Name Change Fun Continues

Yesterday I ventured over to the lovely Motor Vehicle Department to get a new license with my new name, and to renew my handicap placard.

The first place we went to was one that has never been busy anytime I have gone in there, but now that have changed their hours and they were no longer open on Monday's. So we had to go to the location in Mesa, across the street from where we got married.

This place, as always, was crowded, but luckily not as bad as I have seen it. I filled out the application for a new license, and the women behind the desk gave me the ticket number H507. H being for handicap, I am guessing there has to be a specific number for dealing with handicap placard renewals. So we sat and waited....

And waited.....

And waited.......

Waiting for your number to be called at the MVD is like playing bingo. There is a board up on the wall and when they call a number, a recorded man's voice plays over the loudspeaker, saying the letter and number and then it will flash across the screen....A654....F457...

I kept waiting for the letter H to pop up, then I started looking around for other handicap people who might ahead of me. Finally they called my number and I looked over and saw that where the window was, it was a very tight fit to get in there and I wasn't sure I could. I told Phil to head over and let the guy know I was on the my way, and I started over there, when the lady behind the desk who gave me my ticket was suddenly right there, helping move chairs out of the way and asking people to move. I was very grateful. It isn't everyday that someone is that helpful toward someone in my position, and it makes me wonder if maybe in her personal life she has or has dealt with, a person in a wheelchair.

I finally get to the window and the guy couldn't be more non-friendly. He said a total of twelve words during the whole transaction, which were "Driver's license and marriage certificate", which I handed over, and then when he was done, "Go around the corner for your license" So I took my new handicap placard, which is good until June of 2013, and went around the corner, where I needed to have a new picture taken since I changed my name.

Why, oh why, does everyone look hideous in their driver's license photo? I could have smiled, I suppose, but then you never know when they are going to take the picture and I didn't want to sit there looking like a smiling retard. But the picture was taken and less then five minutes later there it was, my new license with my new last name. At last I am official and can really start using that name for everything. As it has been, I've been going back and forth between my maiden name and married name. Like earlier in the day, I had to get blood drawn for my doctor and it was under my maiden name, so I had to use that.

Now that I have gotten the two main obstacles out of the way, Social Security and my license, and I changed my name at the bank, now I just have a few more places to change it, which only require a phone call. Changing your name is hard business!