2016: A Package Odyssey (Days 3-4*): Spin Cycle, For The Moment

Posted on September 23, 2016 by geelw

Well, I figured this would happen at some point, but yep, it happened. Step back from your viewing screen and hold onto your butts, folks… this post is going to suck. Up to a point.

(Thanks, virgilio72!)

I didn’t post yesterday because I decided to try and work a bit and I was in a crappy mood because I decided chronicling this ongoing nonsense wasn’t all that therapeutic after all. I was just getting more annoyed at every person involved in this mess I’m (still) a victim of not being very helpful. USPS was giving me a slow runaround, the seller is kind of lost and asking me what to do (I’ve been passing along as much help as I can), and despite being a longtime fan, I’m about to go postal and recommend anyone I know just NOT use their local post office for anything but whatever passport services they offer. But let’s not pull that rabbit out of the hat just yet, folks.

Anyway, after a suggestion from a message board that I call the number on the USPS web site and another user comment that

The postal service is very serious about employee mail theft. They will get to the bottom of it.

Well, I would hope the hell so. I decided to pick up the phone this morning and try my luck. That turned out to be both a terrifically terrible and (very) good thing to do. Well, maybe on the “(very) good” part.

Continue reading →

2016: A Package Odyssey (Day Two*)

Posted on September 20, 2016 by geelw

Annnnd, the saga continues…

(thanks, David Luckie!)

Tuesday. It’s the same as Monday, but a day later. I actually had to go back to the post office this morning to send out a package (some new Mac power cables I had no use for as I don’t own a Mac), and ha, bloody ha-ha, the same guy at the inquiry window yesterday just so happened to be working the regular window I ended up at. Of course, he recognized me right away and as I step up to the counter with my little box of cables, I get a “Hey, how’s it going?” followed by a “Did the package arrive yet?”

PAUSE.

(Remember folks, this is the same guy who tells me yesterday that my package had been sent or was in the process of being sent BACK to where it came from. Now, unless the return trip was via TARDIS and my box whipped its way back from its original location to my doorstep within 24 hours (and it hasn’t, dear reader)… That would be a NO).

PLAY.

(Thanks, The Thing Legacy!)

I tell him “No, it hasn’t”, thinking maybe he’ll realize that’s a rather dumb question to ask. Let’s just say I was so annoyed that I didn’t realize I paid $7.05 to send a package Priority Mail instead of the under $4 it should have cost for First Class. Ugh. Well, dammit… GRRRRR!

Feh, at least it’ll get there faster. No wait, I just checked out of curiosity. It’ll be the same three days. Well, just… damn it all.

Okay, I think I need a drink now:

(Thanks, sambosez!)

I was too worn out from being up too late worrying about my backlog and other stuff to have my head explode like yesterday, but fair warning: Day 3 may be that day you all want to duck and cover into your bunkers with those old Civil Defense helmets on and a week’s supply of hardtack, beans and plenty of fresh drinking water.

Back in a bit…

*It’s actually day NINE of this nonsense, as the box hit the routing hub on the 11th.

2016: A Package Odyssey (Day One)

Posted on September 19, 2016 by geelw

So. How’s your Monday going? Good? Good.

Mine has been… interesting so far.

(Thanks, Sunshine Jack!)

Quiet. We’ll get back to you in a bit…

Anyway, this morning I popped up at 7:08am, made a pot of coffee and had a cup before popping out to the post office. Hey, I’d rather be home and dry writing up reviews, but you know how it goes when you need to go track down that thing you need to play games with so you can write those reviews, right?

Math time: rainy Monday + post office packed before 9am with cranky patrons + SUPER slow inquiry window = Yeah, it’s a Monday, all right. At 9:21am (I was fourth in line), the unusually nice guy at the window sees the tracking info on my phone that shows my refused box being refused at the hub station and my address and without missing a beat, says “Oh. It looks like someone pushed the wrong button on their tracker down at the other location, so your package got returned…”

Uh huh, I seeeee.

Wait, what?

Someone. Pushed. The. Wrong. Button…… Continue reading →

You Win Some, You Lose More…

Posted on September 18, 2016 by geelw

NOT actually what happened, but a little humor is needed here, so:

(Thanks, MrAnimeGodx!)

So, yeah. I’m still in a rotten mood from having my PS4 go missing before it reached my hot little hands, but at least I know the thief works for USPS and they need to do some housekeeping that involves someone losing their job and warming a cold bunk in a prison cell. Still, it’s going to be a stupid as hell Monday going down to the branch here with my tracking number to ask how the hell was driving that truck last week or who the hell at the hub where mail is sorted and went out thought they could get away with their plan. Anyway, I’ve been trying hard to enjoy the rest of my weekend, but it’s not working much…
Continue reading →

TGS 2016: BERSERK + Musou Stars Make Up For An Ongoing Crappy Year

Posted on September 17, 2016 by geelw

So. This week? LOUSY. I’m still trying to get my busted PlayStation 3 back from the jerk in Brooklyn who I sent it to for repair but neither did the work nor sent back the console, but can’t seem to get the legal wheels I set in motion to move faster after over four months. I finally went and bought my own new PS4 last week, but just found out it was shipped and allegedly arrived on the 12th, but was REFUSED, which is somewhat IMPOSSIBLE. I was here waiting for it all damn week and, hell, I don’t REFUSE any packages with my name on them. I suspect something fishy happened with the USPS driver and my purchase, as the standard procedure is to leave a slip in the mailbox if a recipient isn’t home. To me, REFUSED means someone figured out what was in the box and decided to give him or herself an early holiday gift at my expense.

I’ve contacted the seller to see if that return has indeed been returned and am waiting for a response. USPS is NO help at all, as all I got from them in an email saying the package was REFUSED and sent back, but I need to find out if it was received before proceeding further. If that PS4 is unaccounted for, I’ll be quite (well, even MORE) annoyed. Losing my old PS3 with ten years of save data is bad enough, considering I ended up having to replace that console with the same model, which wasn’t cheap. Losing $300 more on that new PS4 is going to make me want to kick something off the planet. Amusingly enough, I’d forgotten Tokyo Game Show is happening and Koei Tecmo gave my stressed out brain two games I really want to play… even though I currently have nothing to play them on.

Yeah, I hate people sometimes. Particularly the ones that cost me time and money on nonsense like this. FEH. Well… first world problems, I guess? Somebody have a good weekend out there, as I sure as hell won’t. I have NO idea with is up with me and tech and a few other things this year, but this song is now my life’s main title theme:

(Thanks, JORGE HITS OFFICIAL!)