Mailing a letter is a fairly mundane act, but one that will become increasingly nostalgic as on-line bill-paying and digital communication take precedence. When you think about it, there's something mysterious about the whole postal process: You tuck a missive into an envelope, smear the flap with saliva, affix a stamp and drop it into an ominous, patriotically painted hunk of metal, all of which somehow causes your letter magically to appear on someone's desk or table, days or weeks later. In the interim, an entire chain of events has occurred, and countless unknown hands have touched your letter. The object has taken a journey it can never describe, save for cancellation marks and surface abrasions. An envelope can travel more discreetly, cheaply and... More >>>