The Tale of my Lost Package: A Lesson in Communication and Management Skills

So, I ordered something off of Amazon.com recently. It's a package that I'm pretty excited to get and really hoped it would travel quickly to my abode. It got stuck in New Berlin, Wisconsin, for one whole day (came in at 5AM and left at 9PM) and Madison, Wisconsin, for another day (came into shipment at 5AM yesterday and didn't leave on the truck until 9AM today). I can understand, sort of, how the process could be slower than I'd like. It must take a lot of time and sorting to get things on the proper trucks and to the proper places. Such delays I can handle.

Tonight, though, I discover my apartment management has locked my package away! It doesn't fit in our crummy old mailboxes and neither do most letters or magazines. The package was taken to the office of the apartment management company across the street. They then in turn lock it in a room under the stairs. I can get into the building with the same door code as my building (all of their buildings use the same code). I assumed that the room would open with the "building key" that I have. It seems like a common practice to have a building key that opens community spaces to paying renters. This key opens all the laundry rooms in this company's apartments and so forth for us. Alas, there is only one key for the package room which belongs in the office and is not even close to being the building key. This really shouldn't be too big of a problem, just go to the office tomorrow when they open, right? Except the office is open for only a few short hours in the middle of the day. They keep worse hours than the bank! Opening at 9:30AM wouldn't be so bad if they stayed open until later in the evening. However, they close at 5PM. I, like a normal adult, work all day. I leave shortly after 9AM and get home after 7PM. I've tried calling them over my one hour lunch break, but that's when they go on lunch. Impossible, I tell you, impossible!!!

Communication has been rough with this management group my whole lease period. I'm going home for the weekend and won't be able to get there until next friday during their hours if I can't get it before leaving. I decided to try and call the emergency number. Yes, I know it's not an emergency, but it was worth a shot. A very nice gentlemen from a different management company answered and looked into finding a solution for me. His supervisor said it wasn't an emergency so I'd have to call the office number. I know my generation is slow, but I'm not so stupid that I wouldn't have called that number if it would have helped. The office not being open was part of my problem. So, the phone guy called the manager for me. He unfortunately had to call me back with the response. The manager said that if I had called in advance and worked something out it could have been done. Since I was responsible enough to do that, I'd have to wait. ;lakdjfopieajf;lisaj! RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT DOESN'T LOCK MAIL AWAY FROM TENANTS, LACK EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS, OR HAVE NO FLEXIBILITY FOR THE RENTERS IT SERVES. I contained my frustration and thanked the poor emergency phone guy for all his hard work. Inside I was screaming. This has been my last straw with Randall Park Rentals.

If I had the time I would launch a massive internet campaign against them. Instead I shall warn all Madison rentals to avoid their apartments. My apartment is dingy and falling apart and had cockroaches. It's overpriced. They won't communicate with you on anything. If you contact them first, miraculously getting a hold of them, they fail to talk to other members of management or take notes and will forget any conversation or important details before the next time to speak with them. WORST PLACE EVER!  okay, maybe not ever. . . but pretty close.

That's the end of my rant. I feel better now. lol Have a good night and may all your mail reach you safely and quickly!

Craigslist: Torture for Grammar Nazis

I am currently searching for an apartment for next year. Since my social life has been next to zero this year, I have resorted to using Craigslist. The roommate and apartment I'm living with right now is working out exceptionally well. While I discovered her on craigslist as well, it appears that such magic cannot easily be reproduced.

I'm a clean person; some people would say I'm obsessively clean. I assure you I've gotten much better and have lowered my standards. Community spaces are fair game for the occasional mess or such. I don't demand dishes to be washed immediately. See? I'm reasonable. It turns out, however, the rest of the world likes to leave crap laying out 24/7 and doesn't have a problem with guests seeing dirty counters and clothes laying out.

I also believe that living with intelligent people is a good idea. If you cannot post an ad on Craigslist that is coherent and void of grammatical errors, you are not a person I want to live with. For instance, this is a direct quote from an ad I read today.

     "Don't want to leave so manybe room share with female. some furnishings included loveseat and dishes but make it your own. needs a womans touch possible companionship. no cable but can add in but hi speed internet. serious inquiries only. late 40's male. send pic and brief bio."

Besides the obvious creepy factor of the ad, the grammar is terrible. No one is perfect and the internet does allow for more leeway in many situations like chat and facebook, but this is too much. 

Once you find a decent ad and establish a line of communication, a meeting or showing usually happens. I hate these. It's like a first date except weirder. Dating is awkward enough. I really don't understand the rules and usually say strange things that prolly shouldn't be said. Well, I do the same thing when meeting potential roommates. I also have this list of questions running through my head that should help me figure out if this is where I really want to live. One or two questions usually get lost in the conversation. It makes me so frustrated because I can't easily go back and ask those later without sounding crazy. 

While I'll keep responding to ads and searching, I'll be glad when this process is over!