Well... the day is pretty much blown. Here I sit... waiting for the UPS Lady... who is normally so punctual that I could set my watch by her appearance. But not today. I'm sitting here waiting mainly because one of two items scheduled for delivery today is time-sensitive, in that it must be repackaged and sent on its way elsewhere via the US Postal Service in order to meet a self-imposed (and self-important) deadline. This must also be done tomorrow, at the latest, due to Monday's holiday. But... no UPS, as we speak. I'm disappointed to say the least. One of the things I thought I could count on turns out to be much like everything else in life: there WILL be disappointments. And yet another bitch/moan/complaint... I was gonna make a combo commissary/pharmacy run out to the base this afternoon after UPS arrived, but that won't happen... as the pharmacy will be closed by the time UPS arrives (if/when, I should add) and I get The Green Hornet saddled up and on the road.
Enter the moan: the pharmacy is closed tomorrow. I don't know how this came to happen, exactly, but the USAF has taken to creating four day weekends out of EVERY single holiday that comes down the pike. It's not like I begrudge our air-people time off... far from it. But aren't three-day weekends enough? The cranky ol' man in me thinks that USED to be the case, back in the proverbial day. But times change, I guess. And I can pick up my prescription next Tuesday; it isn't like this is a life-threatening situation... it isn't. I always phone in refills well before the current supply of meds is exhausted. It's just inconvenient... and I'm pampered enough to resent inconvenience.
At least the commissary will be open tomorrow. I think.
(Image obtained here... along with an explanation if you're not familiar with Godot.)
I want me PAP!
ReplyDeleteI have tried to become more patient, but I use Walgreen's for my prescriptions. I only spend three bucks a month and I save the stuff on base for those who need it.
ReplyDeleteThe base requires me to have you-know-who's ID, so this is a hassle.
We really love that Tricare!
I ranted in Twitter last night about UPS. I waited until 8:13 p.m. last night for a sig required Next Day Air pkg.
ReplyDeleteIn my neck of the woods they have laid off drivers and the remaining are doing their own routes plus 1/2 of another guys. My driver who has been my driver for 6 years and normally an easy going, smiley, fun, guy - joined my in my rant as he apologized for being so late. He was given 110 stops...in rural Montana...in the winter. He has to chain up and remove chains a couple of times.
I asked him if they had to give up overtime. No. And the warehouse people who have to wait for all the drivers to get back, they get ot also.
While not the end of the world it is just one more stupid thing being done when people should be working smart.
Sorry about the pharmacy, etc...
DC: PAP? Whazzat?
ReplyDeleteOn Tricare: I love it, too. They've always been very, very good to me... and the providers in my area accept the fee schedule without complaint.
Ann: Ah. You may have explained the situation; my usual UPS Lady didn't show today... she was replaced by some guy I've never seen before. And the package I was waiting for didn't arrive... despite what the usually-accurate tracking web site sez. So, I'll spend most of my day tomorrow waiting AGAIN, while hoping the line at the Post Office won't be too long Saturday morning.
Bec said:
ReplyDeleteGosh, two items to connect with. Josiah is doing a bit from Godot this week (theater class, y'know). And I've been the recipient of numerous UPS visits for the last couple of weeks - elder son's birthday yesterday and text books and a desk for younger son. Our UPS and FED EX guys are like bees around here. One stops by almost everyday somewhere on our block. Laguna, you know.
It seems that many college students here are opting for ordering their books from Amazon rather than fighting the crowds and shortages in the campus bookstores.
I'm thinking that your sparse delivery is hooked up with the scarcity of air routes in rural areas. I know that my mom's hometown (Sault Ste. Marie, MI) may as well be in the Yukon, it's so hard to fly there.
You're too much like me, Buck.
ReplyDeleteGet all hunkered down into the groove of our routines (have the UPS and mail lady timed flat) and get pissed when life screws with our iron clad schedules.
If inflexible perfectionists ruled the world, things would be perfect.
One just comes to expect certain things, that's all. I'm the same way, and I have to tell myself to relax and go with the flow more often. And give myself a break while I'm at it!
ReplyDeleteI hope everything works out for you, Buck. Nothing is worse than waiting around for people who don't show up.
Bec: I'm thinking those college kids are smarter than we give 'em credit for, generally speaking. I've never seen "Godot," are you going? (That's probably the dumbest of dumb questions, now that I think on it.)
ReplyDeleteWe are "airport challenged" in these parts. Everything coming into P-Ville via UPS is trucked down from ABQ to Clovis, and then to P-Ville. But I get my 2nd-Day stuff on time, every time. It's the routine UPS Ground stuff that takes its sweet time getting here.
Daphne sez: If inflexible perfectionists ruled the world, things would be perfect.
Yup. And a LOT more painful for some folks, too. ;-)
Christina sez: One just comes to expect certain things, that's all.
This is true... especially when things have been a certain way for about five years or so. I've come to rely on UPS' delivery schedule and it upset me GREATLY today to realize nothing is forever. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteBec: I'm thinking those college kids are smarter than we give 'em credit for, generally speaking. I've never seen "Godot," are you going? (That's probably the dumbest of dumb questions, now that I think on it.)
Not dumb at all. The Godot is for an "in class" thing. (I read it once some time ago but don't remember it clearly cause it was kind of... well, vague.)
I will be seeing him in the two plays he's rehearsing for, though. One is being written by the performers and practiced by them as I speak, er write. The other one is Steve Martin's play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It take place in a bar and Josiah is playing a 25 year old Albert Einstein who engages in a bit of verbal sparring with Picasso. I helped him practice his lines last weekend and some of the lines were quite clever. I actually laughed a couple of times. That is an accomplishment for me as most college productions tend towards the angstly solemn, the revolutionary or the bawdy. Josiah loves doing comedy accents and he loves science and he has big hair so he's thrilled.
Hope you get your order tomorrow, Buck. After reading Ann's description, I feel sorry for the delivery guys in Montana - and all the other icy states. :(
Bec again:
ReplyDeleteKeep forgetting - I love your image and the personalized caption! You could make that into a t-shirt.
Speaking of t-shirts, did you see the t-shirt on the Anchoress today? It's what Kim at Wizbang is going to do with her "t-shirt stimulus" - My government is spending $790 billion and all I got was this lousy t-shirt
Ah... OK, I get the difference between a full blown stage production and in-class work. Not a stupid question after all, but quite by accident! I think I'd like the Steve Martin play, as I like Steve Martin, period.
ReplyDeleteWhich image are you talking about? The Godot image? I lifted that... it's not original. And yeah, I did see the Wizbang tee shirt image at The Anchoress' place today. Dunno if I'll buy one or not, though. But the tee shirt is timely and oh-so-appropriate.
I have seen "Godot" and was quite bored, which was its purpose. The UPS man here is so much better than the competition that I dare not complain. A friend who used to work for UPS told me that every thing is timed - each stop is alloted so many minutes. That is why your UPS man is friendly, but does not linger.
ReplyDeleteThe stops are timed...FedEx and UPS both - and I'm sure those other guys in the yellow whose name escapes me.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is some complex computer program that figures all of this out. I can imagine, being a programmer myself...and usually I think it works fairly well. I'm guessing they have tinkered trying to squeeze the most out of the least and have some report or statistical analysis to back up what they want to do.
FedEx is my most oft used example of the good side of technology and of the computer used properly as a tool - not that they are perfect- but it was their vision and implementation that forced UPS to become more efficient to remain competitive. The USPS is dragging along behind but finally coming to grips which opens up a whole 'nother can of worms discussion-wise...
The sad thing, to me, is that if a company cuts back in a way that doesn't really save AND is detrimental to customer service, it is going to take that company longer to get back in the game when things fire up.
Interesting additions, Lou and Ann, which goes a ways toward explaining the change in delivery timing. Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park is on the south side of P-Ville, furthest from the UPS facility in Clovis. UPS may have "demoted" us in the schedule strictly from a geographical efficiency perspective. Or maybe the guy was just overloaded with Vermont Teddy Bears or something...
ReplyDeleteI think those "yellow guys" you're referring to is DHL, Ann. They announced they were pulling out of the US market a few months back (with certain major metro market exceptions for international stuff), so you probably won't be seeing them around any longer. And I really hear ya about USPS and technology, aka Dark Ages. And they have the gall to raise their rates yet again, come May.
Daphne said "If inflexible perfectionists ruled the world, things would be perfect."
ReplyDeleteHear, hear!!! A woman after my own heart.
Hear, hear!!! A woman after my own heart.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Lady can WRITE, too! ;-)