About to go insane
Yeh, it was that kind of a day. But then you look at others who have issues that I would rather not have. Like a family just recently lost their two hour old newborn, or rather unhealthy woman who could not stand 10 minutes in line at the post office without panting and moaning audibly, or others who are in the middle of family health, financial and other crisis.
My life seems quite uneventful when I see all the complexity of life experienced by many others. So, I do not mean to bore you with any of this normal life events that I experience day to day.
Post office was chaotic today. Well, I spent about 15 minutes filling out the customs documents to be submitted with the airmail packages before I could get in the long line. I learned that for the security reasons, post office has implemented new steps of recording who is sending what to where inputted in the system at the counter when they receive package from customers for international mailing. Well, it used to be, they weigh, measure if need to, translate it to the $ amount for the cost of shipping, I pay and I leave. Now, it is more like I hand them the package, they examine, weight, then type in my last name, full name, address, adressee's name (try EIKO MINAMOTO, or YOSHIKI MINAMOTO,), and the address of destination. Now, no matter how intelligent or not intelligent the person at the counter is, reading the hand written address like 6-602, MIZUKIMACHI, YURIGAOKA 3-22, ASAOKU, KAWASAKI, JAPAN, and more numbers for the zip with certain timeliness would present an excruciating challenge, especially when 10-15 people behind me are glaring at them with eyes that speak louder than anything, "What is taking so long? ". I had to spell out everything to them one letter at a time, one dash and hyphen at a time. This took considerable duration that felt like an eternity. I was most patient. I did suggest that I could type it for him much faster if they could have the key board available for the customer side. Of course, that would negate the purpose of security.
It was not my unpreparedness that was taking other customers' precious time. I felt piercing eyes of disgruntle customers behind me. It is the newly implemented security measure to keep us all safer at Holiday season for every international package going out. Please don't tell me that you sense a tone of sarcasm. You know, I could never be sarcastic. I think I am coming up with a different way of gift giving instead of sending things I purchase at local store that only end up being put through the scrutiny of security measure and being charged hefty price for it. I spent over $80 for two boxes. The attendants at the Post Office agreed and voiced her and his opinion loud and clear, well, louder than mine so everyone could hear, "They are making us all do so much extra work to keep us safe from people we don't need to keep us safe from". Well, I don't think I ever posed any danger to the country but now I felt like I was being put on a pedestal. I bet this would end up curving profit from international package delivery. I have made up my mind to ease my pain for the future mailing. Whew.
Life is interesting. The unfortunate truth is that I have one more such box that has to be sent out to Japan! Just one more to make my yearly "enjoyment" complete.
I am going to move away, slowly from the most popular community internet site everyone meets and greets.
I discovered recently that I like to write. I don't know why but new interest was infused into me through an event and days that followed more or less, when I was least expecting it. So, I would say, life is interesting.
I would hope that people who really know me would read and see what I am or we are up to. Mostly, I just want to write to keep a record for my posterity.
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