Very odd 'post' indeed!

I never was one much for 'current events,' largely because I long have known that I (doctor of humanities, after all) never understand anything in the news that is less than 100 years old (preferably 600.) I surf the Internet very much indeed, and always have ads popping out (or spam mail coming in) recommending Viagra (the last thing I'd need even if I were a guy...), the South Beach Diet, and other even less reputable business. But, as far as news is concerned, I check the headlines online, and only explore further is there is a major world event (or catastrophe.) Therefore I ask that my readers forgive me if I'm 'slow,' because the subject of today's brief entry is one of which I just became aware, but which (obviously, since various nations must have voted on it over time) probably has existed for awhile.

Apparently, it is now possible for anyone to have himself or his pet immortalised - on postage stamps, and this at quite an inflated price. In fact, the article I saw mentioned that pets and babies were the most popular topics. I have no intention of immortalising my cats in such a fashion... even the feline mind knows that there are queens and queens, and does not confuse the definitions. But cats are incredibly wise creatures, and assuredly would not fall into the sort of self-absorption of which such actions as sticking oneself to the upper right corner of an envelope would indicate.

Various countries have agreed to allow this exercise in marketting, and I am not about to "Google" to find out what previously was featured on their postage. Yet the degree of prominence which people who appear on stamps genuinely held seems one odd to claim for oneself, and on one's own authority. (The United States Postal Service site shows that all sorts of things and fictional/cartoon characters can appear - but I believe their recent decision to allow just any old person to be featured is particularly generous because no one could be on a stamp unless s/he was already dead...)

Oh, naive I am not - I did spend many years in purchasing, and well remember, when I was a diocesan manager, having a 'phone card' company wish to know if I would be interested in phone cards bearing a picture of the pope. Bad taste is not only common but epidemic. I can only imagine the market for this recent gem. (I'm wondering if it will be more likely a popular 'gift item' than personal purchase.) I'm sure pictures of weddings, new babies, people at milestone anniversaries or birthdays, candid shots of situations one would have preferred to forget but a friend thinks hilarious... all will be popular.

There are only three possibilities I can see. First, it might be a joke - and jokes which last more than a minute, in a particular context, never are funny for long, but seem nearly inspirational at the time when one conceives the idea. (Ask anyone who gives a co-worker or school mate a 'joke present.') Second, people may be so starved for attention that they'll consider any option. Third, well, one may think oneself so important that everyone will be honoured to see one's face on a stamp...

Me? I'll wait to look down from heaven and see myself on holy cards... perhaps (heretic though I am) I can be the first Franciscan woman canonised as a Doctor of the Church...

Why not? It makes as much sense as personalised postage stamps.