Blocked postbox - what would a Taoist do?

[wandelaar]

It's almost a week now that I am unable to open my postbox, so I can no longer reach the letters and occasionally books I am receiving. As I live in a rented apartment the owner (a large organization) will have to repair it. But after three telephone calls I still haven't heard anything of the firm that is ordered by the owner to repair my postbox.

 

As I am also interested in applying Taoism to daily life, I like to hear how other Bums would solve this issue.

 

[Kar3n]

Have your mail held at the post office for pick up until your box is repaired. 

 

You might be able to get a form from your mail carrier.

[Daemon]

Having taken the reasonable steps to rectify your problem, just wait until they bear fruit (and keep pestering the landlord).

 

☮️

[Marblehead]

And keep pestering the landlord.

 

And then keep pestering the landlord.

 

I just went through that with a situation I had.  Five phone calls to the people who were supposed to take action but no results.  One phone call to their superior and very efficient response early the next morning.

 

 

 

[Daemon]

And it's just occurred to me that it might be a good idea to tell them that is they fail to act within a reasonable timespan you will employ a locksmith directly and send them the bill (obviously, check on the wisdom and the legality of that course of action within your own jurisdiction).

 

☮️

[silent thunder]

That sure can be infuriating.

 

Bees are my preferred course for most institutional confrontations and stalemates...

so I'd use bees.

 

After the third call, I'd also go with Marblehead, Kar3n and the threat posed by Daemon.  Call up the chain of command and threaten to cost them more money, (that should at a minimum get a response) and have mail held at the office, so you can actually get to it.

 

But that's me talking out of my butt... (which explains the breath)... I'd really use bees.

[Daemon]

It's perhaps interesting to note silent thunder's misinterpretation of what I've suggested as a possible reasonable and effective course of action as being a threat.

That course of action may be the most cost-effective and efficient way for the landlord to deal with the problem, as every Taoist (I've met) would have realised.

 

☮️

[wandelaar]

Latest developments: Today I phoned again and this time I was connected to the firm that is to repair the postbox. So I again gave my phone number and was told to wait for a call. The woman I was talking to couldn't say when the repair was expected to take place. I just had to wait.....

 

Part of me is smiling at the stupidity of this whole thing, and part of me is slowly getting more angry as time goes on. Al the same it is a nice experiment to test how much I can handle before losing my temper.

[Daemon]

So you have a few choices including,

• Waiting
• Phoning again
• Writing
• Working with your emotional responses

☮️

[silent thunder]

14 minutes ago, wandelaar said:

Latest developments: Today I phoned again and this time I was connected to the firm that is to repair the postbox. So I again gave my phone number and was told to wait for a call. The woman I was talking to couldn't say when the repair was expected to take place. I just had to wait.....

 

Part of me is smiling at the stupidity of this whole thing, and part of me is slowly getting more angry as time goes on. Al the same it is a nice experiment to test how much I can handle before losing my temper.

Responding spontaneously while not vexxing oneself?  Turning a challenge into an opportunity to cultivate patience? 

I'd say you're emanating tao mate.

[wandelaar]

Problem solved! Wondering how I could repair it myself it suddenly occurred to me that I could try to "help" the lock by externally applying a magnet. First the lock didn't appear to react at all but then I noticed the key did, so I tried to open the lock by means of the key with the magnet on it. And then it just opened.

[silent thunder]

that sir... was inspired...

 

Nicely done.

 

eta:  I know a guy with bees, in case you need a backup plan.

Edited May 17, 2018 by silent thunder

[Starjumper]

48 minutes ago, Daemon said:

So you have a few choices including,

• Waiting
• Phoning again
• Writing
• Working with your emotional responses

 

• Dynamite.

[Daemon]

16 minutes ago, wandelaar said:

Problem solved! Wondering how I could repair it myself it suddenly occurred to me that I could try to "help" the lock by externally applying a magnet. First the lock didn't appear to react at all but then I noticed the key did, so I tried to open the lock by means of the key with the magnet on it. And then it just opened.

 

 

So, the best option was another option that you discovered for yourself?

 

☮️

[wandelaar]

It turned out to be the best solution, but it could just as easily have failed. If the lock had been seriously damaged I doubt that a simple magnet would have worked. Maybe then dynamite would have been the solution of choice?

 

What I am most pleased about is that I didn't consciously reason my way to it, but that the solution just popped up in my head some time after I had thought about how to solve the problem myself. Those ideas always come up when I am doing something else (no longer thinking about the problem), so they are as much a surprise to me as they are to someone else.  

[Starjumper]

Never mind 

Edited May 17, 2018 by Starjumper

[Daemon]

@wandelaar

 

And so it goes.

 

You will possibly now find this to be of considerable utility both theoretically and, more importantly, in terms of practice.

 

Spoiler

 

☮️

[Kar3n]

2 hours ago, Starjumper said:

 

Where did the Sage thread go, I can't find it.  I've got a sage for you.

That is the Tao of disappointment thread. It is not the one created by ILC.

[Starjumper]

1 hour ago, Kar3n said:

That is the Tao of disappointment thread. It is not the one created by ILC.

 

Thanks, I found the Sage thread.  I was confused about who started it.

[CityHermit!]

That reminds me, I still have to file an insurance claim with the post office for a missing package. Thanks.

[silent thunder]

*quietly tends his bees...*

[thelerner]

Glad the OP found a skillful solution.

 

That reminds me.  For all it's noise and distraction the internet is in some ways a Sage holding all the information in the world, if you ask it properly.   Somewhere there's a post (or dozens, or hundreds) on picking the lock similar to the post box.   A solution to his problem, maybe using his magnet trick or some other one. 

 

These days when crazy technical problems happen with my computer, car or home repair, I'll often look to Youtube first, to see if there's a video solution then progress to the greater web. 

[wandelaar]

Didn't try YouTube because there is no visible name or code on the lock of my postbox. But as I now look on YouTube there appear to be simple methods to open a lock even without a key!

[thelerner]

 

5 hours ago, wandelaar said:

Didn't try YouTube because there is no visible name or code on the lock of my postbox. But as I now look on YouTube there appear to be simple methods to open a lock even without a key!

Scary isn't it.  Seemingly for $10 worth of 'bump' keys the world is your wide open.

[wandelaar]

Illustrates parts of the Chuang tse translation I am currently reading. The more knowledge people have, the more strange (including unwanted) things there will happen.