Postal Service

i hate the postal service... no, not that postal service... the postal service. the place where you go and mail stuff. okay i'll be more specific - the place where you go and have the worst day of your life.

i actually plan my trips to the post office based not on when the line might be shorter or when i want to do errands but rather when i'll be ready to get pissed off. "hmm... i'm having a pretty good day, but i'll probably be ready for it to start totally blowing around 3:30... i'll go to the post office then."

and i've been thinking about a rant on the postal service for a while now but thus far haven't done it... because, you know, its pretty much old news. i mean, aren't we all on the same page on this one? haven't we all experienced waiting in line for 30 mins and right when you're the next up the clerk takes a 15 minute break? haven't we all had something lost in the mail? haven't we all lost money in the vending machine only to wait in line to get a refund and then spend 5 minutes filling out a 2 page vending machine refund form? don't we all know how it feels to have someone try to take cuts using the "i'm only buying stamps" excuse and when you don't let her do it because she's not only taking cuts in front of you but in front of the 20 people behind you she yells "well i would have let you do it!!" in front of the whole crowd? there's no way its just me. this happens to everyone, right?

anywho - yesterday i witnessed something that i just had to share. i was cruising the post office around 5:15 to drop off my netflix, i walked in and as i was cutting through the lobby area i noticed the clerk at the counter was listening to music... my ear tuned in and what was that? its not Mozart... its not Kenny G... its Bop Gun.

BOP GUN.

ummm... in case you aren't familiar with Ice Cube's hit from 1993 or incase you've forgotten the lyrics let me refresh your memory with a couple lines:

Tear the roof of this [expletive] like we did last night, son

And hit you with the bop gun

Flashlight, red light, we don’t like cops on the bike

Just made bail, tonight

So whatcha gonna do when you get outta jail?

I’m gonna have some fun with the bop gun

don't get me wrong, i've been known to rock out to the bop gun myself, but should a federal employee be rocking out to bop gun while working with the public at a federal agency? i'm pretty sure the answer is no... and besides, and isn't the post office sort of the last place you want to hear a song about firearms?

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in other news i made something super yummy last night from a recipe i clipped out of vegetarian times. here it is - i made it exactly as is and wouldn't change a thing. definitely serve it with some hearty bread as a dipper. its super healthy and quick! 20 minutes from start to finish - take that rachael ray!

TOFU AND MUSHROOM MARSALA

Serves 4 - 30 minutes or fewer - Vegan

Here's a tempting excerpt from the brand new Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers by the Moosewood Collective (Clarkson Potter/Publishers). For a variation on this classic Italian dish, serve it over whole wheat pasta instead of with crusty bread.

4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Marsala wine
1 cake firm tofu (about 16 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
10 ounces moonlight or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
1 loaf of crusty bread

In a pot on medium heat, cook the garlic in the oil just until it sizzles, then add the bell peppers, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the Marsala and the tofu and cook on high heat for 4 minutes to reduce the wine a bit. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth.