Life is so-o difficult for this author / setter / speaker
I am giving my “Bench Conference” setting seminar on Saturday and my
"demonstrating rings" were sent ahead of my luggage. Today I was
checking the delivery status of this very important box of silver
rings w/ Cubic Zirconia to arrive in San Francisco on Friday
afternoon. Along with this box, by law, I had to make “3 commercial
invoices” stating the following requirements.
- Country of origin of items in transit.
- Destination.
- Contents in full detail.
- Will they be sold.
- Estimated value.
- Purpose of bringing items across the border.
- Quantity of items enclosed.
- Description of all items.
Imagine if my box was returned back to me here in Canada for some
unknown reason. As of last night I have been email tracking the
shipment…Toronto> Louisville,KY and now it came back to my city
area. UPS and Fed-Ex have the same ruling for “customs clearing.”
All of the worst case scenario’s caused me to wonder "what happend"
So I called UPS head office…These papers were then electronically
sent to the head office…(but not the box of silver rings) “duh” They
had to be “cleared for customs and brokers” down in Louisville, KY but
not done here…Now I can relax as NOW they are on their way to San
Francisco finally!
I had to send my larger box of tools, all 24 lbs. of them. These
were sent directly to the hotel. I can’t have ANY TOOLS on board with
me…why Why am I going with these tools? Am I getting paid for this
seminar? Are any of my tools explosive and do they all have sharp
corners? Why is a Canadian going to give seminars in the States?
All of these questions seem rather mundane, but you know Orchidians.
I had my tools with me one time and I WAS TURNED BACK at the border.
I get rather paranoid with the crossing of the CAN-AM border now with
any tools of any nature. So now at a great expense to me for
shipping, I must go across the border empty-handed from now on.
I must even say that I am going to San Fran to meet friends and not
on business…if I do, then the whole raft of questions come up and
red flags are raised …woops!..tsk! tsk!
My tools and rings are to be left with Brad Simon…till all of my 4
seminars are over, by mid-October. “Life is very different now,
since 9-11”
Gerry Lewy!