I Wrote the Postmaster General… and He Actually Wrote Back

A handwritten letter, a shiny USPS coin, and why I think the Postal Service is missing a huge opportunity

Dear Reader,

A few months ago, I handwrote a letter to the current Postmaster General, David Steiner. In it, I told him about my resolution to write one handwritten letter a day in 2025, thanked him for keeping mail alive in the age of texts and emails, and casually asked if he’d come on my Substack podcast and talk about how the US postal service is doing. (You know. As one does.)

I mailed it off and promptly forgot about it because that’s the thing about letters: unlike email, they don’t demand immediate attention. They disappear into the world for a while.

Recently, I received a sincere reply in the mail from the Postmaster General himself.

He politely declined the podcast invitation (understandable), thanked me for supporting the USPS, wished me well in my work, and enclosed… a commemorative challenge coin.

Naturally, I had to Google what a commemorative challenge coin even was.

The commemorative challenge coin I received.

Turns out, it’s a double-sided metal token often given by the Postal Service to recognize employees for special achievements, milestones, or service. Very official. Very patriotic. Very…shiny.

Now listen, I truly appreciated the response. I really did. Especially given the enormous pressure of overseeing an institution as massive and historically important as the USPS during a financially difficult time. And as someone who loves handwritten letters enough to write one every day last year, I understand the emotional value of commemorating service and tradition.

But because I’m also a minimalist and a professional organizer (and apparently incapable of not trying to reorganize entire systems in my head) I immediately started wondering whether there might be other creative ways for the USPS to generate revenue.

And I came up with one: set up USPS kiosks in airports right before security.

Tell me this wouldn’t work.

How many times have you stood at TSA holding an expensive sunscreen, scissors, snow globe, or a jar of Nutella (don’t judge) you forgot was in your bag, forced to throw it away because it exceeds 3.4 ounces?

I would happily pay ten dollars to mail those items home instead of tossing them in an airport garbage can like a criminal caught smuggling Noxema Original Deep Cleansing Cream.

The USPS could make money. Travelers would waste less. America’s moisturizers could survive. Everybody wins.

And while we’re brainstorming ways to cut waste so that the USPS can continue paying its employees and delivering mail, I’d gently suggest starting with minting fewer commemorative coins.

With love (and a commemorative coin that will be awarded to whoever sends me the most convincing handwritten argument for why they should have it),

P.S. What’s something you’ve had to throw away at airport security that you might have mailed home if you had the option?

P.P.S. A shout out to Lisa Lee Mills for this wonderful piece on letter writing and the community it has created for her. (I agree!)

SONG OF THE WEEK

I Love Betsy by Rob McClure (from the Honeymoon In Vegas Broadway Cast Recording)