Arrived in Tokyo!

The Tachikawa bus stop at Narita airport!



And there are still cherry blossoms on the trees!

Well now isn't this luvverly

Honestly, I don't know why I paid for express delivery.

I checked my delivery status to discover that although the item was already in Singapore, there was another later entry saying that it was still in... Hong Kong? Cue le panicky telephone call to DHL, only to find that what I thought was one item was actually 2 items, and that one of the items was currently waiting in Hong Kong for a connecting flight. And oh by the way, it's expected to get here on tuesday.


If you'll look at the time stamps on this thing, you'll see that the shipping was instructed on, oh, sometime about THURSDAY. And I freaking paid (well, my colleague freaking paid) for EXPRESS. This is not EXPRESS. This is not even STANDARD. I think this is what they call the "idiot premium". Haha you thought express was faster than standard? Well you thought WRONG! BZZZzzzzzzzz! Thanks for playing, your $30 extra will do nicely for my cigar which I am currently happily puffing away on. At your expense. While I laugh. And laugh. And Laugh. Oh boy.

Tracking history...

Help

Date and time	Status		Location Service Area
12/21/2008 5:58 pm	With delivery courier.		Singapore, Singapore
1:14 pm	Depart Facility		Hong Kong - Hub, Hong Kong
12:51 pm	Processed at DHL Location.		Hong Kong - Hub, Hong Kong
11:40 am	Arrived at DHL facility.		Singapore, Singapore
10:31 am	Depart Facility		Singapore, Singapore
10:16 am	Clearance processing complete		Singapore, Singapore
10:16 am	Transit through DHL facility		Singapore, Singapore
10:14 am	Processed at DHL Location.		Singapore, Singapore
12/20/2008 4:26 pm	Processed at DHL Location.		Hong Kong - Hub, Hong Kong
2:56 pm	Transit through DHL facility		Hong Kong - Hub, Hong Kong
12/19/2008 8:43 am	In transit.		Anchorage, AK
6:35 am	Depart Facility		Wilmington, OH
2:17 am	In transit.		Wilmington, OH
12/18/2008 6:58 pm	Shipment picked up		Wilmington, OH

Maybe I'm just not supposed to be shipping stuff from overseas

Because obviously, I just can't get it right.

This one's my fault, though. I should have asked how long it would take for the lipstick to get here, and not simply assume that it would be in within the week. But seriously, how long does it take to send a letter from the US to Singapore?! I used to send mail from the London to Singapore within 4 days regularly, and this is just one tube of lipstick!

Bah whatever. At least Borderlinx (finally) found my boots, and they deliver on Sundays, so they'll be likely to reach here tomorrow. And as for the lips.. well, I guess I'll just borrow some blacklipstick and rim with Blue eyeshadow, maybe add some vaseline for gloss? I dunno. Wish I had my smexy blue lipstick though.


What on earth am I going to do with it when it gets here?!?!? >.>

The Saga of Borderlinx

So as some of you may know, I'm having one hell of a time wrangling Borderlinx into actually lifting the doormat and finding my package. Which was delivered by UPS and signed for. On the 12th of December 2008. And it's now 17th December 2008, and I am still packageless and more importantly, bootless for my D&D.

This will not do. This will not do at all. If nothing else, I want people that search for "Borderlinx" and "delay" and "lost item" to read my saga. I'm narcissistic like that.

Screw you Borderlinx. Offensive telegram follows.

===================================

> From:< >
>
> Subject:
>
> no subject
>
> UPS delivered a package to my friend's suite, <>, on December 12,
> 2008. It was signed for and the tracking number is <>.
>
> However, this item has not appeared in my friend's account.
>
> I have contacted Borderlinx through the live chat several times and they
> appear to be ineffectual in solving this problem. Until today, I have no
> idea if Borderlinx actually knows where the package is, what the estimated
> time for finding the package is, or even obtained an acknowledgement from
> Borderlinx that they had indeed received my package.
>
> As this item is very time sensitive, and as it is I will have to upgrade
> from Standard to Express delivery, please expedite the recovery of this
> item.
>
> I stress that the item has been delivered to Borderlinx almost a week ago,
> and it is very disappointing that Borderlinx would mishandle a simple task
> like receiving a package.
>
> Regards,
> < >

==================================================

On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 9:00 PM, Borderlinx Support
wrote:
> Reference number: <> Please use this ticket number in any
> correspondence with us.
>
> Hi Nat,
>
> Welcome to Borderlinx.
>
> We sincerely apologize for the delay caused to you in updating the shipment
> received on the UPS <> .
>
> The issue has been forwarded and investigation going about it and we hope
> that the Order will be updated at the earliest possible.
>
> I hope it helps.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Tapas
> Borderlinx Support



Dear Tapas,

Can you tell me anything at all about how this investigation is
progressing, and if not, can you escalate me to someone who actually
can tell me something about the status of the investigation, rather
than simply giving me the runaround?

To date I have no idea if the item has been updated in the Borderlinx
database, or if it was left under a doormat at the front door. I do
not appreciate being kept in the dark about the cause of this delay,
and more importantly being without any estimate as to when the error
will be corrected.

If you cannot tell me anything about the investigation please forward
me to someone who can.

As things stand I will have to ship express to meet timelines,
assuming the item can be found within the day. As the delay was caused
entirely by Borderlinx, I think it entirely appropriate for Borderlinx
to bear the additional costs of express shipping over standard
shipping.

I look forward to your prompt reply in this matter.

Regards,
< >< >

Man bags

Man bags

What is a man bag?

I guess that's kind of a strange question, but really... What makes a man bag a man bag?

We have the typical girl bags, like hang bags, totes, purses, drawstring pouches, clutches and the like, which could be made man bags if you sewed a prosthetic dick on one.

Then you have the bags whose form is dictated by function, like laptop bags, camera bags, pencil bags, briefcases, which are essentially neuter until you add lace ribbons. Which is when they become girl bags. I don't think that they'd be considered man bags under any circumstances unless you really did sew a prosthetic dick on one, and only then because no self respecting girl would be caught dead with such a tacky bag.

And then you have the missing third category. Man bags. The only real example I can think of are duffel bags, and only then because of the traditional role of duffel bags. You can't very well sew epaulettes on a bag, now can you?

Car prints?

The King has repeatedly said there is no prohibition on women driving....

... and that it will be lifted soon.

(It makes more sense in Arabic.)

A new addition to the Cat family!

Finally adopted the little kitten downstairs! We don't have a name for her yet, though, but she's such a sweet little thing.. purred non-stop as we were cuddling her, and rather friendly too! Happily snuggled up without a second thought.

Took her to the vet at Mount Pleasant (where she is registered as "stray cat") and got some medication for her wound, and for de-worming. But for tonight, she gets to sleep in a nice warm towel, and not the cold tile floor.. =^^=