Ohhhhhhhhh it's been a shite week. Probably one of my shitest, just endlessly filled with bad news and bellends. However, in a time when we have to look to the little things for encouragement and continuity and positivity and loveliness in the world, you fine chaps at RAoC keep making me carry on.

u/imlyoung614 is working in the line of fire at a Walgreens right now and still found the time to handmake this beautiful and reflective card. I hope you are keeping strong and positive. I don’t know about there, but here store workers are ending up getting the short end of everyone’s anxiety and impatience. I hope your interactions have not been overwhelmingly negative and you have been able to look after and out for yourself.

There was no username on this card but I think it was from u/Emotional_Rollerskate who I had written to after a shitty breakup. Thank you for taking the time to write such a poignant and reflective message to me and believe me when I say that time really is a healer. I wish you ongoing growth and strength and hope you are able to take the time in the current situation to find ways to enjoy your own company and start to discover your own worth.

I had sent u/dirtytightsdelano a birthday package and apparently she doesn’t understand how birthdays work because she sent a card and a gift back to me. The card has true words and the magnet has a message I could happily pass on to the gatekeeping brigade of neighbours that just wants to point out how other people are lockdowning ‘wrong’ in order to showcase their own worthiness. Fuck’s sake Susan, a jogger getting within 1.5m of you isn’t personal or malicious, the man accepting his parcel without gloves is only taking a risk unto himself, the woman that has left her home twice today does not owe you an explanation, you are not obliged to touch the friendly neighbourhood cat. The vast majority of people are just doing the best they can you haggard, nasty little curtain twitcher /rant

u/EraHoneywell bestowed on me herdrawings and doodles in card form. I hope my card has reached her! Seeing the bursts of creativity happening here on RAoC is inspiring me to get the hell out of my own card rut and start to try making nice things again.

Two postcards and a card from u/New_Year_Baby inside a nature and hiking inspired handmade envelope. She’s been having a frustrating time with tech difficulties whilst WFH which seems to be a relentlessly common issue amongst the RAoCers that have suddenly had to up and move with a whole new system from workplace to couch. Internet speeds not helped by the fact everyone is now at home streaming Netflix (or joyously using Pornhub premium for free). However, she also channeled her tech rage into giving me a stuffed squash recipe which I greatly appreciate!

You should all know that the day we have a massive international RAoC meetup, u/polluxopera is buying the first round! On top of that generosity (to which he is now beholden), he sent stickers and a Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy card AND an endearing and relateable story about a cat he used to have, Noodle, that had no interest in affection until Pollux went to bed and then wanted all the affection. Cats are arseholes. That’s why I love them.

u/BitchImGhastly painted this soothing green cardbetween lessons using her portable stash. The whole sitch is bollocks, agreed, and I hope she still manages to be able to take her trip later in the year – though I don’t think London will be completely back to normal operations until early next year. I’m hoping all my favourite places make it through, and all the small businesses I support make it through, because it’s the little bits of weirdness and wonder and curiosity and courage that make London an excellent city.

Lastly, from an ex-RAoCer (u/Leiawdeforce) that reached outwhen I had an extremely tough adaptation to the lockdown, with my own resources for my stability and health vanishing and living alone. I am truly overwhelmed and emotional, and very grateful at the care she showed, including numerous small cards of positive but proactive messages to put around my home. I am extremely touched that someone I had not really talked with before that no longer is active in this sub made such an extraordinary message of comfort and care for a stranger.