![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Dept. of Only Me, Maynard
When Are Stamps Not Stamps?
I've been doing things, I assure you. I finally whipped my piece on Stray Kids and Lolla into shape for my friend; she indicates that it works for her. I did more research on the KPop business, and added that to the piece. Figuring out how to put all the pieces together was both easier and harder for me to do than I expected. Still, it is done.
I also completed writing 200 postcards to potential voters in North Carolina. That became weird and sad, in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton; many of the folks I had on my list to contact were in the west end of the state and in communities like Asheville, which was devastated by flooding. There was every possibility that some of the people I mailed no longer had a home, or might be injured or dead. When I thought about that, I added phrases to the messages we were supposed to use - "if you can" was the big one: vote "if you can" so they don't think the postcards are landing in their mailbox with no understanding of what they could be going through.
It still feels sad and weird. I hope the cards reach everyone; I hope they are all alive.
On the other hand, actually getting all 200 postcards sent out was a comedy of errors. I'd pre-ordered 60 postcards and they arrived; I was able to send out 60 of the 200 on Oct. 15, the day they all were supposed to go out.
But I needed 140 more. (I didn't order 200 because I didn't have enough in the bank for the entire amount at the time.) So I started hunting for more. Easier said than done. First thing: finding postcard stamps at any of the post office branches in far north Chicago was useless. I checked four separate branches, either in person or by phone; no, they didn't have any. Leaving one of the postal branches, I heard another guy get the news about the lack of postcard stamps; when I asked him to confirm what I thought I heard, he nodded. Then he asked me, "Are you writing political postcards?" I nodded back. Yep. We grinned at each other, and agreed that the vast numbers of people writing postcards to swing states must be vast. Heh.
I then contacted the post office in one of my old stomping grounds (Wilmette), because it occurred to me that a lot of Chicagoans wouldn't think of going farther away than Evanston, and might completely miss the tiny Wilmette postal branch. I was right. When the nice lady at the other end of the line told me they had some, I drove up there as fast as I legally could. The lady from who I bought the stamps had a bit of an accent, so I can't be sure, but I think I cleaned her out.
I eagerly took the stamps down to the much larger Evanston post office, in order to ensure the postcards got mailed out quickly. It was then that I realized that I had 140 stamps, but 160 postcards. I slapped them on the cards and slipped them through the mail slot. Then I eyed the self-service section of the post office, an area I usually don't pay attention to, because I prefer having someone help me. But I walked over and eyed the list of self-service options. Why look! Preprinted stamps! Maybe this section hadn't been cleaned out! I reached for my debit card -
- and couldn't find it, not anywhere in my purpose, not in my jeans pocket, not in my jean jacket pockets, not on the floor of the car. Oh, hell; I must have left it in the gas station pump card reader when I filled up my tank between Wilmette and Evanston. I fought the panic - would I find it? Or would I have to cancel the card? I got back in the car and went to the gas station. Nope, not in the card holder. I took a breath and was about to ask the cashier inside whether someone had handed a debit card in -
- when my hand slipped into the one pocket I apparently hadn't checked. There was the card. Yay! Back to the Evanston post office!
I put the card into the self-service kiosk and ... ordered 60 postcard stamps. Brain, let me show you my lack thereof. Ah, well, I could probably use them, I told myself. I waited for the sheets of stamps to come out.
Reader, they did not come out. The stamps came out one. at. a. time. And they weren't actual stamps. Each one was a QR code and small print sticky-backed label that indicated that the QR code represented a postcard stamp. Well, isn't that special.
Did I mention there were two people behind me, folks who'd lined up while I was reeling from the understanding that I'd have to wait for each one of 60 stamp-like bits of paper to slowly, oh so slowly, slide into my hands.
I apologized profusely. Many times. One guy left, but one woman stayed. I apologized again, more profusely, and mentioned that my hair would have turned grey because of this, if it wasn't already grey under the blue. I ended up saying I was trying to decide between Too Much Ice Cream or a Big-Ass Martini to get over this. She laughed, and said, "Go for the martini."
The final postcards were mailed, only one day late.
So now I have 40 not-stamps. I'll be sending postcards out, folks. Let me know if you'd like one. Or maybe two. Sigh.
I've been doing things, I assure you. I finally whipped my piece on Stray Kids and Lolla into shape for my friend; she indicates that it works for her. I did more research on the KPop business, and added that to the piece. Figuring out how to put all the pieces together was both easier and harder for me to do than I expected. Still, it is done.
I also completed writing 200 postcards to potential voters in North Carolina. That became weird and sad, in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton; many of the folks I had on my list to contact were in the west end of the state and in communities like Asheville, which was devastated by flooding. There was every possibility that some of the people I mailed no longer had a home, or might be injured or dead. When I thought about that, I added phrases to the messages we were supposed to use - "if you can" was the big one: vote "if you can" so they don't think the postcards are landing in their mailbox with no understanding of what they could be going through.
It still feels sad and weird. I hope the cards reach everyone; I hope they are all alive.
On the other hand, actually getting all 200 postcards sent out was a comedy of errors. I'd pre-ordered 60 postcards and they arrived; I was able to send out 60 of the 200 on Oct. 15, the day they all were supposed to go out.
But I needed 140 more. (I didn't order 200 because I didn't have enough in the bank for the entire amount at the time.) So I started hunting for more. Easier said than done. First thing: finding postcard stamps at any of the post office branches in far north Chicago was useless. I checked four separate branches, either in person or by phone; no, they didn't have any. Leaving one of the postal branches, I heard another guy get the news about the lack of postcard stamps; when I asked him to confirm what I thought I heard, he nodded. Then he asked me, "Are you writing political postcards?" I nodded back. Yep. We grinned at each other, and agreed that the vast numbers of people writing postcards to swing states must be vast. Heh.
I then contacted the post office in one of my old stomping grounds (Wilmette), because it occurred to me that a lot of Chicagoans wouldn't think of going farther away than Evanston, and might completely miss the tiny Wilmette postal branch. I was right. When the nice lady at the other end of the line told me they had some, I drove up there as fast as I legally could. The lady from who I bought the stamps had a bit of an accent, so I can't be sure, but I think I cleaned her out.
I eagerly took the stamps down to the much larger Evanston post office, in order to ensure the postcards got mailed out quickly. It was then that I realized that I had 140 stamps, but 160 postcards. I slapped them on the cards and slipped them through the mail slot. Then I eyed the self-service section of the post office, an area I usually don't pay attention to, because I prefer having someone help me. But I walked over and eyed the list of self-service options. Why look! Preprinted stamps! Maybe this section hadn't been cleaned out! I reached for my debit card -
- and couldn't find it, not anywhere in my purpose, not in my jeans pocket, not in my jean jacket pockets, not on the floor of the car. Oh, hell; I must have left it in the gas station pump card reader when I filled up my tank between Wilmette and Evanston. I fought the panic - would I find it? Or would I have to cancel the card? I got back in the car and went to the gas station. Nope, not in the card holder. I took a breath and was about to ask the cashier inside whether someone had handed a debit card in -
- when my hand slipped into the one pocket I apparently hadn't checked. There was the card. Yay! Back to the Evanston post office!
I put the card into the self-service kiosk and ... ordered 60 postcard stamps. Brain, let me show you my lack thereof. Ah, well, I could probably use them, I told myself. I waited for the sheets of stamps to come out.
Reader, they did not come out. The stamps came out one. at. a. time. And they weren't actual stamps. Each one was a QR code and small print sticky-backed label that indicated that the QR code represented a postcard stamp. Well, isn't that special.
Did I mention there were two people behind me, folks who'd lined up while I was reeling from the understanding that I'd have to wait for each one of 60 stamp-like bits of paper to slowly, oh so slowly, slide into my hands.
I apologized profusely. Many times. One guy left, but one woman stayed. I apologized again, more profusely, and mentioned that my hair would have turned grey because of this, if it wasn't already grey under the blue. I ended up saying I was trying to decide between Too Much Ice Cream or a Big-Ass Martini to get over this. She laughed, and said, "Go for the martini."
The final postcards were mailed, only one day late.
So now I have 40 not-stamps. I'll be sending postcards out, folks. Let me know if you'd like one. Or maybe two. Sigh.
no subject
Also my immediate thought was 'Oh you could send a few of your spare cards to Netflix'. *g*
(It will be a lot cheaper than sending a postcard across the ocean.)
Also I hope you got your martini! <3
no subject
Yep; regular stamps are now $.73, while postcard stamps are $.56 - which made them a necessary purchase; putting full cost stamps on each of my 200 postcards would have been prohibitively expensive, although at my most worried, I thought I might have to swallow the extra cost. I'm so glad I didn't have to!
'Oh you could send a few of your spare cards to Netflix'.
How is that campaign going?
I ended drinking some soju, which worked as well or better than a martini. Heh.
no subject
I hear ya. But also that is... cheap, comparatively. A 1st class (next day) stamp is £1.65, 2nd class (takes a few days) is 85p. This is for letters up to 100g. I had to look up the prices, I never send letters it's too expensive. :(
although at my most worried, I thought I might have to swallow the extra cost. I'm so glad I didn't have to!
Yeah, for that many it adds up!!
How is that campaign going?
Well, I think? The fandom is very active, but it's anyone's guess if the campaign is having an impact.
I ended drinking some soju, which worked as well or better than a martini. Heh.
Brills!
no subject
If you want next day delivery by the United States Post Office (the USPS hedges that guarantee by calling it "1-2 day"), the cost runs somewhere from $7.75 "and up" to $26.35 "and up." Private delivery companies run around $23 and change. I just checked today's US-UK exchange rate ... the USPS range would be £6-£20.40.
I guess you folks could consider your prices as positives, given American equivalencies?
no subject
Hm. Not *guaranteed*. But... the idea is next day delivery. If you want it guaranteed (or signed for etc) that costs more.
I guess you folks could consider your prices as positives, given American equivalencies?
We're still cross that Royal Mail was privatised and has gone significantly downhill. We don't really look abroad, we just grumble.
no subject
no subject
Are you able to get your stamps at a larger range of retail outlets?
no subject
chuckled that no one in Wilmette is apparently sending out postcards. (I could've warned you about the individually printed labels; the USPS made that change a few years ago, possibly before DeJoy even.)
no subject
Oh, Wilmette is a lot more Democratic than it once was. My guess is that they had postcard writing parties, and did what I did for a small number of my stamps - ordered them directly from USPS. Smart, and you wouldn't have to go through the forced treasure hunt a lot of us had to go through.
The whole idea of thermal labels is just ... eurgh. Can't tell you why I dislike it; probably because they're ugly, and regular stamps aren't. I know - elitist of me. Heh.
no subject
Thanks for helping get the word out about voting.
no subject