Friday, November 16, 2007

Secret thoughts of travellers revealed

This was an article from NY Times where the author talks about his project 'PostSecret'. After what he terms a serendipitous encounter with a writer sending post cards on the flight, he started this project where he collects post cards from travellers on their musings while on the move.

I found the concept of this book very interesting. I mean - if one were to count the drift of thoughts - weird, funny , sad , nostalgic, philosophical - that cross our head every time we are on a train, waiting for the bus or twiddling our thumbs in the airport. And more often than not they slip away, un-noted and un-shared. What better than scribbling it on a boarding pass or the back of ticket ( assuming u wont need it for re-imbursement of course!) for some one else to find? Then again, there is something surreal about connecting with a nameless, faceless person through comments left on a book on or a postcard.

Not to forget - some of these comments are downright hilarious and beat many one liners I've come across.

One postcard I received had a hilarious picture of two pilots jauntily walking through an airport in crisp suits. We all have seen these people. We have all been annoyed by these people. The secret on the card read, “Stop walking through the airport like you own the place!”

Another secret that arrived on a baggage claim ticket read: “You called me an idiot so I sent your bags to the wrong destination. WHOOPS! I guess you were right.”

And a note from the heart...
On a boarding pass, I read a secret of love lost, “I would have left home and flown 2430 miles with you if only you had asked.”

The author says, "It should be noted that I don’t actually write books; I compose them from the postcards that are mailed to me. I essentially invite strangers to anonymously send me untold secrets written on homemade postcards. So far, I have received more than 150,000 inspiring, remorseful, funny, hopeful and even sexual secrets from around the world on every topic imaginable."

His favorite, and my favorite too is a quote from a pilot:
”When passengers ignore the ‘stay in your seats’ sign, I create my own turbulence.”

So, if you wanted to share a thought, I wonder....... :)

4 comments:

~RAUL~ said...

you've summed it up very well...nice little article with its own humour...perfect for someone(like me) who's just out from bed after a heavy drinking binge...
I wonder if we can get hold of all the postcards !!!

Ms.N said...

@ raul

Thanks... i really liked the article when i came across it first on NY Times. Its like the idea of leaving behind a book u read with some comments for other travellers to find - something surreal about connecting to nameless, faceless strangers - i !guess

Ms.N said...

hehe - i liked the surreal word - have added it back into the post!

Sriram said...

Fascinating...