Rather Not

I rarely post anything or comment on social media.  I'm a reader/lurker, and when I do post something, it's usually celebrating something to do with sports in a "closed group" on facebook.  My preferred status is not to appear.

Whenever I run into a subject or thread that I am tempted to respond to, I simply scroll through the already made comments and typically find at least one entry that states what I would want to say anyway.  At the same time, the few sensible comments that reflect my feelings are typically drowned in a litany of comments indicating perspectives that cause me to wonder how people having such thoughts can even tie their own shoes.  And so it goes.

Can't Win

Have had a couple of instances lately where I have stopped short of a parking lot driveway, to let someone pull out into traffic.  With that little bit of delay, a driver behind me becomes irritated, or worse, because I won't pull up enough to let them enter the same driveway.  Stands to reason, I suppose.

Well, OK

Back in mid-March, I mailed an important letter - a tax return.  Sent it certified mail, without a return receipt, since all I really wanted was a tracking number.  Watched the USPS app and web site tracking to see its progress.  It arrived at the destination city, and was shown out for delivery.  Then nothing else.  Waited the requisite 7 days, and filed a request for search for the missing item.  USPS sent a prompt email saying they would immediately begin looking.  Nothing.

At the end of April, USPS sent another email to me, stating they have not yet found the item, but are continuing to search.  These email messages are coming from a "no reply" address.

Fact is that the letter was delivered, apparently very much on schedule.  It just was not shown as delivered in the USPS system.  The tax return has been processed.  USPS won't find it.  I've been checking if there is a way to let them know they don't need to look any more.  However, in a way, it will be interesting to see how USPS finally resolves in their system what remains as a legally important and undelivered piece of certified mail.  Had I not been due a tax refund, I still would not know that the letter had actually been delivered.

USPS stood firm in their motto, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds..."  There's nothing in there that says they will let us know about it, I guess, even if we pay for that service.  Lesson:  Send tax returns via Fedex from now on.  Perspective:  This is the first case I have encountered where a certified mail item was not properly delivered and documented as such.  And, it will probably turn out that the IRS has some weird mail receipt process that disrupts the USPS procedures.  So there.

My Pleasure

Twice in the last week, from two different providers, I received the response "your welcome" to a thank you I had sent to them by email.

Hmmm...

Something lately had me wondering how much of life I have missed out on by being the set up/clean up guy.  If there's a meeting starting, I'm managing hand outs, setting up refreshments or a meal, prepping presentations, etc.  Others in the meeting are standing around talking with one another.  When the meeting is over, I clean up the table, put away the refreshments or leftover food, and take out the trash, while others stand around and visit (or bolt for the door).

Then again, the working around may be my own way of naturally avoiding the conversations that I probably subliminally don't care anything about.

So, the process of looking back should just be a pleasant revisit of history, rather than a retrospective source of regret?  Probably not for me anyway.  As likely as I would be found just standing around and talking when the trash cans are full.