So, today began with Joe accompanying me to the local driver's license office to change my name officially. Mind you, this is the third time I have gone to the damn office, and since they closed the one close to our house, we now have to drive like 30 minutes to get there.
The first time I went, the guy said I had to wait 24 hours between when I changed my name with Social Security and when I could get my license. So, I went back on Friday hoping everything would be good. I waited in line for over an hour, hadn't eaten in hours because I put off lunch thinking it wouldn't take me that long, and it was all for nothing.
By the time I finally got to the "gatekeeper" (they have ONE guy checking everyone's documents before they go in, so you wait in line just to wait in line), I was pretty frustrated and had seen a half dozen people leave pretty ticked off.
When I got inside, he told me I had to have my passport or birth certificate (check), my social security card or a letter from the SSA listing my number (check), my marriage certificate (check), and TWO forms of address verification. I said, but I'm not changing my address...doesn't matter he said. Ok, so use the SSA letter and my old driver's license. Nope, driver's license doesn't count. DOESN'T COUNT?!?! They issued it to me and now it's no good. WTF?!? So I left, very angry.
Back to the beginning, Joe and I tried round three. We waited in line (the first line) for about an hour, all the while people are getting madder and madder as the day goes on. Finally we pass the "gatekeeper" and get our blessed number. Well, turns out we had another hour long wait in the actual waiting room. Thank god for Word Mole on Joe's phone or we might have killed some people.
Finally, the whole process took like 15 minutes (with a new picture and everything).
So, word of advice: be prepared to give up your first born in order to get through the door of your local government office.
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