WRITING: Postal Matters

"1 oz = 437 1 /2 grains"

This may mean nothing to you, but thanks to the internet, the easily found information above allowed me to easily determine the postage and return postage for the submissions I sent out a few weeks ago.

You see, some lit journals accepted up to three short stories, some only one or two.  I sent different stories or combinations to each of twelve or thirteen places, so each story had to be weighed along with the appropriate envelopes.  I don’t have a dieting problem so I don’t have an ounce scale in my kitchen.

But, I do have a grain scale for weighing wooden arrow shafts.  Thus, the weighing and conversion could be easily accomplished.  Honestly though, after a couple of envelopes-full, I brought the stuff to the post office and let them do the work for their 37 cents for the first ounce, 23 cents thereafter.