Adventures at the DC DMV

The DC DMV has to be the most bureaucratic institution that ever exists.  The make you jump through hoops that are quite frankly unnecessary and then they try to tell you that they are doing you a big favor.

So, yesterday, I spent my time trying to get my plates taken care of.  This is the log of my adventure.

7:10 am– Leave my house to get to catch the 7:15 bus to Georgetown

7:20 am– Get on bus

8:00 am– Get off bus about 4 blocks from my final destination

8:10 am– Arrive at DMV, which opens at 8:15

8:20 am– DMV *actually* opens

8:35 am– Get to start of first line, where they tell you what longer line.  Told I don’t have what I need, and that I need to get it before I get in the longer line.  Even though it’s 2 lines of text that I can fill out right there, I was told to leave the DMV and fill it out outside, and come back.  To convert your Driver’s Lisence from another state, you need to have a birth certificate (which I happen to have), a social security card (which I lost- and had to get replacement documentation from the SSA), and valid proof that you live in DC, which I don’t have—and I had a forgery of a lease.  If you didn’t live in DC why would you go through all this trouble?  Seriously.

8:45 am– Get back to front of line where I finally get a line number.  Officially begin to wait.

9:30 am– My number is called, and I get my paper work to get my Driver’s License.  Get sent to second line to get my picture taken

9:45 am– Get picture taken.  Wait for card to be processed. 

10:15 am– Get my car (Background:  My friends live in the same building as the DMV, the allowed me to use their reserved, gated parking space while I dealt with this ordeal – I would have never been able to do this without them – a big THANK YOU!)  and drive to the emissions testing station.  Miss my exit because they changed the way the exit is labeled—My directions have the street, while the exit is now marked “Nationals Stadium.”  Get lost in Anacostia (for you St. Louis People, think East St. Louis).  

10:45 am– Arrive at Testing Station

11:15 am– Start getting my vehicle tested

11:30 am– get told my car doesn’t pass because of something extremely subjective that I can fix myself—I need to get a new gas cap.  I ask where, around there, I can get a gas cap, and get sent back to Anacostia. 

12:00 noon– Find the AutoZone in Anacostia. Probably the only white person in miles.  I was defiantly the only person driving a Volvo. 

12:30 pm– Arrive back at emission testing station, where I get in line behind a taxicab (you don’t have a choice on what line you go in).  Taxicabs have much more extensive inspections, so I waiting an extra long
time.  I get to watch someone who has their car actually catch on fire at the emissions station (the driver got burned bad enough to have to call the ambulance).  Word to the wise: If flames are coming out of your engine, you automatically don’t pass inspection.

1:00 pm– Leave to go back to the DMV in Georgetown, since I have *free* parking there.

1:15 pm– Grab a slice in the food court on the way back to the DMV in the back of the mall.

1:20 pm– Get my second line number for the day, and begin to wait to get my plates. 

2:20 pm– Finally get to the front of the line, and get all paperwork in to re-title my car and get my parking pass (you need to get one by neighborhood here—even if all you have is street parking).  Yes, I paid more for the 2 year permit.  Hell if I am doing this every year… 

2:30 pm– Decide that I should probably get in as many hours of work as I can since I took the day off without pay.  Take the bus to work (leaving my car in Georgetown).

6:30 pm– leave work.  Run a few errands, and then pick up my car.  I had to put on the new plates and sticker—including removing the Missouri stickers, as DC Law clearly states that you cannot have emission stickers from other states on your car.  I think my oil change sticker may be pushing the law.

9:00 pm– Come home and eat nachos for dinner.  Open birthday presents in the mail (including one that apparently was sitting in the neighbors box for weeks – Thanks for the Umbrella!  And the Cupcake!—ok it’s the thought that counts on the cupcake…) 

posted on 5/15/2008 8:06:48 PM 2 comments

hard.

as much as i know moving here was the thing to do, it's really hard sometimes. 

my birthday is tomorrow (happy birthday FP), and i am doing nothing.  i think i'll get myself some hostess cupcakes and a pint of ben and jerrys and spend the evening in front of the tv-- like i always do. 

i didn't have the best weekend, either.  nothing is going right.  every accomplishment is matched with another setback.  every day, i fell like i have not gone anywhere.  which, in some ways-- this past few weeks have been amazing.  and in some regards, i have done nothing. 

my job is going ok.  but i's hard for me to get going in the direction i need.  sometimes, when things are too easy, you think that you are doing them work-- so i second guess myself alot.  which, i know i should do sometimes, but i feel stuck there. 

and then there are times when something is too hard for me.  which always makes me inadequite. 

i knew moving here, it would take a long time for me to get up the quality of life i had in st. louis.  i just really wish i could see some sign of progress. 

posted on 5/11/2008 3:30:15 PM 0 comments

pain in the ass

so, i lost my social security card.  which sucks.

but i need a new driver's license. which apparently, you need proof of your social security number to get a new license.  Or at least you do in DC.  you also need proof of residency (which is what i thought a driver's license was-- but whatever.)  They offer alternatives to your Social Security card which include a pay check stub, on which my # is XXX'ed out, and/or a health insurance card (which i have a responsible heath insurance that uses ID numbers that are not your SSN).  So, basically, i am screwed.  So, the Social Security Office is only open from 10-4 m-f.  I have no idea how long the lines are, but since it's 20 minutes from work, i know that there is no way i can get there in the hour I have for lunch.

I have a new job, so as understanding as my boss may be, i can't really just take off and spend all day waiting in line—not to mention, I will also have to take time off to settle my condo, to get my car registered, and maybe a little mental health time, too… (hey—I didn’t work for 3 months, and working everyday has been about killing me… )

i have no idea how i am ever going to get this done.

I know that we have to take identity theft in this age of homeland security… but I feel like this is impossible. 

I am who I say I am, I swear. 

posted on 5/5/2008 7:13:48 PM 2 comments

iPod

what should i get engraved on my ipod?

i am ordering a red nano shorty.

i have 60 characters on 2 lines.

i wanted:  "art is life, life is art; all else is trite and empty in comparison" but i am over by 8 letters. 

maybe i should just have "economic stimulus my ass" on it since that's what money i am using to buy it.

posted on 4/30/2008 9:32:14 PM 0 comments

is there?

Is there anything better than fresh strawberries?

i got these perfectly ripe berries at the market today.  they won't last until this evening. 

but that's ok.  i will walk back to the market tomorrow.  I may even wait in line for crepes.  mmmm. 

posted on 4/19/2008 1:31:01 PM 1 comments

it's getting close.

so, i know what you are all thinking... kat's birthday is less than a month away-- what are we going to get her?  i mean, she has everything.

ok, so none of you are thinking that -- and even if you were -- no one (including my mother) has my address to send me stuff. 

1. ipod.  it's a long morning without one.  and everyone on the train has one-- and i am always next to someone who has theirs up way too loud and it's really annoying.  i like the red one.  not to mention you can download the metro map so i don't have to look like i tourist when i am lost. 

2. an umbrella.  one of those teeny tiny ones you can have in your purse at all times.  i spend a week carrying my too-big umbrella.  i left it at home one day, and i got SOAKED walking home. 

3. shower curtian. i really need to get one sometime soon (i do have a liner-- which works-- but makes me feel a little like an exhibitionist.)

4. cupcakes.  i always want cupcakes.

5. the row house that i walk by every morning.  it's only $700,000. 

6. cute little shoes that are comfortable to walk to the metro in, and small enough to keep in my bag when i wear my real shoes to work. 

7. to find a new leg wax place here.  i am really hairy. 

8. someone to go to six flags with me here on my birthday.  six flags rocks on my birthday.

9.  a new suspention on my volvo.

10.  plates for my volvo.  yeah, i'll be getting these shortly. 

11.  oh, and a million dollars. 

12.  and yarn.  i love yarn.

and a real topic to blog about.... but anyone can email me that-- so that's what you should get me. 
and you won't get posts like this anymore.



posted on 4/17/2008 8:25:29 PM 2 comments

tape worm

i think i have a tape worm....  I eat, and eat, and eat.  and i am always still hungry. 

i got a ton of great produce at the market today, but all i want is junk food.  i want a pizza.  I want french fries.  i want cheese.  not brussell sprouts (even though i really love brussell sprouts). 

because i am walking most places, i guess i am burning more calories that i was before (when i was really doing nothing).  I do sit at my desk all day, but that is more than i was doing before. 

i would love to see if my weight is going down.  but my scale seems to have stopped working.  i think now that i walking at least 2 miles a day, i think it's time to try and get down to what i weighed after surgery (as in get down the healthy way, not starve myself). 

today was my first day without a mission since i moved here.  and i am actually bored instead of overwhelmed.  reminds me of the good ol days of being unemployed. 

i need to meet someone here who is willing to try new restaurants with me.  i want chinese food-- and i have no clue on where to try.  the friends i do have here don't live near me-- so they are not good for recommendations. 

I guess i have been here for 2 weeks -- i just need to be patient. 


posted on 4/12/2008 6:49:05 PM 3 comments

life

you so wish you were me. 

today, i had to work late.  well, i didn't have to.  but i did.... everyone else had to get stuff to be by 5, which all came at 5:30.  i made 3 people look good tonight, and my boss is very aware of it. 

so i left work.  it was still before 6.  and it was beautiful outside.  so instead of catching the train at my usual station, i kept walking.  i walked past the white house, down to the tidal basin- where the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and around the washington monument, and to the mall where i got the train at the smithsonian station. 

the only thing that i regret is that i didn't have my camera with me today. i would have taken pictures of the blossoms, the adult kickball teams (apparently all the rage around these parts) and a picture of the USDA for the good reverend. 

I love the neighborhood i live in-- even though my place leaves something to be desired.  it's so quiet here.  everyone is friendly.  there are people walking everywhere.  and there are all these brick sidewalks. 

i walk past all these beautiful row houses, which i dream about winning the lottery and and buying. 

so work is going good.  i am finally getting over the trauma that the last job gave me.  I was at that job for 3 years-- and all previous people who had my position lasted less than one. hell yeah i was burned out.  it really took alot to to get over that-- and i am still getting over it.

there are alot of bugs i need to work out with my new life-- but it's a good one.

posted on 4/9/2008 9:06:16 PM 1 comments

eight days a week

i have been here eight days now.  before last week, i had not worked all year.  as much as i complain, i would much rather work than not work. 

today was cold-- and my office has little to no temperature control. my fingers were freezing all day-- very hard to type without feeling in your hands. 

i had a good weekend, but i think i tried to jam to much stuff into it.  I wanted to see my neighborhood, so i walked down to the local yarn store.  I got there an hour before they opened.  so no yarn smelling for me.  I then walked down to the market.  I got a whole bunch of fresh veggies and some meat from a local butcher. 

I so attempted to clean a but.  i have a sublet here, and the person before me lived like a college student.  my standards are a little higher even if my income isn't. 

Sunday, i headed out to Virginia to visit my friends and run some errands.  I don't have parking here in the city, nor do i really need a car here, so my car is living out there.  I ended up taking on a job with the wrong tools-- and no safety glasses.  no permanent injuries were sustained nor were any animals harmed.  yet.  i have some good friends, these two really took my in (literally for awhile) and have really gone above and beyond. 

so, monday's over.  4 more days and i get another weekend.  4 more days and i get a paycheck.  a paycheck.   what a novel idea.  as much more as I am making at this job, it never seems like enough.  some one want to give me money for the pleasure of reading my blog?  anyone?  anyone?  oh well.  less coffee money for me.

posted on 4/7/2008 7:57:39 PM 0 comments

look! a blog entry!

have you all been patiently waiting for an entry from me trying to figure out what the hell is going on?

well, long story short, i got a new job and i moved to DC. 

the job is going awesome.  i am still learning, but i really like what i am doing.  it's some serious adjusting going to a corporate environment.  i have not once yet had a random child wonder into my office.  nothing has been on fire.  and there have been no plumbing emergencies.  my boss has not asked me to google anything for her.  it's so nice.

honestly, i have not worked in so long, it's just nice to be working again. 

i have a completely different lifestyle.  i get up and walk the 8 blocks to the metro, take the train downtown, and walk another 3 blocks to work (usually stopping for coffee on the way-- expensive habit, i need to stop that-- but you can't bring your coffee on the train... and i am too good to drink office coffee.)

it's raining tonight.  i walked home from the bar in the rain.  i thought that i would have been more annoyed.  but i didn't have to park.  or pay for gas.  no road rage for me.  but sidewalks do get crowded when everyone has their umbrella out. 

well, morning comes an hour sooner here, so i will call it a night.

 

posted on 4/3/2008 9:23:40 PM 1 comments