Just before I left on a trip out and about to run errands this afternoon I told Andrew that I was going to go to the post office.
His reply: “Why go to the post office?”
I answered: “I *like* to go to the post office.”
Okay, maybe “like” is too strong a word. We’re not talking hurdy-gurdy music and cotton candy, but we’re not talking dirges and wailing banshees here either. Going to the post office is value neutral in general except that I like supporting the USPS and I do still get excited about getting the occasional piece of Real Mail That Isn’t A Catalogue or A Bill (which happens rarely).
And I needed to go to the post office to get stamps so I could continue to post our bills in timely fashion (Yes, I do still receive paper bills through the mail and sit down once or twice a month to (gasp) write checks to cover the bills which I then send back through the mail. I said I’m a Luddite, hush up and listen!).
“But Margaret!” I hear you cry, “When stamps are available at every grocery store, gas station, and even through stamps.com, why _bother_ making the extra trip to the post office?! Isn’t that a waste of time?”
Enh. Maybe so and maybe no. The point is that I was going to be right next to the post office while running other errands and while going to the post office is value neutral most of the time, getting cool stamps is a definite plus so I stopped in.
And cool stamps I most certainly got.
I walked up to the desk and asked for commemorative stamps. The desk jockey promptly got out his book of commemorative stamp samples and, of course, I glommed onto the Star Trek 50th anniversary commemoratives.
Making the Vulcan salute, the desk jockey told me that I had to be able to do that to qualify for purchasing those stamps.
I promptly did so.
With both hands.
At once.
My Geek blood runs strong.
Desk jockey and the younger desk jockey at the next service bay were suitably impressed and I completed my transaction.
At which point my desk jockey pulled another Vulcan salute at me and said “May the Force be with you.”
Which allowed the younger desk jockey and I the opportunity to soundly rag on the guy for not being a real Geek.
And that, my friends, is why I like going to the post office!!