This was the first task I signed up for, I think. Or at least one of the first. It seemed like it was an easy way to get into the spirit of the game. And then I started reading some of the praxii for it, and my thoughts changed from 'This is easy' to 'Holy Christ now I really need to do something cool to compete with this!' Then I calmed down and thought "I need to do something that is totally me for this.' So again I read the praxii and let it percolate. Eventually I came up with what I thought was a great idea, but then I needed someone to mail it to. I could mail it to my roommate, but even if I mailed it from work I thought it was a bit much like cheating. I began emailing people on the collaberating list and asking them if they wanted to exchange pennies.

After several false starts Voo finally responded with 'Hey yeah, that sounds great!' We exchanged addresses and I asked her what year she was born. I assured her that it was relevant. A few days later I got a letter in the mail.



Inside the letter was a card and a brand new penny! I took what I felt were some appropriately themed pictures of the card and the penny.



I then proceeded to procrastinate like hell in getting my idea up and running. I told myself that I was taking my time to write everything out, but really, I was procrastinating.

So one night I decided that I had written enough and that I was going to stop putting it off and send the lovely Voo her penny, since she had already given me mine.



My idea was to make it into a matching game with a twist. The answer to each clue was a phrase or aphorism involving pennies. The answer to each clue would also be a penny with a hint symbol drawn on it, or just the penny itself.

For the playing board I decided to use the penny pockets designed by Sparrows Fall for her(?) praxis of this task. (Thank you!) I printed out all the ones that she had designed except for the Team Foecakes one (as I am not a member of Team Foecakes I didn't feel it would be right.) and then I used some random postcard flyers from various events to make the other ones.



I then designated which clue and which penny would go with which pocket, and I taped them all to a piece of posterboard as the playing field.



For the actual penny that I was 'supposed' to be mailing, I took a penny from the year she was born and did a simple wire wrap around it to turn it into a pendant/charm for her to wear or hang somewhere.



The Clues are as follows:

(Autumn pocket)
A feathered quill this one to make
The 5th letter in ink
For you to take.

(Sheep pocket)
A penny from our neighbors up North
They show up in pockets
But have no worth.

(Reeds pocket)
This national chain is known far and wide
For catalogs and clothing,
They are true and tried.

(Fish pocket)
A penny for you 'cause I'd like to know
What ideas behind your eyes do flow.

(CG0 pocket)
This one is flattened & all stamped down
A souvenir for you
From the Great Chi-Town

(Monster pocket)
This penny is from a higher sphere
Financial woes are gone
Have no fear.

(Zombie pocket)
These are result of postal inflation
One or two on a letter
Will mail it to the nation.

(Leatherface pocket)
Not one but two is what I'll pay
To get free reign
To have my say

(Penny pocket)
I found this one whilst walking around
Lucky you!
Here's what I found.

(Mirabilis pocket)
This song by the Beatles was a huge hit
To ears & eyes & hearts
It did fit.

(Ghost pocket)
To have one and keep it is good business sense
No spendthrift are you
Wealth in future tense.

(Voltaire pocket)
A penny from the year you were born
The point of this task
A charm to be worn
--------------------------------------------

Ok, I never said I was any good at doggerel!

And included was a bag with several marked up pennies. The symbols were as follows:

A Canadian penny, a flattened penny from the Field Museum, E/e, J/C, ?/brain, 1/1 & 2/2, shamrock/horseshoe, pitchfork/halo, La/ne, $/cent symbol, stamp/stamp.



The charm penny was put into the envelope with the answers to the riddles.

I mailed them to Voo several weeks ago, but she hasn't been on lately. I can only assume that she got her penny, but I don't know for sure.

I'll post the answers to the riddles in a week or so, but go ahead and see if you can guess them.

Here are the answers:

Autumn pocket: Penned E - Penny with E and e on it in ink.

Sheep pocket: Canadian Penny

Reeds pocket: JC Penney - Penny with J and C written on it.

Fish pocket: Penny for your thoughts? - Penny with ? and brain written on it.

CG0 pocket: Flattened penny from the Field Museum.

Monster pocket: Pennies from Heavan - Penny with pitchfork and halo drawn on it.

Zombie pocket: Penny Stamp - Penny with stamps drawn on it.

Leatherface pocket: My two cents worth - Penny with 1/1 and penny with 2/2.

Penny pocket: See a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck - Penny with shamrock and horseshoe drawn on it.

Miribalis pocket: Penny Lane - Penny with La/ne written on it.

Ghost pocket: Save your pennies - Penny with $ and cent symbol drawn on it.

Voltaire pocket: Penny charm.