People seriously need to learn how to use the APC (Automated Postal Center) at their post office. It’s so unbelievably easy to use, it walks through you through every single step, and it saves you sooo much time. No more waiting in line for 30-40 minutes just so the postal clerk can weigh a single package and stick a stamp on there. Gah, I remember so many lunches during my senior year of high school that I spent waiting in the horribly long and slow-moving line, just so I could mail off college applications and financial aid forms. It was a huge pain in the butt.
Say hello to the new APC! I think they’ve had them in place since 2005 or 2006; I don’t know if you can find them in every single post office but they definitely have one in the post office near my house and I’m so incredibly glad, especially since I’ve been mailing off so many orders and trades for Laundro and Soompi lately. I remember last week walking inside with five big packages and two letter-sized envelopes stuffed into my tote bag; taking those through the line would have cost me at least an hour 
But thanks to the APC, I weighed those packages, swiped my credit card, and out pops the stamps, all in less than 15 minutes.
The only bad thing is that the APC won’t do transactions less than $1, which I found out today when I was trying to mail a $0.76 envelope to someone who bought a mini memo grabbie from me on Soompi. The stupid thing made me buy the $0.76 stamp along with a regular $0.42 stamp to make the total $1.18 
Oh well, I had to mail another letter to my aunt in Oklahoma anyways, so it’s not like the stamp went unused.
But seriously, I love strolling past all the suckers in line, waiting for the slooow postal clerks to get to them, and plopping my packages on the APC and getting what I need done in like 10 minutes flat. People always stare, probably thinking, why the hell do I have to stay in line and that girl just walks over to the machine? Haha. I actually had two people get out of line last week and come over to me and ask what I was doing. It was really funny to me, because they weren’t old or anything – they looked like they were in their twenties or thirties – but they had no clue what the APC was for (but to their credit, once I explained what it was, they quickly figured out how to use it). Come on, everything is automated or self-serve these days – the grocery store, gas station, etc – I’m just waiting for automated restaurants or something one day.
Gotta love technology :)
I hate those stupid lines. I wish my P.O had one! I was late for work one day JUST trying to get a book of stamps–good grief. Anyhow, those automated things are nice but sometimes they can be a pain. The ones at Walmart always screw up, or take my money & dont want to give me change back :\
i definitely didn’t know about this. i’ll have to go to the post office lots from now on and will be looking for the APC thanks to you! (=
I’ve never heard of these! Of course, I haven’t been in a post office in YEARS. Sounds kinda neat.
Haha, I would imagine they had something like that in place though I haven’t had a reason to go to the post office in years. Its funny how the learning curve on new technology works out. The only bad thing is before long that’s just another group of jobs out of the running and its hard enough to find something at the moment. gotta love technology though, now if only the economy would pick up.
I know aren’t those APC things just amazing. I had one APC at an old PO back home but here — gah none. It’s not so bad b/c my PO is tiny so not a lot of people go there. But anyways, it’s all about timing too. Although, I do prefer to go to those APC only because they are 24-7 and easy to use. Ahhh. I’m jelly! A lot of technology is taking over. It’ll begin with the post offices. lol. Then retail stores. Then, oh gosh knows where. Next thing you know in the McDonalds drive through they’ll be having robots make your food and you’ll have to use a computer to order your food. Awww, how weird will that be? Ah. Good day.
Wow, thanks :) I’ve gone to the post office a couple of times this month, and I actually noticed something in the corner that just might be what you’re talking about. I’ll definitely check it out, and look for one in other post offices now. How convenient. Of course, if there isn’t a long line, it’s always good to maintain (human) contact with those postal clerks
lol I always use the APC. I hate waiting in line. The only time I’ve waited in line in the past year or so was for my passport.