I mentioned previously my plan to put the United States Postal Service to the test with regard to the way mail could be alternately addressed so that it still arrives without issue to my rented USPS Post Office Box.

My theory was that I could address correspondence to the physical address of the post office itself and include my box number as a suite. To test this I addressed an envelope in this manner, included my home for a return address and just for fun sealed inside my friend Doug's business card.

As soon as my postal carrier arrives this afternoon, the text package will be on its way. I will post an update when — as I hope and expect — the envelope arrives at my Post Office Box. Otherwise, I figure it will take a week to bounce and be returned to my home address.

UPDATE

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I checked my Post Office Box yesterday, 25 June 2005 and lo and behold my package had successfully arrived! While I am beyond entertained that this little experiment proved my theory correct, I have to admit to being just slightly surprised that it worked so quickly and without incident.

The envelope had the normal ZIP code barcode printed on it, but it was marked-out with a black marker. On the back of the envelope was yet another ZIP code barcode, unaltered. Perhaps it is a result of one being the ZIP code for the post office itself and the other for my box. Either way, it was the only unusual markings on the envelope. Absent were any messages from the postal service.

Experiment complete!

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