I signed up recently for the Post Office's "Real Mail" notification. The deal is, when you've got something in your PO Box, they send you an email to tell you so.

I'm expecting a check -- some affiliate commissions. For a few days, I've gotten emails, but haven't been able to get to the box to pick it up.

Finally, today, while running some other errands, I stopped by the post office. But when I opened my box, it was empty.

I'd have talked to the person at the counter, but with holiday lines so long, it wasn't worth the time. For now, my guess is that they enter new mail into the system before putting it in the boxes, and that my check got stuck in the wrong box after that was done.

Perhaps a better system would be to put a bar code on each box, and after delivery each day, scan those with mail in them. And not the Emperor's New Mail, but actual Real Mail.

Here's hoping my check eventually makes its way to the right box. At least it's not a big check.