Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Friday I was trying to mail back approvals I received from a dealer in the UK. No big deal, I enter the customs info on line, download the preprinted declaration and the clerk weighs the package and tapes the customs form on the package, using it as address. Simple. I first went to my local Post Office- mistake. Three clerks on duty, all processing passport applications. Line out the door, some waiting for 30 minutes. I left and took the package to the sub station at a supermarket where I sometimes shop. I have never had any difficulty mailing things there.
The young lady behind the counter told me 'We don't do customs here'. I explained all she needed to do was affix the label and a meter. I noted she was getting uncomfortable and actually was backing up from the counter, hands over her mouth. I think she thought it was explosive. She stammered that 'you need to leave'.
I did get it mailed at another grocery sub station. By the time I got home I was laughing at the whole thing. I told my wife- she taught for over 30 years; she said I'd be amazed at how many people never venture outside the US or even more than a few miles from where they live.This was apparently one of those.
I now wonder if Homeland security isn't checking video of my encounter. We live in interesting times..
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You're going to get me started - Why I no longer EVER go to our local Post Office.
I took an International Reply Coupon (IRC) from Austria in to exchange for 1 oz. 1st Class International mailing. Three clerks - three different opinions on value.
I affixed a $9.35 #1908 Booklet Stamp to package. Was told it wasn't a stamp. Post Master called. She says it's a label.
Long lines, constantly, with people purchasing one (1) stamp.
I feel better already - getting this off my chest.
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I put a package on the counter addressed to New Mexico. The clerk scowled and slammed a customs form on the counter. I had to explain to him that New Mexico was indeed a state. I had a similar episode with Puerto Rico.
Another time I was mailing small philatelic envelopes, 2-3 ounce ones with arrays of older commemoratives on them. I just wanted them hand cancelled. The clerk looked confused. He first asked, "Are you sure those are all stamps?" I assured him they were. Then he asked me how much postage was that... he wasn't about to add them all up.
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My best story took lace back in the Fall of 2001. I'd just started selling stuff on Ebay and was shipping a collection mounted on pages to a buyer in Canada, I took it to the customer service counter at my nearby supermarket. Remember when this was; right after 9-11. There were two young women working there One was having me fill out a customs form and the other- I thought- was weighing the package. Suddenly the one who'd been by the scale appeared holding the pages I'd carefully wrapped by a corner. She said 'What are these? . It seemed I was being accused of something, I probably stammered and explained I was selling this on Ebay and that she had NO business opening my package without my permission.
The other was telling me that they'd been told to watch out for anyone mailing things outside the country. 'We're supposed to do this'. I said yes, but you have to ask first. I told them to hand back my property and I'd mail it elsewhere. I think I also told them they were playing Junior G-Girls and that opening a suspicious package was not something they should be doing. Unless they wanted to risk losing a hand.
I did get my item back and mailed it the next day at a PO. I reported to the manager who apologized and said he'd 'talk to them'. It was a bad time, made worse by the paranoia so many of us had.
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I purchased an expensive stamp last week and the seller sent me me a tracking number for a certified mail package.
It moved fairly well through the system until it got about 40 miles from my town and then no updates. I felt it would be delivered by Friday and waited for mail delivery that day. Mail came, I went to mailbox but only had typical box full of bills and a few pieces of junk. I tracked it and hour or two later and status was updated to, “Notice Left (No Authorized Recipient Available).
Hmmm, I was there all day so I re-searched the mailbox, front and back doors, and porches… no notice anywhere. Since I needed a notice to be able to go claim a package at the USPS distribution center, I figured I would wait for yesterday’s mail. (I have seen Friday mail run later, the mailmen avoid getting out of truck, and instead moving stuff that needed signatures to the next day.)
So yesterday I waited for him to come around and notice he drives right past the mailbox without stopping. ‘Oh hell’, I thought so I head down to the box. We live on a cul de sac and he had to drive back by in a minute or two.
He comes back by and I try to flag him down (in the rain.) He doesn’t want to stop and barely slows down but stops when I block his truck in the street. I ask him about the lack of a certified letter which I can see plainly sitting in his mail carrier beside his seat. He looks sheepish and says ‘oh a have one for 1150 but not for you at 1160.’ He picks it up and says, ‘oh gee, this is for you’ and has me sign for it.
Of course the trouble with his excuse was that he didn’t try to deliver it to 1150 either, he was simply being lazy and not wanting to get out of his truck. I felt lucky to even get my stamp.
Don
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I have positive interactions with my postal people, I use a contract station (Hallmark) for most of my package mailings, the ladies always apply a hand cancel when requested, and are always willing to apply the make up rate on priority packages and usually comment on the stamps I use. I have never had any problems when I visit my local PO,with the exception of long lines. I also send a lot of first class mail with multiple value stamps to make the first class rate, I just drop the stamped envelopes into the outgoing basket in the front office at my place of employment, and have never had an item returned or not get to it's destination.
Glendale AZ 85304
Phoenix Az 85009
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Benfranklin1902 said,
"I put a package on the counter addressed to New Mexico. The clerk scowled and slammed a customs form on the counter. I had to explain to him that New Mexico was indeed a state."
Not an unusual incident. For decades, New Mexico Magazine has published a section of similar anecdotes, titled "One of our 50 is missing." Often, when I tell people that I grew up in New Mexico, they say, "Oh, Mexico is great! I was there just last winter!" Mexican citizens, however, always know where New Mexico is.
Bob
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Not sure if anyone else is having problems but I have just got notification that approvals posted on 4th. May, have just been received today.
Must be a long way from Manitoba to Nova Scotia.
Three other envelopes mailed the same day to Illinois, Australia and India are still (hopefully) in transit.
Maybe customs are having a field day or just being overwhelmed.
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I have the clerks at my post office well trained regarding mailings. I have no problem with them. When I use stamps, I always notate the amount of postage used in the upper right corner of the envelope/package so that they don't have to waste time adding up all the small amounts. They appreciate that very much.
Of the six clerks at my post office, three have started collecting stamps, and one other told me today she wants to subscribe to Linns.
When I walk in the post office, the clerks behind the counter all greet me by name. I don't know what the other customers think about me when they do that. Perhaps they think I might be a celebrity or something like that. You think?
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"I might be a celebrity or something like that. You think?"
Well, yeah! A philatelic celebrity. You and Bill Gross and FDR and maybe a couple of others.
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Some years ago I went to the post office to mail my Christmas cards to my relatives; I made the terrible mistake of adresing the letters to "Holland" -- the lady at the window took out her book (to look up the airmail rate) and decided there was no country called "Holland". I asked to look up "Netherlands" -- she found it and she said: Oh, so the country we call Holland is really Netherlands! 
Jopie
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My experience is similar to Michael's. I always group my stamps together in a way they are easy to add up and write the amount in a blank space in the upper right corner big enough for a $0.00 PVI. (The clerks say they appreciate a blank space in the upper right corner big enough for a PVI). I have a reputation for NEVER being off by even a penny so they rarely bother to add the amounts up any more. Even so, that $0.00 PVI is crucial since it tells everyone downstream that SOMEBODY added all that up!
The only dispute I had was regarding the non-machinable surcharge. The clerk was adamant that I had to pay the two-ounce rate and I told him he was mistaken, but after a minute or two it's just not worth the time so I said "Fine" and pulled out a few coins to make up the difference. The very next day he told me that he looked it up and I was right and he promised to do it right next time. I told him no worries and thanks for going to the trouble of looking it up.
A near dispute came when the clerk didn't want to accept service inscribed stamps. I told him I had a permit at that office and I had appropriately marked the cover. He was still hesitant until I showed him the receipt for my permit (Permit # 1 at that PO, and likely the ONLY one) that had HIS signature on it. He forgot that he was the one that processed the paperwork for me 5 years earlier and I only rarely used my permit.
My PO is in a town of about 8000 that is the County Seat.
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I've had my mail carrier buy things from me at my yard sales!
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I agree that it helps to get to know your carrier. Especially when he/she is one of your neighbors.
I have gone to the PO with envelopes that had monetary amounts on the stamps instead of the "Forever" printed on them; and the clerk looked me like "What you trying to pull on us?". So, I have had to show them that I had correct postage.
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I often get the 'Notice of attempted delivery' in my box when I know darned well they never bothered to get out of the truck. Once I was working in my front yard when the carrier stopped at the box, I think we even exchanged waves. I went to the box and a notice was there. I then need to drive to the carrier station, ten minutes away. Wait in line, then wait for them to find it. Last time I asked if they had a form I could fill out for reimbursement of my time and expense because the carrier wouldn't do his job.
We have a neighborhood association with a discussion board. It is always full of complaints about mail delivery. I recently have noticed they do sometimes bring mail that requires signature up to the door but never ring the bell. Just light tapping. Apparently they were getting complaints the doorbells were waking up sleeping kids.
Probably its a no win situation.
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A buddy-0-mine got a bit too friendly with his mail person. She liked his Corvette, he offered her a ride and eventually married her! 
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I have way to many "horror" stories about the post office. I use to have a mailers postmark permit. No 2 postal workers know what it was or how it worked. I stopped using it because of the arguments every time I mailed something. I order all my stamps from the fulfillment center and just drop them in the corner collection box. I will talk to my carrier but not about the post office. As my late uncle a 40 year letter carrier said " it ain't the same no more, they want to kill the post office" I think he was on to something.
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In the mid-1980s, the longtime postmaster at the old McNeil Post Office retired. His replacement was a cute, young woman who loved to wear skimpy clothing (very short-shorts and tank tops). Business boomed at that little post office for many months!
She was married to a State Trooper who was posted about 400 miles away from McNeil. She started to fool around with an illegal from Mexico who worked at the limestone quarry in McNeil. One day I went to the post office to check my box, and saw that someone else was working. That clerk, who eventually became the new postmaster, told me that the postmaster was no longer working for the post office. A couple of weeks later, I found out why. I received a shipping invoice from a company (confections and gifts) that I have done business with for many years. It was for a very large order that I had not placed. The order arrived at my PO Box. The company had told me to refuse delivery, which I did. That cutie, little skimpily-clad postmaster was rifling through the mail and ordering things for herself using other peoples' credit.
The last I was told of her was that she had been charged with credit card fraud, fired from the post office, divorced, and married her illegal boyfriend. What a screwed up in the head woman!
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Nice story, Michael! (Do you have photos?) 
When I was in college I dug out some rudimentary horseshoe pits in the front yard of the house I was renting. The landlord agreed as long as I removed the stakes each day and he even dropped by for an occasional game or two! (I buried part of a RR tie with a hole just a bit bigger than the stake drilled at the proper angle and put a pin in place when I removed the stake).
One day the letter carrier stopped to throw a few shoes and could tell I wasn't terrible at it so he invited me to join him at a league they played using clay pits at a city park. I was the only person under 30 there, but it was a blast! I think I finished in C-league with an 18% ringer percentage. B-league was 25% to 49% and A-league was 50%+. I thought those guys were good until we hosted a tournament and folks came in from all around and there were guys (and gals) throwing 90%+.
I hadn't thought of that in over 30 years! All because of a letter carrier who stopped to spend a few moments with a college student!
Lars
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I hadn't gotten to this thread, wow! You all have some interesting stories with your letter carriers! Ours here are 1099 contractors. I've had the same lady for about 10 years now. She's super nice. I guess it's only natural that we'd form connections with these people. They come to our houses every day!
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Lars, I wish I had photos of her. If I had known at the time that she was looking for someone...anyway, so much for the daydream. 
Besides, she tried to rip me off, and that wrote her out of my book.
Speaking of books, a few of the clerks at my post office have bought my books. One bought them twice! Today I dropped off post cards for those interested to send to the APS for membership information as some have requested more information on stamp collecting.
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This thread has been split, moving 4 posts onto a new Thread titled:"2017 Eclipse"
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Or you can stay put and wait for the eclipse to come to you April 8, 2024!
Lars
P.S. - You're not selling the other book here. I'm not into poetry. But I will say again, for the record, Whitechapel Fog was engaging, entertaining, and well worth the read!
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Last Thursday, I took 2 large flat rate boxes to the post office to mail to a friend and wanted to use the $18.55 flat rate tamps so I could get a used copy. I asked but they did not have any. Then I said let's put one of the medium rate stamps on and use other postage to make up the difference. They did not have the medium stamp. So I said lets use two of the small rate stamps, which they had, and make up the difference with the $10 wave stamps. We don't have the $10 stamp. Ok two of the $5 wave stamps. We don't have those. OK - five of the $2 wave stamps. We don't have those. They did have the $1 and we used those. I asked when they would get more of all of the larger stamps and they said never. They don't order the large so they can order more 49 centers and stay within their allotted stock.
stampmanjack
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My post office has only a few of the high-dollar stamps, and they don't like them. The stamps are usually sold one at a time and the resulting broken panes are a book-keeping problem for them. Most people/companies don't know about them, and use the postal meter. I would say that the stamps are made primarily for the philatelic trade. Collectors will buy them, and some dealers may use them. The APS uses the $2 and $5 wave stamps and sometimes the flat rate Priority Mail stamp when shipping sales circuits.
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The postal clerks don't want to use stamps at all. If I bring in a stamped piece of may that needs 27 cents, they just print a meter and pop it on. They don't have any broken panes at all. When I wanted to buy small value stamps, 1,2,5 cent stamps, I was told I had to buy full panes of 20 of each.
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Actually it's a USPS rule that panes of stamps valued at the forever rate or less cannot be broken for a customer. Higher valued panes of stamps may be broken. Some clerks are nice, and sometimes break that rule, however.
Want to make your clerks love you more? Ask them if they have any broken panes of the lower face value stamps, and buy them. If their printer isn't working, they'll have to use stamps on the mail they process. Also, I have found that the real small post offices will use stamps to move them out of inventory, and they tend to have the most broken panes. Now and then you can find remnants in their drawers or stamp sales book. They are very happy to get those out of there. They have to add them up every day.
On the rare times when I have short paid, because my scale was "on the line", and humidity or dust sends the weight "over the line" by the time I get to the post office, I would rather have the meter on it to help move it along.
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This was prompted by a post I read on another forum about a collector mailing a package at his local PO. He was using some of the 22 cent 1986 Stamp Collecting panes to make up the rate. The clerk told him they weren't stamps. They were labels for collectors. he apparently prevailed but it made me wonder how many amusing stories can be shared about misadventures with postal people when mailing our stuff?
Friday I was trying to mail back approvals I received from a dealer in the UK. No big deal, I enter the customs info on line, download the preprinted declaration and the clerk weighs the package and tapes the customs form on the package, using it as address. Simple. I first went to my local Post Office- mistake. Three clerks on duty, all processing passport applications. Line out the door, some waiting for 30 minutes. I left and took the package to the sub station at a supermarket where I sometimes shop. I have never had any difficulty mailing things there.
The young lady behind the counter told me 'We don't do customs here'. I explained all she needed to do was affix the label and a meter. I noted she was getting uncomfortable and actually was backing up from the counter, hands over her mouth. I think she thought it was explosive. She stammered that 'you need to leave'.
I did get it mailed at another grocery sub station. By the time I got home I was laughing at the whole thing. I told my wife- she taught for over 30 years; she said I'd be amazed at how many people never venture outside the US or even more than a few miles from where they live.This was apparently one of those.
I now wonder if Homeland security isn't checking video of my encounter. We live in interesting times..
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Adventures in Mailing
You're going to get me started - Why I no longer EVER go to our local Post Office.
I took an International Reply Coupon (IRC) from Austria in to exchange for 1 oz. 1st Class International mailing. Three clerks - three different opinions on value.
I affixed a $9.35 #1908 Booklet Stamp to package. Was told it wasn't a stamp. Post Master called. She says it's a label.
Long lines, constantly, with people purchasing one (1) stamp.
I feel better already - getting this off my chest.
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Approvals
re: Adventures in Mailing
I put a package on the counter addressed to New Mexico. The clerk scowled and slammed a customs form on the counter. I had to explain to him that New Mexico was indeed a state. I had a similar episode with Puerto Rico.
Another time I was mailing small philatelic envelopes, 2-3 ounce ones with arrays of older commemoratives on them. I just wanted them hand cancelled. The clerk looked confused. He first asked, "Are you sure those are all stamps?" I assured him they were. Then he asked me how much postage was that... he wasn't about to add them all up.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
My best story took lace back in the Fall of 2001. I'd just started selling stuff on Ebay and was shipping a collection mounted on pages to a buyer in Canada, I took it to the customer service counter at my nearby supermarket. Remember when this was; right after 9-11. There were two young women working there One was having me fill out a customs form and the other- I thought- was weighing the package. Suddenly the one who'd been by the scale appeared holding the pages I'd carefully wrapped by a corner. She said 'What are these? . It seemed I was being accused of something, I probably stammered and explained I was selling this on Ebay and that she had NO business opening my package without my permission.
The other was telling me that they'd been told to watch out for anyone mailing things outside the country. 'We're supposed to do this'. I said yes, but you have to ask first. I told them to hand back my property and I'd mail it elsewhere. I think I also told them they were playing Junior G-Girls and that opening a suspicious package was not something they should be doing. Unless they wanted to risk losing a hand.
I did get my item back and mailed it the next day at a PO. I reported to the manager who apologized and said he'd 'talk to them'. It was a bad time, made worse by the paranoia so many of us had.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I purchased an expensive stamp last week and the seller sent me me a tracking number for a certified mail package.
It moved fairly well through the system until it got about 40 miles from my town and then no updates. I felt it would be delivered by Friday and waited for mail delivery that day. Mail came, I went to mailbox but only had typical box full of bills and a few pieces of junk. I tracked it and hour or two later and status was updated to, “Notice Left (No Authorized Recipient Available).
Hmmm, I was there all day so I re-searched the mailbox, front and back doors, and porches… no notice anywhere. Since I needed a notice to be able to go claim a package at the USPS distribution center, I figured I would wait for yesterday’s mail. (I have seen Friday mail run later, the mailmen avoid getting out of truck, and instead moving stuff that needed signatures to the next day.)
So yesterday I waited for him to come around and notice he drives right past the mailbox without stopping. ‘Oh hell’, I thought so I head down to the box. We live on a cul de sac and he had to drive back by in a minute or two.
He comes back by and I try to flag him down (in the rain.) He doesn’t want to stop and barely slows down but stops when I block his truck in the street. I ask him about the lack of a certified letter which I can see plainly sitting in his mail carrier beside his seat. He looks sheepish and says ‘oh a have one for 1150 but not for you at 1160.’ He picks it up and says, ‘oh gee, this is for you’ and has me sign for it.
Of course the trouble with his excuse was that he didn’t try to deliver it to 1150 either, he was simply being lazy and not wanting to get out of his truck. I felt lucky to even get my stamp.
Don
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I have positive interactions with my postal people, I use a contract station (Hallmark) for most of my package mailings, the ladies always apply a hand cancel when requested, and are always willing to apply the make up rate on priority packages and usually comment on the stamps I use. I have never had any problems when I visit my local PO,with the exception of long lines. I also send a lot of first class mail with multiple value stamps to make the first class rate, I just drop the stamped envelopes into the outgoing basket in the front office at my place of employment, and have never had an item returned or not get to it's destination.
Glendale AZ 85304
Phoenix Az 85009
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Benfranklin1902 said,
"I put a package on the counter addressed to New Mexico. The clerk scowled and slammed a customs form on the counter. I had to explain to him that New Mexico was indeed a state."
Not an unusual incident. For decades, New Mexico Magazine has published a section of similar anecdotes, titled "One of our 50 is missing." Often, when I tell people that I grew up in New Mexico, they say, "Oh, Mexico is great! I was there just last winter!" Mexican citizens, however, always know where New Mexico is.
Bob
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Not sure if anyone else is having problems but I have just got notification that approvals posted on 4th. May, have just been received today.
Must be a long way from Manitoba to Nova Scotia.
Three other envelopes mailed the same day to Illinois, Australia and India are still (hopefully) in transit.
Maybe customs are having a field day or just being overwhelmed.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I have the clerks at my post office well trained regarding mailings. I have no problem with them. When I use stamps, I always notate the amount of postage used in the upper right corner of the envelope/package so that they don't have to waste time adding up all the small amounts. They appreciate that very much.
Of the six clerks at my post office, three have started collecting stamps, and one other told me today she wants to subscribe to Linns.
When I walk in the post office, the clerks behind the counter all greet me by name. I don't know what the other customers think about me when they do that. Perhaps they think I might be a celebrity or something like that. You think?
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re: Adventures in Mailing
"I might be a celebrity or something like that. You think?"
Well, yeah! A philatelic celebrity. You and Bill Gross and FDR and maybe a couple of others.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Some years ago I went to the post office to mail my Christmas cards to my relatives; I made the terrible mistake of adresing the letters to "Holland" -- the lady at the window took out her book (to look up the airmail rate) and decided there was no country called "Holland". I asked to look up "Netherlands" -- she found it and she said: Oh, so the country we call Holland is really Netherlands!
Jopie
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re: Adventures in Mailing
My experience is similar to Michael's. I always group my stamps together in a way they are easy to add up and write the amount in a blank space in the upper right corner big enough for a $0.00 PVI. (The clerks say they appreciate a blank space in the upper right corner big enough for a PVI). I have a reputation for NEVER being off by even a penny so they rarely bother to add the amounts up any more. Even so, that $0.00 PVI is crucial since it tells everyone downstream that SOMEBODY added all that up!
The only dispute I had was regarding the non-machinable surcharge. The clerk was adamant that I had to pay the two-ounce rate and I told him he was mistaken, but after a minute or two it's just not worth the time so I said "Fine" and pulled out a few coins to make up the difference. The very next day he told me that he looked it up and I was right and he promised to do it right next time. I told him no worries and thanks for going to the trouble of looking it up.
A near dispute came when the clerk didn't want to accept service inscribed stamps. I told him I had a permit at that office and I had appropriately marked the cover. He was still hesitant until I showed him the receipt for my permit (Permit # 1 at that PO, and likely the ONLY one) that had HIS signature on it. He forgot that he was the one that processed the paperwork for me 5 years earlier and I only rarely used my permit.
My PO is in a town of about 8000 that is the County Seat.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I've had my mail carrier buy things from me at my yard sales!
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10:47:15am
re: Adventures in Mailing
I agree that it helps to get to know your carrier. Especially when he/she is one of your neighbors.
I have gone to the PO with envelopes that had monetary amounts on the stamps instead of the "Forever" printed on them; and the clerk looked me like "What you trying to pull on us?". So, I have had to show them that I had correct postage.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I often get the 'Notice of attempted delivery' in my box when I know darned well they never bothered to get out of the truck. Once I was working in my front yard when the carrier stopped at the box, I think we even exchanged waves. I went to the box and a notice was there. I then need to drive to the carrier station, ten minutes away. Wait in line, then wait for them to find it. Last time I asked if they had a form I could fill out for reimbursement of my time and expense because the carrier wouldn't do his job.
We have a neighborhood association with a discussion board. It is always full of complaints about mail delivery. I recently have noticed they do sometimes bring mail that requires signature up to the door but never ring the bell. Just light tapping. Apparently they were getting complaints the doorbells were waking up sleeping kids.
Probably its a no win situation.
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Approvals
re: Adventures in Mailing
A buddy-0-mine got a bit too friendly with his mail person. She liked his Corvette, he offered her a ride and eventually married her!
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I have way to many "horror" stories about the post office. I use to have a mailers postmark permit. No 2 postal workers know what it was or how it worked. I stopped using it because of the arguments every time I mailed something. I order all my stamps from the fulfillment center and just drop them in the corner collection box. I will talk to my carrier but not about the post office. As my late uncle a 40 year letter carrier said " it ain't the same no more, they want to kill the post office" I think he was on to something.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
In the mid-1980s, the longtime postmaster at the old McNeil Post Office retired. His replacement was a cute, young woman who loved to wear skimpy clothing (very short-shorts and tank tops). Business boomed at that little post office for many months!
She was married to a State Trooper who was posted about 400 miles away from McNeil. She started to fool around with an illegal from Mexico who worked at the limestone quarry in McNeil. One day I went to the post office to check my box, and saw that someone else was working. That clerk, who eventually became the new postmaster, told me that the postmaster was no longer working for the post office. A couple of weeks later, I found out why. I received a shipping invoice from a company (confections and gifts) that I have done business with for many years. It was for a very large order that I had not placed. The order arrived at my PO Box. The company had told me to refuse delivery, which I did. That cutie, little skimpily-clad postmaster was rifling through the mail and ordering things for herself using other peoples' credit.
The last I was told of her was that she had been charged with credit card fraud, fired from the post office, divorced, and married her illegal boyfriend. What a screwed up in the head woman!
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Nice story, Michael! (Do you have photos?)
When I was in college I dug out some rudimentary horseshoe pits in the front yard of the house I was renting. The landlord agreed as long as I removed the stakes each day and he even dropped by for an occasional game or two! (I buried part of a RR tie with a hole just a bit bigger than the stake drilled at the proper angle and put a pin in place when I removed the stake).
One day the letter carrier stopped to throw a few shoes and could tell I wasn't terrible at it so he invited me to join him at a league they played using clay pits at a city park. I was the only person under 30 there, but it was a blast! I think I finished in C-league with an 18% ringer percentage. B-league was 25% to 49% and A-league was 50%+. I thought those guys were good until we hosted a tournament and folks came in from all around and there were guys (and gals) throwing 90%+.
I hadn't thought of that in over 30 years! All because of a letter carrier who stopped to spend a few moments with a college student!
Lars
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re: Adventures in Mailing
I hadn't gotten to this thread, wow! You all have some interesting stories with your letter carriers! Ours here are 1099 contractors. I've had the same lady for about 10 years now. She's super nice. I guess it's only natural that we'd form connections with these people. They come to our houses every day!
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Lars, I wish I had photos of her. If I had known at the time that she was looking for someone...anyway, so much for the daydream. Besides, she tried to rip me off, and that wrote her out of my book.
Speaking of books, a few of the clerks at my post office have bought my books. One bought them twice! Today I dropped off post cards for those interested to send to the APS for membership information as some have requested more information on stamp collecting.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
This thread has been split, moving 4 posts onto a new Thread titled:"2017 Eclipse"
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Or you can stay put and wait for the eclipse to come to you April 8, 2024!
Lars
P.S. - You're not selling the other book here. I'm not into poetry. But I will say again, for the record, Whitechapel Fog was engaging, entertaining, and well worth the read!
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02:28:26am
re: Adventures in Mailing
Last Thursday, I took 2 large flat rate boxes to the post office to mail to a friend and wanted to use the $18.55 flat rate tamps so I could get a used copy. I asked but they did not have any. Then I said let's put one of the medium rate stamps on and use other postage to make up the difference. They did not have the medium stamp. So I said lets use two of the small rate stamps, which they had, and make up the difference with the $10 wave stamps. We don't have the $10 stamp. Ok two of the $5 wave stamps. We don't have those. OK - five of the $2 wave stamps. We don't have those. They did have the $1 and we used those. I asked when they would get more of all of the larger stamps and they said never. They don't order the large so they can order more 49 centers and stay within their allotted stock.
stampmanjack
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re: Adventures in Mailing
My post office has only a few of the high-dollar stamps, and they don't like them. The stamps are usually sold one at a time and the resulting broken panes are a book-keeping problem for them. Most people/companies don't know about them, and use the postal meter. I would say that the stamps are made primarily for the philatelic trade. Collectors will buy them, and some dealers may use them. The APS uses the $2 and $5 wave stamps and sometimes the flat rate Priority Mail stamp when shipping sales circuits.
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Approvals
re: Adventures in Mailing
The postal clerks don't want to use stamps at all. If I bring in a stamped piece of may that needs 27 cents, they just print a meter and pop it on. They don't have any broken panes at all. When I wanted to buy small value stamps, 1,2,5 cent stamps, I was told I had to buy full panes of 20 of each.
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re: Adventures in Mailing
Actually it's a USPS rule that panes of stamps valued at the forever rate or less cannot be broken for a customer. Higher valued panes of stamps may be broken. Some clerks are nice, and sometimes break that rule, however.
Want to make your clerks love you more? Ask them if they have any broken panes of the lower face value stamps, and buy them. If their printer isn't working, they'll have to use stamps on the mail they process. Also, I have found that the real small post offices will use stamps to move them out of inventory, and they tend to have the most broken panes. Now and then you can find remnants in their drawers or stamp sales book. They are very happy to get those out of there. They have to add them up every day.
On the rare times when I have short paid, because my scale was "on the line", and humidity or dust sends the weight "over the line" by the time I get to the post office, I would rather have the meter on it to help move it along.
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