So I'm going to the post office today to get stamps. I have to buy Christmas Stamps b/c my wife informs me that they MUST BE CHRISTMAS STAMPS to go on our Christmas Cards. (groan)

Anyhow...

I walk in and there are 3 people in front of me. Two old ladies with both feet in the grave and some young pot head with 12 boxes to ship and then myself. About 5 minutes pass and there is now a line backed out the door.

This bank has 4 teller stations...yet there is only a teller at one of them and nobody else is to be found. 20 minutes passes and this one teller is now done with the both of the old hens and begins to get high from the fumes coming from the stoner in front of me and his 12 boxes.

She finally gets on the mic and calls for help to handle the line.

NOBODY COMES!

She keeps calling and we begin to hear yells from the back that so and so is busy, and so and so is on break, etc.

I'm in the Post Office for well over 30 minutes all to buy 3 books of stamps that I can't buy from the self service machine b/c they don't carry Holiday Stamps in it forcing me to be held hostage in this line.

I HATE THE POST OFFICE!

Christopher

Dude, you take the cards and tell the wife you'll take care of it. Go to the grocery store and get regular stamps and send them. Or you can be like me, take the cards and toss 'em out.

If only there was a competitive alternative.

Start one. Good luck.

Yeah, how'd that work out for Lysander Spooner?

Uh, you slide from post office to bank. I think you might have been standing too close to the dude,

First day of the month is always a bad idea, as is the 15th. Post office is all about timing. Like don't grocery shop between 5pm and almost 7pm.

It's still cheaper and less time consuming than taking the letters yourself to all the people.

Randi

Hi Randi, hope Japan was good.

I hate the regular post office, just a bunch of LAZY gov't "workers". I found a good little branch office in a wine store, the old lady that works there is SLOW but usually there is noone there. Takes 1 min to get stamps.

Tom,

Normally I would go to the bank, but they were all out of stamps today, so I was stuck.

Randi,

Can't wait to hear about the trip!

Christopher

There's only one bank where you live? Super markets also sell postage stamps.

Where I live we have a one person post office, I've never seen anyone there other than the one worker. We have no bank or grocery store!

So that's why you flip from postal worker to teller.

Right next door to my closest Post Office is a Mail Boxes Etc. They sell stamps for about a nickel per stamp over post office rates. Sometimes it is worth it to avoid the Post Office line when there is one.

Santa I can understand in your case I know you live in a rather isolated area. But Christopher lives in Dallas Tx. I am sure there are more that one p.o. or supermarket in his area. Heck even stores like 7-11's often sell books of postage stamps.

Christmas is the time for gold, frankingmachines and myrrh.

God I hate it too. There is no instruction for folks that have no idea what to do as far as getting tracking and/or using customs forms (me on my first couple trips.) Also they don't offer tape for free, you have to buy a whole darn roll for $5. Also, many tellers at my local one are rude and act like customers know the ins and outs of postal service.

/rant

Michael - use the one in Bellevue. They're awesome...and you can sit in traffic to get there

Christopher,

And you're going to LOVE government-run medical care, too!

Woland

You can get stamps on line. next day in your mail box.

Will the cards get there in time now anyway?

Here in Endland they sell stamps in other places apart from the PO such as news agents etc .