So, it is with frustration that I write this Friday the 13th…
Lately, I have been trying to tackle those things that have been hanging over my head. I have finally made a list and am knocking them off one-by-one. Most of those things involve tedious paper work, phone calls or long lines; some of these aggravating tasks involve a combination of all three.
One that has been at the top of this list for some time involves changing my driver’s license over to New York State. I have been here for six years this month, and my Texas License still reflects that I live with my parents on Harper Drive in Marshall, TX. For about five years, my hesitancy to make the change had to do with nostalgia – every time I pulled the license out of my wallet, I was filled with that inexplicable Texan pride, and it made me think of home. Changing over to New York would feel as if some sort of transmutation had taken place and that I have lost a little bit of me somewhere. Jamie says that I am a New Yorker now, and family members say that I “talk like a Yankee,” so maybe that is true. I know, though, I will always be a Texan at heart.
Getting a driver’s license in a small town like Marshall is a relatively painless errand. Shortly after moving to NYC, I lost my Texas license. To get one in New York State without my Texas one to trade in, I would have to apply for a license, give them an organ or two, and possibly take the written test plus the driving test. Driving in NYC can be difficult and scary to say the least, but the thought of doing it while a stranger is watching made my stomach do flip-flops. In fact, my husband still has his learner’s permit and can only drive with another adult sitting in the passenger seat because we just haven’t been up to going through the rigamaroo and hoop-jumping it would take to do the road test.
So, I decided to just get a new one on my upcoming trip to Texas. Traveling to Texas was a bit of a problem, but after presenting my expired passport and an extremely personal pat-down of body and belongings, I made it. When I went to the DMV in Marshall, I did not have the proper documents, but it just so happens that a girl I went to high school with was sitting behind the counter. She hugged me, said “hello,” took my picture and I was out in ten minutes – actually, I lie, make that 20 minutes – I spent 10 minutes catching up with Sherry, who sat behind the counter. She even let me mail the new license to my New York address, so my parents would not have to send it to me since I don’t really live at their house…I just pretend to.
Anything that involves a government office is not so easy in the Big Apple. I will say that there is a DMV two blocks from my office, which is terribly convenient, but that is where it stops being handy. About a year ago, I tried to go in to make the change because a New Jersey cop (this is a whole other story) told me that I was breaking the law; I knew that already, but decided to try to comply. I went to the website to see what I would need.
The out-of-state license must show “the date that the license was issued,” and as luck would have it, Texas is one of the only states that does not provide that information. If date of issue is not provided you must contact your state’s DMV and request a “Driver’s License Record Letter.” Okay, so I went to the Texas DMV site and you can order online – for the mere cost of $24.95. You can opt to have express delivery, but that is another $27.95. A month later, I had that very expensive piece of paper in my hand, I set off for the NYDMV. After waiting in line for an hour-and-a-half, I proudly stepped up to the window to present my documents. Well, apparently, there is a new rule that states that you must present a social security card when applying to change your out-of-state license. Uh-oh…I haven’t seen that thing since around 1991.
That Monday, I said I would be late to work. Forgetting that it was the first of the month at the social security office in Harlem, I waited for two hours in line. I got to the window, and a snotty woman told me that a scanned copy of my marriage license would not do, that I had to have the original. She told me I was welcome to go home and get it and come back and wait in line. Rather than punch her in the nose, I just decided that I would get the card with “Moseley,” instead of “Moseley-Bennett.” I had really been aching to have all of my identification reflect that I have a wonderful husband, but so be it. Three weeks later I received my social security card.
So, yesterday, after nine months, I decided to brave it again. The DMV opens at 8:30 and I got there at 8:15 only to find that the line stretched around the corner of sixth avenue well into the middle of 33rd Street. I sighed, and went to the end of the line. I counted as far as I could see and there were 99 people ahead of me, not counting the people around the folks around the corner, so I stepped out of line…
Today, I went back with a better attitude and I got there at 7:45, armed with ipod and an iced coffee. This time, there were only 25 people ahead of me and at 8:30, the line started moving. Once upstairs, I felt triumphant that any second my goal would be reached, and was fourth in the out-of-state line. I stepped up and the woman looked at all of my docs, only to ask me where my “proof of birth was…” "Well," I said, “I have my social security card, my Texas Driver’s License, my marriage certificate, and all of those prove that I was born. And by the way, are you kidding me?” She replied with a “nope,” and then called me “ma’am.” I have to have either my birth certificate or my passport, both of which are at home. Shit…
Considering that my Texas License does not expire until my birthday of 2012, who knows when I will go back. Maybe Texas just isn’t ready to let me go yet…
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Volunteering in NYC
So, my husband plays D&D on a few Saturdays a year and he is gone from around 11am to 11pm. Since I have a considerable lack of female friends here, or the ones that I do have are busy or are spending time with their significant others, I find that I must create something fun or useful to do with myself. Otherwise, I sit home a little pouty and that is certainly not a good thing for either of us.
My previous activities have included going to Chinatown to get my hairs did (they are done and don't want to do anything different at this time), taking a tour (still a possibility, though sometimes this is not so fun on your own), or completing a project in the apartment (see above about the potential of a pouty attitude). I am looking to do a cooking class, but that is not until evening, so my day is free.
Volunteer, I said to myself, do some good in the community. I began the search only to be frustrated and amazed by the abundance of hoops one must jump through in order to help another human, community or animal out in this city.
I began with the New York Cares website and found a couple of things that would be right up my alley. I could pull some weeds in a park in Harlem or go to Astoria and teach some folks how to use the computer. I am all set to "register" only to find out that you must first attend an "orientation" seminar, none of which are available until August 26th. That sort of misses the mark of volunteering this weekend which is the 14th. Okay, I thought, I will register and go to that orientation seminar so I don't get stuck wanting to help animal or vegetable in the future. Good and done, now onward.
A friend saw my status on FB and suggested that I go to Craig's List because they sometimes have opportunities that might not require a background check, and might provide some "on-the-fly" opportunities. Off to the site I go. Opportunities did abound, but they were not exactly what I had in mind.
1. I could help some 23 year old kid from Westchester find a girlfriend. He is very nice and well educated. So my question is why in the hell is he hoping that someone reading this will automatically see his post and think...oh, I should fix him up with that cute girl down the hall from me...they would make a very cute couple and I know so much about him! Didn't he ever hear of the Craigslist killer?
2. There are plenty of surveys I could fill out - that would be helpful and sitting at my computer answering questions with "sometimes" and "almost never" would really make me feel like I am touching someone's life and building ties with my community. In this category are also testing opportunities at Columbia, but only if you are an active heterosexual who has multiple partners or a black one with fibroids. Since I am neither, that is out too.
3. "Looking for more good people" brings you to a singles website. Ah, well, I don't think that would be very good for my healthy marriage, so I crossed that one off.
4. There was one very sweet post where some guy wants to learn how to ask his deaf girlfriend's hand in marriage in sign language, but I can't help there. If you know sign language, hook this dude up!
5. I could also volunteer for a hair transplant - by that I mean I could get one, not give one...also out or I really would need to head to Chinatown for that haircut.
Okay, so none of these seem like potential opportunities, so I looked at the ASPCA, even though I have sworn to myself, my husband and my family that I would never go in this direction again. We have three rescues - two dogs (one of whom is currently in my lap) and a cat, and it is impossible for me to see animals who don't have a home and not want to do something to remedy that. Most often, that means taking them in. Assuring myself that I could remain steadfast and help without bringing home a litter of malnourished puppies, I went to their website. Well, they too have an orientation, all of which are full until the middle of September with no new dates listed. There is also a $25 processing fee for the application. Okay, it does include a t-shirt, required classes, and after six months of volunteering the required 8 hours a month for six months, you get 20% off at the animal hospital. That might be worth it considering that is where we take our pets and just last week we spent $500 on Mabel's intestinal issues after she ate a disagreeable bone. Really though, all I want to do is pick up some poop, give some animals a little TLC and fill their water bowls. I mean I volunteered in Texas at the ASPCA and did not have to go through all of that, but I did come home with a 99 pound chow-retriever mix name Leo who was headed for the injection room the last day I was there. He eventually went to live with a family on a farm.
On to the NYC Foodback. Good idea, I thought - I would get to touch some lives of real human beings, maybe help peeps with hunger issues. You can only volunteer on Monday through Friday 9:30 to 3:30...well, are most people at work then? The application process there involves giving them your SSN, DL number, your addresses for the last 7 years and previous experience. Wait, they want your previous experience? Does that mean that you should have worked as a grocery stocker? I did wait tables and they do serve food as well, but since this is a weekday only volunteer job, that is out too.
Well, I understand people want background checks if you are working with children, the elderly, or animals. That makes sense, and I see the justification in that. To me, though, pulling weeds in the garden of a city-sponsored old folks home in Harlem, wouldn't warrant a serious look at anyone's past unless, they are worried that you might assault one of the other volunteers. Since they give the address and time, maybe I will just show up on Saturday. If they want to send me home they can...I'll just go get a pedicure and offer to volunteer for the Meredith Moseley-Bennett Foundation.
Jeez!
My previous activities have included going to Chinatown to get my hairs did (they are done and don't want to do anything different at this time), taking a tour (still a possibility, though sometimes this is not so fun on your own), or completing a project in the apartment (see above about the potential of a pouty attitude). I am looking to do a cooking class, but that is not until evening, so my day is free.
Volunteer, I said to myself, do some good in the community. I began the search only to be frustrated and amazed by the abundance of hoops one must jump through in order to help another human, community or animal out in this city.
I began with the New York Cares website and found a couple of things that would be right up my alley. I could pull some weeds in a park in Harlem or go to Astoria and teach some folks how to use the computer. I am all set to "register" only to find out that you must first attend an "orientation" seminar, none of which are available until August 26th. That sort of misses the mark of volunteering this weekend which is the 14th. Okay, I thought, I will register and go to that orientation seminar so I don't get stuck wanting to help animal or vegetable in the future. Good and done, now onward.
A friend saw my status on FB and suggested that I go to Craig's List because they sometimes have opportunities that might not require a background check, and might provide some "on-the-fly" opportunities. Off to the site I go. Opportunities did abound, but they were not exactly what I had in mind.
1. I could help some 23 year old kid from Westchester find a girlfriend. He is very nice and well educated. So my question is why in the hell is he hoping that someone reading this will automatically see his post and think...oh, I should fix him up with that cute girl down the hall from me...they would make a very cute couple and I know so much about him! Didn't he ever hear of the Craigslist killer?
2. There are plenty of surveys I could fill out - that would be helpful and sitting at my computer answering questions with "sometimes" and "almost never" would really make me feel like I am touching someone's life and building ties with my community. In this category are also testing opportunities at Columbia, but only if you are an active heterosexual who has multiple partners or a black one with fibroids. Since I am neither, that is out too.
3. "Looking for more good people" brings you to a singles website. Ah, well, I don't think that would be very good for my healthy marriage, so I crossed that one off.
4. There was one very sweet post where some guy wants to learn how to ask his deaf girlfriend's hand in marriage in sign language, but I can't help there. If you know sign language, hook this dude up!
5. I could also volunteer for a hair transplant - by that I mean I could get one, not give one...also out or I really would need to head to Chinatown for that haircut.
Okay, so none of these seem like potential opportunities, so I looked at the ASPCA, even though I have sworn to myself, my husband and my family that I would never go in this direction again. We have three rescues - two dogs (one of whom is currently in my lap) and a cat, and it is impossible for me to see animals who don't have a home and not want to do something to remedy that. Most often, that means taking them in. Assuring myself that I could remain steadfast and help without bringing home a litter of malnourished puppies, I went to their website. Well, they too have an orientation, all of which are full until the middle of September with no new dates listed. There is also a $25 processing fee for the application. Okay, it does include a t-shirt, required classes, and after six months of volunteering the required 8 hours a month for six months, you get 20% off at the animal hospital. That might be worth it considering that is where we take our pets and just last week we spent $500 on Mabel's intestinal issues after she ate a disagreeable bone. Really though, all I want to do is pick up some poop, give some animals a little TLC and fill their water bowls. I mean I volunteered in Texas at the ASPCA and did not have to go through all of that, but I did come home with a 99 pound chow-retriever mix name Leo who was headed for the injection room the last day I was there. He eventually went to live with a family on a farm.
On to the NYC Foodback. Good idea, I thought - I would get to touch some lives of real human beings, maybe help peeps with hunger issues. You can only volunteer on Monday through Friday 9:30 to 3:30...well, are most people at work then? The application process there involves giving them your SSN, DL number, your addresses for the last 7 years and previous experience. Wait, they want your previous experience? Does that mean that you should have worked as a grocery stocker? I did wait tables and they do serve food as well, but since this is a weekday only volunteer job, that is out too.
Well, I understand people want background checks if you are working with children, the elderly, or animals. That makes sense, and I see the justification in that. To me, though, pulling weeds in the garden of a city-sponsored old folks home in Harlem, wouldn't warrant a serious look at anyone's past unless, they are worried that you might assault one of the other volunteers. Since they give the address and time, maybe I will just show up on Saturday. If they want to send me home they can...I'll just go get a pedicure and offer to volunteer for the Meredith Moseley-Bennett Foundation.
Jeez!
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