What a Scam!!

So, for those of you who read this on a regular basis, you know I am planning a trip back to Sicily, been talking to a couple friends there, and spent a few months after the last trip putting together a fancy DvD slideshow/movie. I have pasted links to a much shorter version here, but the real one is a 45 minute long show, and the DvD plays like a movie, with chapters by location, menus, titles, credits, and turned out pretty good. The first step making it was collecting copies of everyone who went on the trip's pictures. Once that was done (I had to give them a deadline), I then had to sort each person's pics, rename them, pick out the best ones, and retouch those if needed. Next I created the title pages. I found a cool tutorial on a chalkboard text effect, which gave me an idea. As the show plays, when we change locations a picture of a chalkboard acts as a separator. Instead of just one shot, I created an individual picture of each letter. For example, if we were in Venice (also note I used the Italian location names, so Venice=Venezia) Anyway, I created a picture of the chalkboard with a V, then another with an e and so on to spell out the word. When I created the show, I used the timeline to shorten the (duh) time of these shots, so it appeared as someone was writing, in chalk, the location. I then had to arrange the pictures into the show, pick out music, and 'publish' it into a movie. The music part took awhile to decide on middle of the road, not too crazy so the old folks watching it covered their ears while they looked at pictures of Cinque Terra, but had to listen to Godsmack. That actually would have been kind of funny.

After all that was done, I used a different program to create the DvD menus. Then start making copies. When my parents have their 'wrap-up' party on July 5th, anyone who can make it from the travel group, will drive over socialize, and sit down to watch the show. They get a copy of the movie, another DvD I combined everyone's pictures on (includes the music used, and pictures I created for the show), also their original cd's back they sent me. Did I mention I was going to cook a few Italian dishes for that party as well?

Ok, so to the subject of today's post. I had to make about 18 copies of the show, everyone who sent me their pictures, gets a movie back. I also made a copy for my friend Ciro (pronounced Cheer-o, in Italian, a C followed by a vowel is 'ch' like ciao=chow, or for the ppl in KS, Cinzetti's is not 'Sin-Zetties', it is 'Chin-sett-ies'). Ciro was our guide in Sicily for both trips, and an all around great guy. He is the one who offered me room and board for the next trip with his family. I'll talk a little more about his email yesterday in a sec.

Ciro also works at the tourism board in Palermo, so he does the guide thing on the side. He wanted copies of the pictures at the winery, to possibly use in a brochure. So when we were there he pointed out shots he wanted and I took them with my camera. Both trips to Sicily, I spent most of my time talking to him. So I made an extra copy of the movie and the pictures dvd for him.

I have also been talking to his friend Gino, and Ciro's best friends daughter. Her birthday is next month so in the package I added a present for her.

Now for the scam.....
I stop by the UPS (what can brown overcharge you for?) to send this package to Palermo, Sicily. The lady behind the counter chuckled a little when I said overseas to Sicily. She measured the box, weighed it, put in the address, and said...
"To send it through us only (being UPS) which includes the tracking, insurance, etc, it will be ninety-nine dollars. To send it through the USPS (that's US postal service) it will be $54. I would suggest if you want to send it through USPS, to go there, to avoid our fees."

I had to ask if I heard her right. Which she then gave me the rising gas prices reason, blah, blah blah. Personally, if you think you can pass that cost along to me, I think it's BS. I'll save that for another day.

I told her I would pass and left the store. By this time I wasn't going to make it to the Post Office, I still had to stop and get more cotton swabs to clean the dogs ears with (yuck). So I called my Mom to tell her about this outrage. She said she was going this morning to mail something to my Aunt (her side of the family) and would send it for me. Here is the big finish.

She just sent me a text message and said to ship it from the Post office.... $15.26 for 5-10 day shipping. Someone needs to let UPS know I guess.

Ok, sorry about the rambling. I'll finish with a really cool part from one of the emails Ciro sent me yesterday.

Sailing
"this company is of a friend of mine , I can ask him if you could work for some days on board : in this way you could sail without spend money!! "

That's a direct quote, but if you click the link, and don't pay attention to it being in Italian, you will see a beautiful ship. I replied and said even if means I scrub the decks, I am in!

That's enough boring you for today.

ciao a presto!