the post office non culpa

The post office is a nightmare, I want to make that perfectly clear. But
in this case the fault is mine. OK, it's my 18-year old data base (old
enough to smoke and/or legally conjugate), the reason for which is another
long story, but suffice to say it doesn't do a sort reliably, so I print
out all the addresses on the label sheets and leave the uncurrent ones
sitting there. I learned this the hard way, when some folks didn't get
Issue #2... This system worked very well, in fact if someone renewed
later, I had their label in alphabetical order ready to go.

But, ahem, I don't know exactly how to say this, but Terry's label got
left on the sheet. I did check several times -- but then I also proof read
several times, and there were still a couple of typos. (As an aside, I
mention for anyone seized by the need to write a book, blog or other
literary excursion, SpellCheck is the best "proofing" system for one
working alone. It doesn't really know diddle about spelling, but it
catches those typos. See back page, middle of the page, for "SPELLCHECK:
some words not in Pagemaker's." The trouble however is when you edit AFTER
you've done the spell check & forget to re-check.)

So Terry, 1000 apologies, it will go out in the Monday 6 AM pickup.

Otherwise, there isn't any logic to order of arrival. Firstly, the issues
didn't all go out on the same day, but over a period of several days.
Each time I had two boxes (which is all my shopping cart will hold, & all
I can lug up the steps) I took them to the post office -- sometimes two
trips a day, but sometimes one. Theoretically they were in alphabetical
order, but in actual fact that didn't happen because during the heat
sealing, the stamping, the applying of labels, and piling in boxes, every
step reshuffles, not to mention that the polybags are siippery and an
entire pile can very well cascade off the ironing board before, during,
or after the sealing.

Secondly, the operation at the post office has its own realities, which
mix-master any order that remains... in transfer from my cart into their
big box on wheels, after which hand cancelling will again re-sort the lot,
after which they send the bunch somewhere to sort for transit. The one to
Philadelphia may get hauled onto a truck or train, the one to Wyoming gets
hauled to an airport then to a plane which is not the same plane that goes
to Carolina, or California, etc. There may be so much mail to California
they have to wait for the next plane. There may be so little mail to
Wyoming that they only fly out once a month. Etc.

The box to Europe went to the post office Tuesday, now in transit,
supposedly by airmail, but sometimes they send it surface anyway (and do
not, needless to say, refund the extra $100).

If you think I go into this detail to give some small idea (and only a
small idea) of the complications of just one part of this operation,
you're right. And you don't want to hear about production, two weeks
GETTING UP EVERY MORNING for god's sake and schlepping out to Long Island
City at practically the crack of dawn and ..... so forth and so on, don't
tempt me.

But I will add that I have been told (anecdotal evidence, but observation
suggests it's true) that Albany has 5 times the number of postal clerks
per capita that New York City has .... I'm within walking distance of 4
post offices and every single one of them has LONG LINES much of the time.
(You know no state senator is going to tolerate his secretary having to
stand in line at the post office.) There's also the fact that one of those
post offices has a post mistress who is certifiably insane and
persistently vicious. Protests have proved useless: she will be there,
inventing her own personal postal regulations until someone offs her or
the devil claims her.

Fortunately, the personnel in my most local post office. 6 blocks up
Hudson Street, just past Cow Girl Hall of Fame (which is more famous than
the food is good) have been visited by the good fairy and turned very
kindly.

Is that enough? Don't tempt me.... again, sorry Terry.

Judy

On Sat, 15 May 2004, terry lindquist wrote:

> Judy:
>
> Should I have received my copy of #9 by now? (Saturday)
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> terry (lindquist)
> 227 chestnut street
> fredonia, new york 14063
> tsll@localnet.com
>
>
> On Saturday, May 15, 2004, at 19:26 US/Eastern, Judy Seigel wrote:
>
> >
> > I'm trying to think of a way to explain how thrilled I am to have had
> > this
> > effect, which suggests that at least some of the material in #9 was as
> > compelling & seductive to at least some folks as it seemed to me,
> > while at
> > the same time not give the impression that I am an unsympathetic
> > person,
> > or worse yet, narcissistically oblivious to the suffering of others.
> > When
> > I think of something suitably self-deprecating, I'll send it along,
> > meanwhile it occurs to me that these complaints do prove the
> > superiority,
> > for the purpose of a "magazine," of print over online publication.
> > There
> > is no way on this earth you can blame a day lost to an online
> > "magazine"
> > on a morning surprise from the mailman !
> >
> > For that insight, as well as the list of seductions, I thank Mark and
> > John
> > especially. Somehow I'd thought folks were most interested in
> > technical/how to -- and the anecdotal (gossipy?) was to please myself.
> > Glad to have been of service.
> >
> >
> > Judy
> >
>
Received on Sat May 15 23:50:59 2004