Get What’s Coming

Though it’s apparently been around for years, I just recently learned about the USPS’s Informed Delivery service, which sends a daily email digest of your soon-to-arrive postal mail – scans of the front of letters that will be showing up later that day in your mailbox, and tracking updates and delivery timing for packages coming in the next few days. It’s a free service, and though I was dubious as to whether it would work, in fact, it totally does.

If you live in a house, Informed Delivery might be genuinely useful; from the dashboard, you can schedule deliveries for specific times, leave delivery instructions (“put it on the back porch”), and the like. But here in my NYC apartment, with a doorman able to accept and safeguard packages at any point, it don’t much help me out. Indeed, in my own life, I can’t really make a functional case for the service at all. And, at the same time, it makes me genuinely happy. There’s just something delightful about opening my mailbox, already knowing what’s going to be inside.

I know that’s a bit dumb. But, in these crazy times, perhaps I’m just happy for anything that makes me feel some small amount of power and control in the world. It may be a small win, but in this environment, I’ll take any win I can get.

On Paws

It’s been several years since Jess and I had a dog, and we’re now feeling that absence acutely. So, after talking about it abstractly for the last year, we’re now concretely on the search. We’re committed to adopting, though I’m slightly dog-allergic, which means we’re looking for a friend with hair rather than fur. And, given the space constraints (and lack of backyard) of an NYC apartment, we’re trying to stay below 25 pounds. (Though, conversely as I’d like a dog who’s rough and tumble enough to take on adventures, we’re also trying not to go too far below 15.)

In the midst of this pandemic, it seems we’re not unique. In what’s excellent news for all the dogs involved, nearby shelters have all been pretty much adopted clean. From our end, however, that’s sent us both searching further abreast for pups who might be transportable here, and refreshing shelters’ sites daily, hoping to pounce fast on a four-legged friend.

Hopefully, update soon. Though if any eagle-eyed (and rescue-connected) readers have leads, we’d love to hear about it. We have plenty of love – and treats – to go around. 🐶