These days everything seems to be automated, and I think you can probably relate when I say that I just don’t get to the Post Office very much anymore. The other day, I had to send some checks off to pay my taxes and found that stamps now cost 37 cents! I sure felt like a dummy, standing at the post office counter asking “when the heck did this happen?” For me, in terms of outgoing mail the USPS just isn’t as convenient anymore. E-Mail and automated bill pay are huge time savers. UPS and FedEx are becoming cheaper and easier for outgoing packages.

But when it comes down to it, 37 cents is still a pretty reasonable price to send something to anywhere in the country. I read here that there’s another increase coming soon to 39 cents, which doesn’t really bother me. Even though I don’t use it much, I am in awe of the postal system, along with UPS and FedEx. They are faced with logistical challenges beyond belief, yet still have outstanding success rates. It’s amazing.

Freaky week. As you may recall I spoke earlier this week about a co-worker quitting unexpectedly. That night the office was struck by lightning and blew out the building’s electrical system. They closed down the office and told all the employees to stay home, but I was summoned to work out of one of my boss’s other companies, calling our distributors on a crappy cell phone and letting them know what’s up, as well as trying to get a little artwork and order entry done out of a crammed little office on a slow laptop. It was an interesting day.

Of course the rest of the week was a mad rush to get caught up on everything, and being short two employees doesn’t help matters either. The orders are supposed to slow down during the summer. Part of me hopes for that, another part hopes for more orders than usual because it means the company is doing well and will grow, and as a result so will my career. But, you know, I could really use a break from this pace, so I can at least catch my breath.

Well we have another beautiful sunny and warm weekend with temps in the seventies here in Minneapolis. We’ve been in a grilling craze lately, grilling everything we can imagine. Tonight it’s pork chops, which Lizzie is urging me to get started on as we speak. So see you next time!