The Post Office

Or if you are from Europe "The Post".

I truly believe individual post offices are designed with the MOST inefficiency in mind.  Nothing about this place is efficient.

Parking lots are not designed for you to "drop off" packages.  You must park, then go in.  Now letters, the drive thru is great.  Usually too, the parking lots have LOTS of parking - or none at all - although it's not like you are going to be in the post for a long time - it's supposed to be a short stop.

Now on to the inside of the post office.  Granted, they have come a LONG way with the machines as well as clerks.  Only the machines can only do "some" mailings.  NO media mail.  NO international mail.  Which actually does makes sense.  Maybe though, there could be a "sign" telling us which line to stand in.  Or stand in the machine line. I don't care what anyone tells you - there is ALWAYS a line at the post office.  I don't mind standing in line.  Some guy the other day gave me his card and wrote "text me" on the card.  While it made me smile, what are we 14??  Just say call me. Or, even better, "may I call you"

The PO BOX area.  This is the area that makes the LEAST sense of all of the above.  This area is spacious.  Uncluttered.  The cleanest area of all.  Why?  You aren't there long.  You check your box, then you leave - the least amount of time is spent in this area.  Yet where you have to stand in line, is well, cramped.  Crowded.  Dingy.

Enough of my complaining.  Now, why I don't like the actual post office - I do LOVE the postal service.  You want to know why?  For $.45 they will come to MY house in Denver, CO and take a letter to YOUR house ANYWHERE in the United States of America.  AND deliver it to YOUR front door.  FOR FORTY FIVE CENTS.    No wonder they are going out of business.

My suggestions:

• Stop mail delivery on Saturdays, but make the post office open on Saturdays.
• No mail delivery on Tues or Thursday.  Wait make that Monday's or Thursday's - after all there are 7 Monday closed holidays already.  (This doesn't include if a July 4, Christmas or New Years fall on a Monday) 
• Or charge for home delivery and make box delivery free

I know, I know there are mail carrier jobs out there.  But, why, oh why do we still get residential delivery.  I can see in rural areas, or for those that can't get out.  Maybe you get a tax break if you opt for "no home delivery".  Except, I would probably forget to go get my mail.  After two summers with no mail, well, it's ok.
The Postal Service was designed to get information to each other across the world in a timely matter.  Times have changed.

Truly though, you know why we can't get rid of the postal service?  No, it doesn't make money.  Yes, it could be done better.  No, it's not perfect.  But, it delivers dreams.  Thoughts. Home-made cookies. Hand-made dresses. They deliver hope. Hope with shiny catalogs of things we like.  Discounts on things we want to buy. Hope that maybe today there will be the hand-written note telling us nothing more than "hi", "I was thinking of you", "thank you" or "I'm sorry" or "I love you too".