again by Monday. I have a couple of open slots if any one else is interested in joining the upcoming robin. If you have any questions - please contact me before you join so that we can avoid mistakes or delays. Thank you.

BonnieJean,

The directions listed in this thread are clear. Given that this is a forum that seals with lighthouses, I would have made the presumption that this was a LIGHTHOUSE postcard round robbin. As with anything of this sort, the success depends on the participants. Follow the guidelines and it is great fun. Deviate and you screw it up for everyone.

Only possible clarifying suggestion would be to specify that the cards need to be lighthouse or lighthouse related ones.

Dave

Thank you David. I agree with you. The thing that bothers me is that I typed up the rules and am enclosing them with each Robin. Rule #2 on the sheet states - "2) All postcards must have a LIGHTHOUSE on it – either real or faux." I'm not sure how much more clear I can be. I also reference lighthouse postcards many times - lighthouse postcard this and lighthouse postcard that. The top of the rule sheet even states LIGHTHOUSE POSTCARD ROUND ROBIN . Plus the fact that we are on a LIGHTHOUSE forum, the rules state LIGHTHOUSE every where, and all the cards have LIGHTHOUSES on them, should tip off even the most confused that this is a Lighthouse exchange. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry if it seems like I'm complaining, but I hate when one person ruins it for everyone else. Those of you that participated - correctly - I thank you very much. I promise we will get this to run like a well oiled machine. I guess as with every thing else, you have to weed out the bad apples first. I think the biggest problem though are the people that aren't on the forum all the time or are just guest that see the post and email me direct. From now on, please send me your forum name along with your real name and address. This way I can make sure that you will be able to participate and post with everyone else. Thank you!

I guess what my Dad always use to say is true - "Make something idiot proof and they'll just make a bigger idiot!" LOL!

Hey Bonnie Jean, ...If no one else jumped on that opening in the newest round robin, I would be interested in filling the position. I would also stay in RR#2 if it ever comes out of hibernation. Let me know. I bought 77 postcards up at the Lighthouse Depot a couple of weeks ago to add to the 100 or so I normally keep in stock. I'm ready for almost any RR.

Bob M

The rules couldn't have been more clear! This is a LIGHTHOUSE POSTCARD ROUND ROBIN!!!!

OH WELL ....

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!

If you have room in the next one, I would like to be in it with my buddy Bob!

Bonnie Jean,

I think that this was a great idea and that you have done a wonderful job putting it together. I just received my first round robin today (#4) and thought you might be happy to know that all the postcards in the package are LIGHTHOUSE postcards!! Since this RR has passed several hands before it got to me seems like the people on my team completely understood the easy-to-follow rules!

Keep up the great job! THANK YOU!!

Good! That's one out of three so far that has made it. Hopefully the other two will do as well. I hope everyone is enjoying the Robins. I really tried to make it as easy as possible. I look forward to receiving the round robin and sending it out again.

Round Robins 1, 2, and 3 will all be mailed tomorrow as soon as the mail service starts running again - they are closed today due to Columbus Day. I have dropped two people off the Round Robin lists - George P from Round Robin #1 and Jennifer C from Round Robin #2. New names have been added to those lists, please check the posts for your name. The mailing order of all three robins have been changed and are ready to go.

I hope that all of you that joined in the round robin enjoyed it. We should be able to work out the bugs and no further problems will accure once everyone becomes use to this new way of receiving and exchanging LIGHTHOUSE postcards.

Thank you to everyone on Round Robin #3 - we had no problems there. I should be recieving Round Robin #4 any time now - I will exchange the postcards I'm interested in and will send out the robin the day after that. Round Robin #5 should be on it's way to the members on the list - hopefully no problems will arise there. (We better keep our fingers crossed just in case. )

If anyone else is interested in joining the Round Robins, please don't hesitate to email me and join.

P.S. I have limited everyone to two robins right now so that everyone has a chance at the robins. Maybe at a future date I will add more robins for those interested in joining a third one. I hope you understand. Thanks.

Bonnie, you are an excellent administrator!!