Today is Sunday.  I had a package to mail and got to the postal substation aftter they closed yesterday.  It's located in a gas station.  The guy behind the counter was apologizing profusely and told me they would be open from 9 til 3 today.

I took my package, a box with a book and some cookies for a friend, in today.  The same man was there with the postal guy.  He, the original guy greeted me warmly, said he was glad to see me back.  The postal guy took my package and weighed it, asked what was in it because it was just a smidge over a pound.  I told him cookies and a book.  Believe it or not he offered me a cookie from a plate they had on the counter!

Here comes the chuckle.  When he weighed it he said of course you want to send it the least expensive way.  I said sure.  He said that's Media Mail.  I said that'll be fine.  Then the best part of all and you'll all appreciate this line.  He said it'll take five days to get from Michigan to Virginia.  I said thanks and never said I know better. 

Those two men were so pleasant I didn't want to burst their bubble.  We all know better.  I just read in another post where someone had followed their book that should have traveled about 160 miles and actually went acroos the country to California and back to her.  When I read it I figured the book just felt like a little down time and needed a bit of California sun...lol

Here's another odd one.  I ordered a book, (PBS) from California, and got it within 2 days.  I live in Maine.

Not to be a know- it -all, but here goes:  Media Mail is subject to inspection, and can only contain media, ie: books, DVDs, CDs, etc.  From the Help Center:

From www.usps.com:

"Media mail® service is a cost efficient way to mail books, sound recordings, recorded video tapes, printed music, and recorded computer-readable media (such as CDs, DVDs, and diskettes). Media Mail can not contain advertising except for incidental announcements of books. The maximum weight for Media Mail is 70 lbs.

Sending anything other than that described above by Media Mail postal rate is illegal. 

Media Mail packages are subject to random postal inspection and if a package is found to contain unacceptable items/materials, the difference between first-class (or priority rate if the package weighs over 13 ounces) and Media Mail postage will be assessed.  Packages that are found to violate Media Mail postal rate may be returned to the sender, OR they may be delivered postage-due to the destination address.

Mary,  I was thinking the same thing........hopefully the cookies are well wrapped in plastic Geri,  and the aroma doesn't leak out!!!  :)

I live in the Midwest and have gotten books from both coasts in as little as two days. I've gotten books from border states that take a week though! Haha, the USPS certainly is odd sometimes.

You know I didn't think of the cookies and the book in the box not being media mail.  That guy suggested media mail I didn't ask for it.  In fact I was thinking first class.  I knew it wouldn't be much because it was one book and 10 cookies.   

The cookies are wrapped in plastic and in their own box so no fresh cookie aroma.  Those were good cookies on the PO counter though...lol 

I think the travel time has less to do with actual geographic distance and more to do with whether or not you're close to a big mailing hub. I am, and mail tend to move very fast for me.