Public Enemy Number One: USPS

I seem to have an ever growing shit list these days, but the U.S. postal service, with their unheard of levels of fuckery, are definitely number one on it.


My biggest beefs with the postal service can be summarized as follows:

1) They seem to be set up not only in the most illogical and inefficient way possible, but in a way in which no one EVER has to have any liability or consequences for their actions. They could literally throw your package in the garbage and if you didn't insure it, too bad for you sucker. I am in no doubt if a hell does exist, it is some sort of combination DMV/post office

2) The complete incompetence of the system seems to be matched only by their inexplicable residence to a hotbed of crime. I have heard too many stories of people not only have their stuff "mysteriously" disappear in the hands of the postal service but also things such as having gift cards ripped out and removed and packages opened and valuables removed. And although I am incapable of proving it, I am almost positive that a postal employee took my card information and stole 400 dollars from my account.

3) Their status as a government agency presents them with more protections and funds than they deserve. Any other business with such a poor and unreliable track record would most likely be investigated by the Better Business Bureau. On top of all that, the United States Piece of Shit is receiving funds out of all of our pockets so that they can continue their reign of terror. My solution to the budget crisis: Dissolve the USPS and use that money to fund education.

4) The fact that their services usually come with false advertising. You can pay for overnight shipping but it's not guaranteed. There never is a guarantee is there. You have to pay a ton of money for insurance if you want any sort of security, and that only works if you file during a certain time periods--while of course the Post Office never holds it self to such trivial things like realistic time periods for doing anything. Why should you have to pay extra for them to insure that they do their job right?

5) When something goes wrong, nobody really wants to or is capable of helping me. Yeah some crack hole known as the International Inquiry Center is supposed to be dong SOMETHING, but I have my doubts. They also say it takes 60 DAYS. WTF. I have been doing a lot of legwork on this and it's only been a few days. Nobody in the post office communicates with each other and I am having to play the unpayed investigator.

In conclusion, the post office has recently caused me several months of hell/tears/stress due to their unbelievable levels of stupidity. Plus due to the unfortunate circumstance of my package not being insured, I am going to be losing a TON of money. Well a ton for me at least.

I am vowing never EVER to use the postal service EVER AGAIN. I mean it. This whole saga has been absurd. (Granted their may be times when it is absolutely unavoidable, but I am prepared to go to extreme lengths to achieve this.) I am a FedEx/UPS girl now.

Thank god for the Shiba Inu 6 or my bad mood might be irreparable. Puppies and chocolate seem to be the best answers to bad moods.

Lessons from the Big Apple

After spending 10 days in New York, I think I have learned several important lessons.

1) When they say it's cold, they mean it. As a previous Bavarian, I thought I could handle it, but I was definitely ignorant of the windchill here. I have never been so cold in my entire life, but I learned the lesson of layers. To prevent myself from constantly whining, I survived by wearing my entire wardrobe---a tshirt, 3 sweaters, a thick peacoat, a big scarf, a hat, tights, jeans, and warm boots. Everyone here seems to be more used to it or at least more willing to sacrifice for fashion, because I was the only marshmellow shaped one of the bunch.

I think living New York you also need to be a pro at de-layering, since every inside place seems to be sweltering---especially apartments, which are sauna-fied without control of the tenants and btw make very scary banging noises that sound like cat burglars coming to attack.

2) It really is the most expensive place in the U.S. You can pay close to 700 dollars to rent a closet, and beer costs §6(!!!) a pint without tip. Sadly minimum wage and menial jobs don't seem to pay much better than here in California, so I have no idea how anyone in New York affords to get drunk. Especially when Two Buck Chuck is 3 Buck Chuck (Yes. I was very offended).


3) Brooklyn is AWESOME. Especially the Williamsburg area. My closest comparison is to that of the Mission district, except with less Mexican food and more bars. No one who lives here seems to be over 30 (or at least they don't act like it), and they all know each other and live permantly in the really cool bars here. I like.

These streets will make you feel brand new, these lights will inspire you

Yet again I have succumbed to the cardinal sin of blogging: absenteeism. To be fair, I have actually been really busy---not sure how I can be so bored and so busy at the same time. Working two menial jobs, completing applications to grad school, harassing non-respondent recommenders, and Christmas shopping seem to do the trick though.

Thanks to the generosity of the airplane gods though I was granted a 300 dollar voucher for a flight and decided to ring in the new years and my birthday with one of my favorite people. With an 18 dollar flight and free diggs, it's a vacation even I can afford.

Normally people tend to flock to island locations when they want to get away from it all--given the desirability of warmer climates and a slower pace. But I am sort of aiming for the opposite. And to be honest, I think two weeks in New York is the only cure for 3 months in the suburbs. Having spent longer than the week I can normally stomach trapped in an incredibly public transport unfriendly locale sans car, where the average ages seems to be 60, I am more than ready to cut loose in the city that never sleeps.

I have to admit that previously I had a bit of a grudge against New York. I just tend to generally distrust anyone or anything that claims to be the best, and New York is so frequently proclaimed to be best at EVERYTHING, hence my skepticism. But I am now fully open to the idea that it really is as great everyone has been saying.

I am extra excited, because due to an early and unexpected invitation to an interview at UC Santa Barbara (which has an excellent school psychology program btw), my confidence has taken a huge boost and I am more hopefully considering the possibility of attending Columbia next year. I am partly considering this trip a possible preview of next fall.

I am of course mostly excited for the largeness and loudness of it all. The hustle and bustle, the legendary night life, and the amazing art and food scene. I know I will live it up being the typical annoying tourist, of the variety I often love to grumble at myself. Having lived through the confusion and cold of Munich I'm sure I can cut it in the Big Apple, despite my fears of spending too much on a pair of designer shoes or becoming irretrievably lost because of my fear to ask any New Yorkers for directions.

Really though I am stoked to reunite the dynamic S & M duo and embark on more spontaneous adventures in the vein of the shenanigans perpetrated this September.

Only a couple days until I can start feel brand new...

TYSKAB #3- No Lines

Germany is rightly known for being bureaucratic. More so than common sense or imagination would dictate. You have to register your address everytime you move if you want to be able to do anything, like get a library card or a bank account. 60% of all German literature is written about their tax system. You even need to get some sort of a license to have someone ELSE petsit your dog or cat.

Maybe this penchant beuracracy and the common belief that everything must really be done by the rules has led to the anomaly that is lines in Germany. Perhaps it's a rebellious act, or just a general impatience, I'm not sure.

But a line is a foreign and unknown thing here. And I mean everywhere. If you go into McDonald's for example, it's really more about how you can negotiate yourself around the mob. There are multiple cashiers who take your order, make your food, and ring you up (not very efficient I might add), and it's all a matter of making eye contact and squeezing up to a free person the quickest. If you tried to wait in line, you would wait your whole life. To me this is also grouped together with the idea that most German seem to have that you do not need to let people off a train or tram or subway before getting on. Especially on the train (deutsche bahn) you must literally fight your way off.

I really loved Germany, but this was one of the things that irritated me the most. Maybe I'm just a stickler for good manners, but it all just seemed incredibly rude---and it never ceased to irk me. Eventually the pushing and shoving became second nature and I could fight my way through like the rest of them, but the contrast from back home really amazed me. And even though it bugged me, nobody else seemed to be upset about it---so I guess if it works for you then what the hay. Just make sure to bring you're shoving elbows if you visit lovly Deutschland :)

*I feel like this is typical of all of Germany and not just Bavaria, which is why I referred to it as such.

The Best Thing Ever

If you are having a bad day, this will make it a good one. If you are having a good day, it will make it better. I laughed out loud several times---enjoy!

Things You Should Know About Bavaria #2---Nordic Walking

If you spend any time walking around Bavaria, you will probably notice some crazy-looking old people with what appears to be ski poles.

It's been a huge fad for the oldies to walk around with these giant sticks. Apparently it's known officially as Nordic Walking. I think it's supposed to be healthy or something, although to me it still just looks like crazy German people holding large unwieldy poles.

I'm just glad it hasn't caught on in the U.S...

Why I'm Glad I Don't Have a Car

Enough said.