Tired of technology? relax with stamps!

This post is dedicated to all of you people who have such demanding lives.
8-5 jobs, in front of the computer all day, on the phone, blackberry, blue tooth, emails, stress, anxiety, pressure....how do you relax in such a tense environment? how can you find a peace of mind in this world?
the answer is to go back to simplicity, go back in time and enjoy some of that old world. I am not saying to ditch technology and go live in caves, but some activities and hobbies can help you get away from this crazy high tech world and find some peace of mind.
stamp collecting is an excellent old fashion hobby that is making a big comeback. you really don't need any technology in order to enjoy this wonderful hobby. no need to stare at some glaring screen, strain your eyes or spend money on expensive gadgets.
simplicity is a key factor here.
all you need is some albums to organize your stamps, you can go by your favorite country or favorite topic.
you can learn a lot about a country by collecting it's stamps, you can learn about culture, native plants, animals, history, people and more.
If you love horses for an example (like me) you can collect and learn about all the different breeds and sports involved with horses.
this is a slow process, it takes time to grow your collection and it is fun to expect that new stamp to arrive and join your collection.
you can spend time arranging your stamps, viewing them, trading and selling.
it is such a nice breeze from modern life and the craziness out there.
it is not hard nowadays to collect new stamps because you can use technology as a vehicle to help you with your collection.
you can connect with other collectors online, participate in online groups, talk about stamps, trade and buy.
enjoy both worlds! make new friends and relax with this rewarding hobby!

Canada's first ever Braille stamp

For the first time in North America,Canada Post, will be unveiling an innovative Braille stamp in celebration of Canadian guide dogs.
The Stamp will be issued along with a commemorative envelope marking the 100Th anniversary of the Montreal association for the blind; also printed in Braille.
this special event will take place on April 21st at the Montreal Association for the blind (MAB) In Notre Dame De Grace.
The 52 cent stamp that has the rate printed in Braille will be available across the country.
The MAB is a private non profit rehabilitation center serving people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.
other countries who have Braille stamps include Mexico and England.
Braille stamps are another step towards recognizing and helping blind and visually impaired people to function like the rest of us. a blind person can recognize the stamps rate by touching the Braille.
hopefully this is only the beginning of a new types of stamps specially designed and printed in Braille for the blind.
The dog features on the stamp is the yellow Labrador which is a popular guide dog throughout the world.
the good temper and discipline alnog with great ability to learn and satisfy made this friendly breed the best choice for guiding the blind.

How I started my stamp collection

I still remember the excitement of finding my dad's old stamp collection.

I found it when I was 12 years old when we moved to a new house.

it was in a dusty album stored in a box with all our books.

I remember taking that album out and I can still hear the crisp sound of the paper that protected the stamps.

My dad had some very old stamps. one of them was the first ever stamp that was issued in Hebrew in the state of Israel.

That stamp was the "Petach Tikva" stamp for the first settlement in the "Shfela" area in Israel.

My dad had a nice collection of stamps from the beginning og Israel as a country.

I kept the album in a safe place and started collecting my own stamps to grow the collection and contribute my efforts to the family's collection.

I started collecting enveloped that was mailed to our house and asked anyone who went abroad to bring me back some local stamp.

our collection grew and although back then I didn't think that the stamps were so valuable, today almost 20 years later it is very nice to look at them and remember those good old days!

Above: the "Petach Tikva" stamp.

Stamp Collecting News:Hong Kong Flowers Stamps

Hong Kong Flower Stamps





This issue presents six distinguished flowers regularly seen in Hong Kong. The flowers are painted by hand in a traditional Chinese manner and displayed on a computer-generated background. Such a combination of styles demonstrates how Hong Kong can incorporate diverse cultures.
Issue date: 14 March 2008



More stamp news: http://www.stampnews.com/

Stamp Collecting in the Cyber World

Stamp collecting began with the issuance of the very first postage stamp issued by Great Britain in 1840 - the famed Penny Black. Today, stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world; In the US alone there are more than 20 million stamp collectors. In the past, collectors had only one way to collect stamps: they collected envelopes, packages and postage material and cut out the stamps, often asking friends and relatives to bring back stamps when visiting abroad- the excitement involved in getting a new unfamiliar stamp from a foreign country was unbeatable.
Today there are many ways to collect stamps, the Internet is a great tool that help bring stamp collectors from all over the world together.
nowadays it is easy to locate dealers, online auctions and stores and it's even easier to connect with other stamp collectors and exchange stamps online.
although it is a growing challenge to get the new generation to get engaged in stamp collecting, the Internet has been a great tool for the older generation who now have a new resource of information and ease of finding stamps online is also a great benefit.
although some collectors believe that the Internet may kill the hobby I still find tons of web sites dedicated to collectors and think that the benefit outweigh the disadvantage.
Welcome to a new era of stamp collecting the Cyber stamps Era!