Mail FAIL

My KitchenAid mixer failed.  No, that's not the FAIL.  It has a fiber gear that is designed to fail, to protect the rest of the machine.  And that gear failed.  I disassembled the damn thing, found the stripped gear, googled it, and found a replacement part.  Bought it on Amazon, but it was an Amazon partner that actually shipped the new gear.  Using FedEx Smart Post.

FedEx Smart Post is supposed work like this:  FedEx picks up the package, ships it close to the final destination, whatever hub that may be, then hands off to the USPS (that's the United States Postal Service aka Cliff Clifford) who makes the final leg of the journey.

I was tracking my package on the internet, with a projected delivery date of 05NOV09.  Went on 06NOV09 to my mailbox, which I rent at the local UPS Store, but no package.  Checked again, now scheduled for delivery 07NOV09.  Went on 09NOV09, but still no package.  Went back home, and found that there was a "delivery exception" which stated that Cliffy tried to deliver the package on Saturday morning at 0741 but the store wasn't yet open.  Check with your local Post Office as to pick up the package or schedule redelivery.

Went to my local PO on Columbus and 68th.  Waiting in line.  A guy is migrating through the line, answering questions.  I show him my FedEx printout.  He's bewildered.  I say to him, "I've been in this line for 15 minutes.  I want to make sure I'm in the right line.  Am I?"  He had no idea.  Back and forth, several times.  Many "calm down" 's.  I tell him, "I am calm.  If you can't answer my question, do you know if anyone here can?"  He eventually tells me to go downstairs.

I head downstairs.  Wait a long time.  Finally ring the bell.  Hear chatter in the back. After 5 minutes more, someone finally comes out to the counter.  She has no idea.  Never heard of FedEx Smart Post.  Goes back to check.  Meanwhile more people come to the counter.  No one to help them.  They get impatient.  Ring the bell.  Repeatedly.  Finally someone else comes to help.  But not very helpful.

I say to the guy, "Frustrating, huh?"
"Unbelievable."
"You know" I say, "these same people will be running our health care"
His eyes narrow.
"Yeah, you know what I'm talkin' about" I continue.  I look straight at him.  "You voted for them, didn't you.  Yeah, you're a democrat.  Yeah!"
He didn't like that one bit.

Lady comes back.  No news on my package.

I go home, call FedEx, they say, "check with the Post office"

I call the Post office, try to schedule a redelivery.  They say yes, sure, blah blah blah.

Go to my UPS Store.  No slip in my box.  I ask.  They go in back, find the package.  Why no slip?  Don't know.  Check the internet again, USPS says they delivered 09NOV09 at 1406.  I checked my mail at 1430.

FedEX:  FAIL
USPS:  FAIL
UPS Store:  FAIL
Amazon:  FAIL by association

I'm blaming pretty much everyone but me.  That's my right.  The customer is always right.

voting [updated]

Goldberg for Council

I'm gonna vote for this guy. 

updated

Me and 6.370 other  UWS'ers

City Council - District 6 - General

New York - 150 of 150 Precincts Reporting - 100%

	Name	Party	Votes	Vote %
	Brewer , Gale (i)	Dem	26,041	80%
	Goldberg , Joshua	GOP	6,371	20

more Patterson thoughts

Instead of quitting with dignity right now, Patterson should just do what he thinks is best for the state.  Don't worry about trying to win votes in the next election, the next primary.  Internally but silently acknowledge that you will not get reelected, and just do the difficult thing.  Cut the budget, oust fraud and cronyism, to hell with the toes that get stepped on.

And if he does, he'll find that his chances of reelection will improve.  But he can't do it as a gimmick, a tactic -- it is either sincere, and therefore effective, or fake ... and the voters (and his opponents) will sniff it out in a heartbeat.

Patterson vs. Palin

Seth's Blog: The joy of quitting

It's an fascinating idea.

The governor of New York faces an interesting choice.

He can do the natural thing, the thing with momentum, the thing he's been trained to do his entire life: run for a full term. That involves raising a lot of money, living on the road, compromising a lot to gain support and almost certainly losing, probably in the primary.

Or, he can quit. He can win the embrace of his party, of power brokers and his family by quitting now, as opposed to losing later.

It just would have been better if he had done it before anyone suggested it.  Doing it now, I don't see that he wins "the embrace of his party."  Rather, they'll just consider him a chump.  Which they already do.

There's a needle here that he can thread, where he keeps his dignity, reputation, and influence.  I don't know what it is.  And Patterson probably doesn't either.  If he did, he could get reelected.

Palin's resignation is what Patterson could have done.

I am part of a crew

Meet Your Farmers: Jen Small and Mike Yezzi, Flying Pigs Farm in New York | Serious Eats

Your crew: Blake, Andrew, and Erin work with us on the farm. Peter, Daniel, and Jonathan work with us at the Greenmarkets in New York City.

protocol

if you friend your dentist on facebook, and then schedule an appointment with said dentist, and, before heading to the office, post a status update that says, "headed to the dentist ... what joy" there is a possibility that your dentist might just happen to log onto facebook before your appointment ... just saying.

FWE

I thought that I had conquered my jet lag, but being wide awake at 0300 this morning leads me to believe that I have more work to do. At any rate, it allowed me to prep my no knead bread, now in the oven, for its second rise. Trying some modifications on the standard recipe: added a handful of barley, a shot of bourbon, some poppy seeds, one third whole wheat flour ... confidence is high.

I head out to LI today to sign the contract on the sale of my house. Yes, a buyer has been found. I've got two slabs of oak veneer plywood that I need to turn into bookshelves before I lose access to my garage, so that will happen in the next few days.

Good to be off the ship. A very tiring contract. Lots of work. But now it's time to rest, to renovate, to cook, to have some decent conversations, to drink some good wine. Life is good.

Fujairah

I'm at the Hilton Fujairah, with my MacBook and a mug of Warsteiner, surfing away, but the connection is slow and for some reason I can't access my gmail, the main purpose of going ashore. It's hot, been at anchor for a week and taking an asswhipping. Cleaned the main condenser, some other jobs, fighting the heat ... shift to Qatar soon for a load to Belgium. Halfway done with my contract, and am already weary ... more weary than at this point in the past. Anyhow, I'll hang in there and get 'er done. Back to NYC in September.

email me at a2 DOT areesh AT ships DOT teekay DOT com

in Frankfurt, in transit

and stealing borrowing an internet signal from the VIP lounge. Three more hours before my flight leaves, but not three more hours on my battery ...

A busy last few weeks at home, closing on the apartment, doing some paid HVAC work, visitors crashing on the futon, and finding out Tuesday morning that I would be leaving Wednesday rather than Thursday. But it's all good fun. Confidence is high that my cactus Cluster will survive another summer.

to Egypt

Leaving Thursday Wednesday to join the Al Areesh in the Suez canal. Just got the email from the office a few minutes ago. I'll be gone until Mid September. You can email me at a2 DOT areesh AT ships DOT teekay DOT com

this is why I'm so busy

The 10 Hardest Jobs To Fill In America - Forbes.com

My skill set overlaps at least 3 of these jobs, all three of which have earned me income in the past few months.  Which is why it's good to be going back to sea this week, so I can finally get some rest.

A B C

always be closing ... though I don't think this is what they had in mind. You mean for a certified check to actually be certified, the bank needs to sign it? Who knew? Glad the bank has a branch nearby.

I took the bus

Sitting at an au bon pain surfing the net while I wait. Wait, that is, for the closing on the apartment that I am buying. My square footage is about to triple.

But how to get out to LI (Lake Success) for the closing? Typed the address in Google map, clicked get directions and the "public transportation" option and here I am, using only a metrocard.

Anyhow, the action starts in another 30 minutes, enough time to get recaffeinated.

Today is Pentecost

Pentecost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Intelligent radio

The John Batchelor Show

by far the most intelligent show on radio (or TV for that matter, though I haven't had a TV in 9 years).  And it seems that WABC 77AM nyc is broadcasting the show from 7pm to 1 am.  Awesome.

Peter Brogna's Film "I Love My Suit"

Vote | REEL 13

So I'd like to ask all three readers of my blog to watch Peter's film and then give him your vote. Of course I'm biased, as Peter is a friend, and a colleague, but I did watch the other two films ... barely.

Technically, "I Love my Suit" is far and away the winner. But I think the story is great as well.

Now I'm just waiting for him to film "I Love my Soup"

I LOVE MY SUIT from Peter Brogna on Vimeo.

Buceo 95

They serve their wine as "quartino's" which is about a 1/3 of a bottle. And they've got some great wines. Exposed brick on two walls, a horseshoe shaped bar and plenty of tables with high chairs (not "highchairs" but high chairs). I had the mushroom croquettes and the mini lamb burgers. It's a great place. Prices are very fair for the neighborhood. Too bad it's 25 blocks from my apartment. A night out, at any rate. Much recommended.

Buceo 95

Piracy

FOXNews.com - Somali Pirates Hijack Ship, Seize 20 Americans - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

Sunday Morning Bread

Made some no knead bread this morning. Still cooling off, but expectations are high. Will go well with the beef shank soup I am making.

This was after about 18 hours.
Ingredients:
- half cup oats
- cup of wheat flour
- 1-1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/4 teaspoon yeast
- 1 tblsp red wine vinegar
- 1 shot Bulleit Bourbon
- Warm water to added to vinegar and bourbon to bring liquid to about 1-3/4 cups

Dough out on a floured board, flattened and folded in on itself, then into a corn meal dusted towel and back to sleep for a few more hours

Finally, baked for 30 minutes in a pot with the lid on, 15 more with the lid off, and waiting for slicing and butter.