Fun at the SSA

Part of newly married fun is getting to change your name to your new husband's last name. Only thing is, trying to get your name changed can be such a hassle, and one that makes you, according to my friend Kelly, never want to get remarried and have to do the process all over again (haha).

Arizona now has a new building in downtown Phoenix on 7th Ave and Van Buren that handles changing your name, you can no longer go into a local office near your home. For those that aren't familiar with the Phoenix Metro Area, let's just say this office sits in the middle of ghetto town, surrounded by illegal immigrants looking to get picked up for work. This office is about 40 miles from our house, so since Kimbo Husband had the day off, I made him take me down there to get this done once and for all.

This new office was really nice, and luckily there wasn't that many people there, and after being searched by the security guard, it only took about ten minutes before they called our number. The guy asked for pretty much all my information; social security number, mother's maiden name, city and date of birth, everything except asking for my first born. He then asked if I would be changing my name to Fry, or a different name. I wanted to say, "Um, is there another name on that paper?". But I was polite. At the end, Phil joked with the guy asking how quickly I could get my name changed back to my maiden name, and the guy just gave Phil this dead on stare and we thought,"Wow, this guy is not to be joked around with!". Finally he says, "You know, I've been waiting for when my wife tells me my time is expired", and then started joking around with us..phew!

After this, we had to go downstairs to the Social Security District Office, because I had to make sure to get my name changed for my disability benefits and Medicare. This place was a lot more packed, so we go to sign in. The woman asks for my full name, so I said since I just changed it upsets, my name is...and I gave her my full name, using Fry. Then I kinda laughed and told her what my maiden name was and I said I guess I have to use my new name now and she looked at me and sternly said, "Not Yet!". I was like, whoa lady! So she enters me into the computer and tells me they will call my name, and then proceeds to tell me they will call me by my first name and my maiden name, just in case, I don't know, I forgot what my maiden name from ten minutes ago. I finally get called up to a window and everything gets changed over, and I ask the lady when I will be getting my new Medicare card and she says, "Oh, I guess I can order one of those to be sent to you". Hmm...ya think that might be a good idea.

So I got out of there and now I have to wait two days for their system to update before I can go and get my driver's license changed, and after that I can go through the process of changing my name at the bank, credit cards, and all that fun stuff. Who knew changing a name would such tough work!

It is strange though, because in a sense I sort of feel like I don't know who I am anymore. Well, I guess that really isn't quite true, but when you have had one name for 28 years, and then all the sudden you have a new name, and you have to learn to write that instead of your old one, and you have all your legal documents being changed, I sort of feel in the middle between two people, the old me and the new married me. When I have to write my new name, I have to take a second before writing it because I keep writing the old one, and when someone asks me my name, I have to correct myself because I forget. Don't get me wrong, I am not upset about having to change my name, on the contrary I am very excited about it. I just find it strange how in an instant your suddenly a new person with a new name.