Mailing my life away

Step 1,249 in the moving process: Change of address.

Kristin and I filled out little cards that informed the post office that on July 24th all mail is to be sent to our new address in New Hampshire. We handed our little cards to the post office lady, she glanced them over and said, "Okay, we'll take care of it." That was it.

It all just seems too easy. In my mind, the US postal service is the most unfathomably complicated concept in the history of mankind. How we have the resources and know-how to successfully send a letter from some rural, middle of nowhere post office in North Dakota, to a 150 square foot apartment in the projects of NYC is beyond me. With all the millions of individual pieces of mail sent out daily, how can one group of people make sure it all ends up in the right place.

When I think of the postal service, 2 things come to mind: The Pony Express and Newman from Seinfeld. Is today's mail simple a modern version of messengers on horses? Is all mail flown throughout the country on a daily basis? Is it packed up into trucks driven by people who can get from San Diego to Boston in only 3 days? Or maybe the mail is strapped on to horses, which are then herded into trucks and sent across the country? All I know is that I've never seen a mail truck on a highway much less one that is large enough to carry a pony.

Forget physicists, neurosurgeons, and environmental activists. Whoever can make sure my postcards reach 20 different people half way around the world in 3 days, deserves the Nobel prize. On the other hand, if this is the guy in charge our mail...

...may god help us all.