Random Stuff

Since Fall quarter is DONE, I can finally breathe a little! It's been an INCREDIBLY busy 10 weeks with so much to blog about, yet so little time. In no particular order (and what I remember)...here we go:

1) It's going to snow today in RI. The same storm that's causing all sorts of blizzard conditions in the Mid-Atlantic is on the way. This means PANIC at the market! (And possibly a Church cancellation tomorrow!) Don't get me wrong, we always enjoy going to Church, but a break once in a while is always welcome because we're both so busy at Church too - it's hard to enjoy it sometimes!

Because the snow is coming I moved about 5 wheelbarrow loads of wood from the back to the front by the garage so we could stack it inside. That way we just have to go to the garage for wood when we need it. It's cold (19 or so degrees) and the kids were out with me for a little while, but got too cold so they came in for Mary Poppins (A regular feature at our house lately - Megan practically has the entire 2 hours and 22 minutes memorized!) Anyway...when I was finally done, I came in to see this:

Two kids, on the couch, with the Cheesy Poofs, watching the movie. What a life!

2) I went to Ryan's FIRST Christmas singing concert yesterday. It was cute! Details and video in another post to come!


3) I think I broke my toe. About 2 weeks ago, I tripped in my office while trying to get something away from Megan (she's a little "swiper" lately!) and I caught my foot on a shelf. Yes, it was graceful. I initially thought that I sprained it. I had a really pretty bruise for a while. But now it just hurts - all the time. Soooo...in addition to taking the kids to the Pediatrician on Tuesday (regular appt - no vaccines for us!) I'm going to try to sneak in an appointment with the foot doctor who happens to be in the same building. Lovely...


4) Megan - has been REALLY fresh lately. She'll look us in the eye and do just what we tell her not to do. She's quick too! I can't tell you how many times she's gotten the camera, a permanent marker, food, mom's craft scissors, and other stuff she's not supposed to have. She's also acquired a BAD habit of waking up in the middle of the night and coming into our room. She doesn't say anything anymore, she just climbs into bed with us. Of course Ric and I are always exhausted or half asleep and don't realize that she's there until the morning. *sigh*

Oh, and she also bit Ryan on the cheek the other day. He most likely deserved it because he'll hold her down and won't let go even if she's screaming so the only thing she thinks she can do is bite! He has some nice purple teeth marks on his right cheek. The joys of siblings!


5) Ryan - what can I say about this kid? He's grown SOOOO much, but still refuses to go to the potty! We've all but given up and are just encouraging every once in a while. Neither of us have the energy anymore to force him to sit/stand in the bathroom. At least he wears them... somewhere!


6) Ric has been coming home mentally and physically exhausted every day for the last few weeks. First, let me state here (and Ric would agree) that the people who run the Post Office are a bunch of idiots who don't listen to anyone who actually works with the general public.

At the end of November, two jobs in Ric's office were abolished. Then one was relisted for bid. (This happened at many offices around here.) Ric's coworker decided that she had had enough of the "public" and bid out for another behind the scenes job, so luckily, Ric was able to stay in his office.

Now...there are only TWO people in his office and one part timer. His office is EXTREMELY busy all the time. Think about it...just two weeks before everything starts to heat up for Christmas and they cut one position in a really busy office, PLUS hire someone brand new to it all part time that has to learn everything while people are lined up in the lobby and out the door? (sorry for the run-on sentence!) It does mean a little bit of overtime pay, but SO isn't worth it when Ric comes home and he looks like he's been beaten up!

Of course, today he's working and has to deal with not only the people who procrastinated and are rushing to the post office to mail Christmas stuff, BUT the people who HAVE to buy their one or two stamps because the snow that's the way! (And we all know the panic that happens when even one flake is mentioned here on the news!)


7) Take a look at this. My 14 year old fat cat, SuziQ. She's a permanent fixture in front of the fire lately. I think I just might join her while I work on Christmas Cards that should have been sent out WEEKS ago! (By the way...we actually didn't have to turn up the oil heat until just this week because of this fire insert!)

Ric headed for the night shift starting 12/08

To my surprise, I received an email at work that I had been drafted for 12/08 through Christmas to work on the night shift as a Transportation Specialist and cover for someone that is out on extended sick leave. I accepted the offer with a little persuasion from Marni and I'll be working the 15:00 to 24:00 shift with OT on Saturdays and Sundays off until Christmas.  Instead of my usual trip and assignment in Mansfield (the USPS didn't need a building this year due to a 50% reduction in projected mail volumes), I will be working in the Providence Main Post Office pictured above.

Ric

Rate increase for the USPS in January

I have learned at work that there will be another rate increase for shipping packages on January 18, 2009. This does not affect the price of stamps, only for packages. For more information, follow this link: 2009 USPS rates .
Ship anything and everything you can before that date in order to save money and make sure you use the Priority Mail flat-rate boxes when you can.

Ric

Tough times for the USPS - my rant

I don't think in the nearly 22 years I've been in the USPS that we've ever seen things this bad before. Business is down...WAY down and it's only going to get worse as long as the fuel costs for all of us are at the $4 per gallon.

One of the emails that we received at work from our manager inquired as to why our Priority Mail revenue was down. Luckily my co-worker and head clerk Tom had some pointed answers and insight that gave our manager something to think about. #1 is that we can't sell to people that aren't coming into our office for any reason at all. If no one is in line at our office to mail or purchase anything, we don't stand a chance to increase our revenue. #2 is that all of our daily eBay and online business customers are also feeling the sharp decline in their business and they too are hurting. People simply aren't spending their money on non-essential items right now when it takes more to gas the car and put groceries in the fridge at home. #3 is that our "leaders" in the USPS have beat us over the head with "use Click+Ship" service that we provide online so now many people that are still shipping and doing it from home and getting their items picked-up instead of wasting gas and coming to my office. #4 is that with the new inception of the Forever Stamp, less people have had to come to the post office to purchase stamps or the 1-cent increase stamp since they stocked up on the Forever Stamp in large quantities before the May 12 rate change. Again, less people in line = less opportunity to sell or maximize revenue.

I will say that our office in particular does a great job of maximizing opportunities in generating money for the USPS, along with protecting the revenue and services that we provide our customers as well. One of the ideas being floated right now as a trial period is that Saturday delivery of mail will be terminated in order to control our fuel costs. For each penny the fuel rises, it costs the USPS $8 million.

You can help me keep my job and ensure that you get the best personalized service by either NOT using Click+Ship online or at least not paying for postage online (just create the address label without postage) and go to your local post office to mail anything you need to.

Ric

USPS rate increase next week!

I wouldn't be a very good customer service and sales clerk for the USPS if I didn't remind all of you that the postal rates are increasing on May 14th. A first class stamp will increase to 41 cents along with some other major changes in our products, rates and services. No, I'm not getting a raise this year either. This rate increase is directly related to the costs of fuel over the past year. Each 1 cent rise in fuel prices equals a $1 million additional expediture increase for the USPS. Transportation (and fuel) is the second biggest expense for the USPS.

Packages will be subject to shape-weight-distance pricing (just like the UPS guys in the big brown trucks). So if you're going to mail a large or odd shaped package, you will end up paying more because of its size and shape but also rated at a heavier weight due to the amount of space it will take up in the planes when shipping. (It's all very complicated to explain in detail and luckily our POS computers at work will figure this stuff out for us). The best way to avoid and surcharges is to use our Priority Mail supplies and boxes

Speaking of our supplies, you can now use our Priority Mail supplies/boxes to ship outside the USA! That's a good thing and will most likely increase our foreign mail volumes. There will no longer be any "surface" mail (aka slow and cheap; up to two months for delivery) overseas. That's a great thing for us because we often hear so many complaints about the mail overseas.

Email me if you have more questions. ric@thelevetts.com