The Shipping News
I could never have an on-line store or sell things on eBay. If I want to send a gift to someone far away and can order it on-line, that's terrific. But I hate to actually ship things myself. I hate finding a box the right size. (Yes, I know they sell boxes at the post office but it seems I rarely desire to send things the size of any of said boxes, that doesn't really help). I hate wrapping the box, assuming I find it, in plain brown paper. Mostly because I hate wrapping things. I never have packing tape. Probably because I hate to ship things so why would I stock the accoutrement necessary to that activity?
Yesterday I got inspired to deal with the mailing that's been hanging around. The first was easy. We switched our cell phones to Credo Mobile (remind me to tell you all about that, btw, because they are just superfantastic). They have a partnership with Collective Good, which will repurpose the old cell phones. Credo even included a shipping label. But the boxes sat in our room for, like 2 months, because I hate to ship things. I finally called Collective Good yesterday and the guy said I didn't have to use the boxes and could just put the phones in an envelope. We have some padded envelopes. I found some glue for the labels. It was awesome. And then I even took them to the post office and mailed them. Check one off the short list.
But I hit a wall. Remember Edy's shoes? The superfantastic shoes she loaned me for Seattle Coffee Girl's wedding nearly 2 years ago? Yeah, those shoes. I still have them. Just ship them back in the box she used, says you. That would assume I'd saved it, says me. All stoked up from my cell phone success I determined to return the shoes. I dug around in The Child's room for a shoe box (she's been hording small boxes because she is planning to build a fairy house), but, alas, found nothing the right size. So Edy's shoes are still here. Although I swear, as much as I hate shipping things, they are going back to Minnesota this week even if I have to go buy a new pair of shoes just so I can have a box the right size.
I have a book I want to send to Buck. I'll probably just hold on to it until his next visit here or mine there, whichever comes first. Because I hate to ship things.
It wouldn't bother me, this disinclination to package and send, except that I have people in my life who are just aces at it. Afore mentioned Buck, for example. Dariush ships things (although if I talk about that again he'll be all "really, it was nothing, stop making a fuss" and I can't do that to him. Because he knows how to ship things. Which I admire). Dame Judi is quite the pro at both wrapping and shipping. It is not genetic.
But for all that, I do enjoy going to the post office. We have the most darling post office, staffed by the nicest people in the United States Postal Service. And even though there is nearly always a line, it moves quickly and the people are always interesting to watch because we live in such a diverse community. I enjoy the whizbangery of the weighing and the little machine that spits out the postage label and the satisfying thonk of the package dropping into the outgoing bin. Unfortunately, I just don't enjoy it enough to seek out the experience more often.
And of course, I really enjoy receiving packages, which you'd think would motivate me to more generously ship things off to other people so that they too can have the joy of opening a surprise every once in a while.
But I hate shipping.
Yesterday I got inspired to deal with the mailing that's been hanging around. The first was easy. We switched our cell phones to Credo Mobile (remind me to tell you all about that, btw, because they are just superfantastic). They have a partnership with Collective Good, which will repurpose the old cell phones. Credo even included a shipping label. But the boxes sat in our room for, like 2 months, because I hate to ship things. I finally called Collective Good yesterday and the guy said I didn't have to use the boxes and could just put the phones in an envelope. We have some padded envelopes. I found some glue for the labels. It was awesome. And then I even took them to the post office and mailed them. Check one off the short list.
But I hit a wall. Remember Edy's shoes? The superfantastic shoes she loaned me for Seattle Coffee Girl's wedding nearly 2 years ago? Yeah, those shoes. I still have them. Just ship them back in the box she used, says you. That would assume I'd saved it, says me. All stoked up from my cell phone success I determined to return the shoes. I dug around in The Child's room for a shoe box (she's been hording small boxes because she is planning to build a fairy house), but, alas, found nothing the right size. So Edy's shoes are still here. Although I swear, as much as I hate shipping things, they are going back to Minnesota this week even if I have to go buy a new pair of shoes just so I can have a box the right size.
I have a book I want to send to Buck. I'll probably just hold on to it until his next visit here or mine there, whichever comes first. Because I hate to ship things.
It wouldn't bother me, this disinclination to package and send, except that I have people in my life who are just aces at it. Afore mentioned Buck, for example. Dariush ships things (although if I talk about that again he'll be all "really, it was nothing, stop making a fuss" and I can't do that to him. Because he knows how to ship things. Which I admire). Dame Judi is quite the pro at both wrapping and shipping. It is not genetic.
But for all that, I do enjoy going to the post office. We have the most darling post office, staffed by the nicest people in the United States Postal Service. And even though there is nearly always a line, it moves quickly and the people are always interesting to watch because we live in such a diverse community. I enjoy the whizbangery of the weighing and the little machine that spits out the postage label and the satisfying thonk of the package dropping into the outgoing bin. Unfortunately, I just don't enjoy it enough to seek out the experience more often.
And of course, I really enjoy receiving packages, which you'd think would motivate me to more generously ship things off to other people so that they too can have the joy of opening a surprise every once in a while.
But I hate shipping.
Labels: things I hate
cobbled together by Moi at 9:19 AM
11 Comments:
How is Edy? I liked her.
The only reason I appear adept at mailing boxes is because my workplace has a nifty mailroom with boxes and packing tape. Then, the post office is in the lobby of my building.
Don't forget that I had the wrong zip code all this time. My boxes probably spent some time in Walla Walla.
I'll come out there soon for my book. Yay.
I couldn't possibly comment on this post.
I use to have one of the Nicest Postal Girls Ever. She is out with foot surgery, now I have mean, angry lady, I told her that some of mail she was leaving, wasnt mine, it has a name on it that moved out years ago...she said SO ITS THE RIGHT ADDRESS. She said it loud too. I coward and ducked back into my house.
Oh that was totally unrelated ...I hate shipping things too.
The only good shipping is printing a label and having Fed Ex come to your door and pick it up, assuming they might also bring a box and tape with them.
Me, too, hate it. And I have every cool packing material thing you could want. I hate it so much, I put a nice little hold on my Booda Baby tee-shirt business - even though I get regular requests - until I can wrap my head around how to make it less hellish.
I can't wait til there's a teleport function.
Last I heard, she was quite well, Nicole. I like her too. I especially like that she hasn't sued me for the shoes.
Ah! You just made me feel waaaay better about holding on to the book, Buck.
I understand, DA.
Angry postal people are not good, Sage. For a whole lot of obvious reasons, not the least of which is the whole "going postal" thing.
My people would never yell at you. Ever.
And that explains YOUR success with shipping, KA.
Yes!!!! Yes!!! That's exactly what we need, Booda. Oh, that would make me so happy. And you could whiz me tshirts and I could blort back applesauce cake to you...it would be heavenly.
The Post Office here in O-Town is an historical landmark!
It was here that Floyd Wallenstein received issue #1 of 'TV Guide' back in 1948..
Is there paperwork involved in shipping things?
Do you have to sign stuff?
..I don't like it.
"Whiz & Blort, Transporters par excellence"...
Now where are my Heisenberg compensators? ;)
Rainey, I share your hatred for shipping packages. I felt like you were reading my mind as you wrote this blog! *grin*
I will literally pay $25 for shipping online, just to avoid going to the post office. OK, maybe $25 is a bit much...but not by that much!
Also, I am envious of Buck. If the packing place/post office was in my building, I don't think I'd hate it quite as much.
Ba Ha Ha Ha (Note no W)
A quote from "The Civil War" by Ken Burns, "I wake up in the morning hatin' em I eat lunch hatin' em and I go to bed hatin em." It is the most distructive, misunderstood and overused word in the language. The opposite of love. Something I rarely use if ever you have heard me use it I would be surprized. It has a tendency to regenerate like a disease. Oh well. Didn't we have this conversation before?
The Yankees was the em. Wish Rev. Wright had remembered them as well.
Peace, Love, Harmony and Beautiful thoughts.
Peace
:+}
Post a Comment
<< Home