yesterday i got a slip from ups though i'm not expecting anything to come for me via ups. the driver had already marked the option of signing the back of the slip so that the package can be left at the door. i circled that option to let the driver know that i have seen the note and would like to do that. following procedure, i also signed and printed my name on the back and placed the slip exactly where the driver had left it. so what happens today? no package at door. instead i got a final notice slip right next to the one i put back. i called up their automated system and it stated the driver came by around 4:30pm (when the previous slip said 10am-2pm delivery, lying bastards) for his third and final attempt. whoa? this is only my second slip. now my previous telephone call with ups is starting to make sense and yet even more confusing. you see, earlier this week my mom had a ups slip and i called for her. when i spoke with a live person, i gave them my mom's slip # with my mom's name on it yet the person referred to me by my name even though i never gave them my name. my mom then picked up the package and it was what she was expecting. perhaps there was some database mistake and they also have my name for the address and so she mentioned the wrong name. or maybe now that i think about it, maybe she was looking at my package and not my mom's? which doesn't make sense since i told her my mom's slip #. unless the driver put down both packages on the same slip and forgot to put my name too. which again doesn't make sense because my mom didn't pick up my package as well and never mentioned to me that i have a package. damn ups.

anyway, there i am on the phone and there was no option to speak to a live person so i kept making mistakes with the options until the system finally defaulted me to a live person. we worked it out so that i could pick up the package tonight in person after 7pm but i had to wait for them to call me with an exact time. it was about 6pm now. fine, i'll just run some errands as i wait and pick up the package on my way home. running errands, it's now past 8pm and no phone call. i better go down there in case they forgot to call. i get there just before 8:30pm. i'm the last in line. they shut the gate after me. when it's finally my turn, i play it off like i did get a past 7pm phone call. they search and search for my parcel. it's like it doesn't exist. they are puzzled. finally someone goes out to search for it (in the trucks?) and brings it around. i thought perhaps it might be my siouxsie boxset until i saw the box--too small. i pick up the box and it's so light, as if nothing is inside. now i am even more bewildered as to what it could be. i take it to the car and open it. it's twiddle thumbs's ipod's damn applecare! all that trouble for something that could have been sent by regular mail or left at the door. so why does the ipod arrive via fedex and the applecare arrive via ups? i guess for international items apple goes with fedex but for domestic items apple goes with ups. after this experience, i say go with fedex.