sweet relief.

I never ended up blogging about last Thursday, but it was the worst day I've had in a while. I got up semi-early to head out to the social security office, only to wait for two hours for them to tell me that they misplaced my new card in the mail (something about leaving the "drive" off the end of my address). That meant that they would have to RESEND my application and hopefully the card would come in 5-10 business days. I almost cried on the spot. But I didn't. I cried out on the street, while I talked to Adam on my cell phone. He gave me a little pep talk, and, encouraged by the SS clerk's suggestion to give the DMV my SS card receipt, I biked on over to the DMV downtown.

Turns out the only day they're NOT downtown is Thursdays. Of course.

I called Adam again and cried.

Then I got back on my bike and headed down South Ave to the Highland park government office, where the DMV actually was operating. There was only one other person in the room, and I felt confident that everything was going to work out. But no, she refused to take my SS card receipt, and blew me off.

I sobbed outside on the phone to Betsy. It was NOT the day to wear mascara, but I did.

So that was an epic fail if ever there was one. I biked over to Matt and Brianne's, where Adam and Matthew were shooting a Go Veg commercial. And I bought a huge order of Sesame Tofu from Ming's. And everything felt better. I met Betsy later at the Memorial Art Gallery, where we saw a really awesome exhibit called Paint Made Flesh. Then we walked over to Lento to have their Buy One, Get One free vegetarian entrees for students. Thank you, AmeriCorps. I had lentil cabbage rolls with chickpea battered pumpkin slices in a tomato and portobello sauce. And I had a yummy cocktail called The Tell-Tale Heart, made with apple cider, gin and crushed cranberries. It was the perfect ending to an awful day.

And guess what?

I called the Villa's HR office today, and Amy told me that there's no rush, just to call her as soon as I have my new license number and they'll bring me in for hiring.

Hallelujah!

So, I have a job, and although I won't start getting a paycheck for a while, I can relax and really enjoy my knitting, reading and cooking that I've been doing during this interim.

I don't know why it seems that bureaucracy has it in for me, but I'm glad that I'm never completely screwed over. Just inconvenienced, frustrated and delayed because of the government's red tape.

(On a slightly political note, Adam and I were discussing how demeaning it is to have to jump through so many hoops to prove that we are full citizens of this country. How many proofs do we need? Birth certificate, Social Security card, Passport, Driver's License, etc. And which of those is least important? The little blue paper card that ONLY has a number, one that is easily memorized, and easily stolen. And how expensive ARE all of these documents? Very. Especially when they have to be renewed or replaced. I feel so much for those who don't have the money to prove their documentation, and those that are treated as less human because they can't prove their identity. No wonder we feel so lost in this world. Our identities depend on little cards and pieces of papers and photographs and numbers.)