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Story Commissions & Help Needed - Part 2 / 2
3 years ago
Hamha... Again!
USPS LOST EBAY SALE:
Back in early August, I sold my, ‘Cozy Glow’ plushie for $260! This was bittersweet for how I had really come to appreciate the poorly-treated, Pegasus Pony. However, Lucca and I really needed the money and the plushie maker who created her taught me a very painful, yet valuable, lesson on how one should not try and befriend an artist who is not looking to make friends with their customers.
Well…
We received the payment from the buyer and had Cozy Glow shipped out by August 10th. Unfortunately, the receipt, which had the ‘Priority Mail Tracking Number’ got lost.
Up until September 15th, Lucca and I had not heard a word from any of our seven buyers about having not received their purchased items. This changed when we got a ‘Review Request’ from a buyer who stated they had not received their item… and it was the much needed, $260 ‘Cozy Glow’ plushie.
Attempts to find the lost receipt and work with the USPS to get a copy of the receipt through the use of alternative information were unsuccessful. So, without the tracking number, we were forced to refund the $260 to the buyer. (Being unable to confirm, or deny, their claim is impossible without the tracking number.).
Interestingly, I mailed a package to my Pipster, Ham-Ham pal, Oxnard on August 16th. I was able to find the tracking number, which claimed the package was delivered on August 18th. Oxnard had not received it as of September 12th.
Calls to the USPS Domestic Delivery line got a review to be done where a postal supervisor in Oxnard’s part of the world said the package had truly been delivered by the respective mail carrier on August 18th. This got Lucca and I to try and claim what we could for the ‘Shipping Insurance’. Unfortunately, if you have items that their value cannot be proven through a receipt and/or reputable appraisal entity, you cannot reach the optimum value you may have insured your package for. (This is relevant for ‘Cozy Glow’ given she was a one-of-a-kind, handmade plushie by a very reputable plushie maker. Proving her value would not be easy and, more troublesome, could be impossible given how the artist blocked me from ever contacting them again.).
With regard to Oxnard’s package, it seemed to ‘magically’ appear two days after I talked to the mail supervisor who is responsible for such a Ham-Ham place to live. With ‘Cozy Glow’, I called the post office where the package would’ve ended up and learned that, if it proved undeliverable, it was to be sent to the Atlanta, GA facility to be processed for being returned to me due to not being able to be successfully delivered. (This has not yet happened, as of the writing of this journal, and the projected turnaround time was set at two weeks. This would have had the package returned between mid to late September. I’m really hoping for late September.).
In short, we need to make back $260 before September 30th, or we will not be able to pay the mortgage.
PRE & POST SURGERY SUPPORT TROUBLE:
My sister, Winry, and her husband, Flynn, are still not talking with me since the time Winry lashed out at Lucca over the phone back in August. As I am not good in holding a grudge, I reached out this past Wednesday to see if I could ask Winry why she is not trying to work this out with me. I got only a short discussion in before she told me her dog, Sage, was not doing well and that she did not have time to talk at that time.
As of the writing of this journal, Sage is still hanging in there despite all she has been through to make it to be a sixteen year old Pomeranian. Unfortunately, Winry has not got back to try and work things out. It also seems that she is unhappy about Lucca and I being together, too.
The situation with my sister’s feelings towards my relationship with Lucca and how her dog is doing are not as relevant as how these factors impact my mom, Mrs. O’Ducky. Mrs. O’Ducky wants to ensure all is well between what remaining family members we have. However, without going into detail, Winry and Flynn seem to be more tense than ever. This could negatively impact Lucca and I when my mom returns to take me in for surgery on October 19th.
INSURANCE PARADOX:
When my mom took me in for the pre-surgery appointment this past Tuesday, the Surgical Coordinator was in quite the mood. This mood got worse when I mentioned I had, finally, qualified for both ‘Medicare’ and ‘Medicaid’. Apparently having both insurances means I will have to pay more than I would by just having Medicare. (If anyone can logic this out, please tell me how two insurances result in less aid for a non-elective surgery.).
The last time I had to pay for part of a surgery is when I had Blue Cross & Blue Shield insurance through the grocery store chain I worked for in 2019. The out-of-pocket cost was slightly over $1,000. The not-so-nice lady said I could make payment plans, but who knows in this time in our world where profits for ‘Total Health Solutions’ and their shareholders take priority over helping people who truly need it. (Fancy way to say how hospitals own their own insurance companies, or how insurance companies have bought up hospitals to create distinctive ‘in network’ situations that can keep patients from receiving optimal health care based solely upon what the insurance company will, or will not, help pay for.).
If anyone can help Lucca and I reach $260 before next Friday, September 30th, we’d be extremely grateful. If it was not for the sale on eBay we had to refund, we’d be okay with more time to wait for Lucca to be approved as my paid, in-home caretaker. Unfortunately, time is not on our side and my family, for the first time I can remember, is not available to help me out in making up the $260 needed to make the mortgage payment.
If you are able to help, my PayPal is palumbo.ms@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading, sharing, and for taking the time to see just how hard both Lucca and I have been working to improve our situation despite countless obstacles, bottlenecks, and misinformation.
Your Pal,
---Yosh E. O'Ducky ;)
USPS LOST EBAY SALE:
Back in early August, I sold my, ‘Cozy Glow’ plushie for $260! This was bittersweet for how I had really come to appreciate the poorly-treated, Pegasus Pony. However, Lucca and I really needed the money and the plushie maker who created her taught me a very painful, yet valuable, lesson on how one should not try and befriend an artist who is not looking to make friends with their customers.
Well…
We received the payment from the buyer and had Cozy Glow shipped out by August 10th. Unfortunately, the receipt, which had the ‘Priority Mail Tracking Number’ got lost.
Up until September 15th, Lucca and I had not heard a word from any of our seven buyers about having not received their purchased items. This changed when we got a ‘Review Request’ from a buyer who stated they had not received their item… and it was the much needed, $260 ‘Cozy Glow’ plushie.
Attempts to find the lost receipt and work with the USPS to get a copy of the receipt through the use of alternative information were unsuccessful. So, without the tracking number, we were forced to refund the $260 to the buyer. (Being unable to confirm, or deny, their claim is impossible without the tracking number.).
Interestingly, I mailed a package to my Pipster, Ham-Ham pal, Oxnard on August 16th. I was able to find the tracking number, which claimed the package was delivered on August 18th. Oxnard had not received it as of September 12th.
Calls to the USPS Domestic Delivery line got a review to be done where a postal supervisor in Oxnard’s part of the world said the package had truly been delivered by the respective mail carrier on August 18th. This got Lucca and I to try and claim what we could for the ‘Shipping Insurance’. Unfortunately, if you have items that their value cannot be proven through a receipt and/or reputable appraisal entity, you cannot reach the optimum value you may have insured your package for. (This is relevant for ‘Cozy Glow’ given she was a one-of-a-kind, handmade plushie by a very reputable plushie maker. Proving her value would not be easy and, more troublesome, could be impossible given how the artist blocked me from ever contacting them again.).
With regard to Oxnard’s package, it seemed to ‘magically’ appear two days after I talked to the mail supervisor who is responsible for such a Ham-Ham place to live. With ‘Cozy Glow’, I called the post office where the package would’ve ended up and learned that, if it proved undeliverable, it was to be sent to the Atlanta, GA facility to be processed for being returned to me due to not being able to be successfully delivered. (This has not yet happened, as of the writing of this journal, and the projected turnaround time was set at two weeks. This would have had the package returned between mid to late September. I’m really hoping for late September.).
In short, we need to make back $260 before September 30th, or we will not be able to pay the mortgage.
PRE & POST SURGERY SUPPORT TROUBLE:
My sister, Winry, and her husband, Flynn, are still not talking with me since the time Winry lashed out at Lucca over the phone back in August. As I am not good in holding a grudge, I reached out this past Wednesday to see if I could ask Winry why she is not trying to work this out with me. I got only a short discussion in before she told me her dog, Sage, was not doing well and that she did not have time to talk at that time.
As of the writing of this journal, Sage is still hanging in there despite all she has been through to make it to be a sixteen year old Pomeranian. Unfortunately, Winry has not got back to try and work things out. It also seems that she is unhappy about Lucca and I being together, too.
The situation with my sister’s feelings towards my relationship with Lucca and how her dog is doing are not as relevant as how these factors impact my mom, Mrs. O’Ducky. Mrs. O’Ducky wants to ensure all is well between what remaining family members we have. However, without going into detail, Winry and Flynn seem to be more tense than ever. This could negatively impact Lucca and I when my mom returns to take me in for surgery on October 19th.
INSURANCE PARADOX:
When my mom took me in for the pre-surgery appointment this past Tuesday, the Surgical Coordinator was in quite the mood. This mood got worse when I mentioned I had, finally, qualified for both ‘Medicare’ and ‘Medicaid’. Apparently having both insurances means I will have to pay more than I would by just having Medicare. (If anyone can logic this out, please tell me how two insurances result in less aid for a non-elective surgery.).
The last time I had to pay for part of a surgery is when I had Blue Cross & Blue Shield insurance through the grocery store chain I worked for in 2019. The out-of-pocket cost was slightly over $1,000. The not-so-nice lady said I could make payment plans, but who knows in this time in our world where profits for ‘Total Health Solutions’ and their shareholders take priority over helping people who truly need it. (Fancy way to say how hospitals own their own insurance companies, or how insurance companies have bought up hospitals to create distinctive ‘in network’ situations that can keep patients from receiving optimal health care based solely upon what the insurance company will, or will not, help pay for.).
If anyone can help Lucca and I reach $260 before next Friday, September 30th, we’d be extremely grateful. If it was not for the sale on eBay we had to refund, we’d be okay with more time to wait for Lucca to be approved as my paid, in-home caretaker. Unfortunately, time is not on our side and my family, for the first time I can remember, is not available to help me out in making up the $260 needed to make the mortgage payment.
If you are able to help, my PayPal is palumbo.ms@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading, sharing, and for taking the time to see just how hard both Lucca and I have been working to improve our situation despite countless obstacles, bottlenecks, and misinformation.
Your Pal,
---Yosh E. O'Ducky ;)
But If it was me, I would definitely be filing a complaint against the USPS for this (the USPS sounds very negligent in this situation). If you have any documentation, I suggest holding on to it.
***
I am going to work with Lucca to pull everything from eBay as, after some success, this failure was far too painful to ever consider trying anything similar again. (Plus the amount of money eBay takes from you after making a sale is nuts!).
****
While I cannot say I can offer much, when I get paid, I plan to put some money aside to comission Lucca to design some characters for me, for "Larry's Crossing", for some odd reason, I am having trouble designing characters for this area in my universe.
***
As I was telling Sweetie Lover, I look forward to writing fun stories that do not have the burdens that come with doing commissions. I like to work for the money I get, but I also need to keep my mental health more than I need to make money. (Can't help yourself, or others, without engaging in reasonable amounts of self-care.).
The above stated, I have quite the number of tales to work on with our characters. Hopefully during the upcoming month. :)
Truly, when it was all done and ready to go last night, I felt the happiest and most positive I have felt in well over a month. Woop!
By the way. I don't want to lose the opportunity to tell you (sorry if this is completely away from journal's topic) that yesterday I did the written tests for the public contest of teachers. I seriously did my best, it wasn't easy, it wasn't impossible either. I put a lot of effort on answering each of more than 100 questions with the best possible option. The test lasted five hours by the way. Fortunately, I have a lot of practice doing those kinds of long tests and physically and mentally I was pretty good. This is the biggest filter and most important item considered for getting the job, so all my hopes are put in that written exam. If I get a good result, one of the available places for a math teacher will be mine. *sighs a bit worried* I really hope I made it. I will still have to wait about one month for the results, and more months to complete the whole process before definitive lists are submitted. Anyways, at least now I can rest up a bit after almost four months of studying. I would probably start a mandatory course for professionals without educational formation in the next weeks too. I think it will be a really nice course, but a bit long. It will be interesting anyways. I surely love to learn new things, and if I have the chance of learning how to be a better teacher, it is more than perfect!
Well. I hope things can keep somehow improving Yosh. We all support you. *hugs tight*
***
I applaud you for having the endurance to make it through a five hour exam. The longest one I ever did, which I still had some restroom breaks as I worked through it, took me nearly four hours. This was my final exam for the Graduate / Masters level university class for 'Financial Economics'. (It still amazes me how calculating projected values for someone's investments can require more than a single page, using both the front and back of the paper provided to work out the calculations, in order to uncover Present Value of Annuity (PVA), or Future Value of Annuity (FVA).).
I hope you did something special once you finished taking that test. You deserve a fun reward after making it through such a difficult exam without losing your ability to work out the questions and problems from the use of so much mental energy and eye soreness brought on for having to keep working at what needed to be completed for such a long period of time.
***
One benefit of all I have had to do is better understanding what makes me happy and what really does not make me as happy as I thought it did. Being able to better narrow down what my available time and money should be spent on increases the number of days I wake up feeling like Gilda Griffon instead of like one of Pinkie Pie's sisters from the rock farm. (Griffony Sunshine may be a bit too much for some people, but it is what allows me to be the most productive given my lack of physical eyesight and limited activities I can do that do not require someone else to start, do, or complete.).
***
Another goal I have is to write a story for that picture you drew of Gabby and Sunburst. I am able to link it with the work I did for Silver Kittie. Doing writing for fun over worrying about how happy my writing makes someone who paid money to have a story done is something I really and truly want to get back to doing. :)