department for mortified vagrants

it's been on my to-do list for an embarassing amount of time now. . .

exchanging my CA drivers license for a NY drivers license.

there's so many reasons why i've procrastinated: (1) the DMV sucks, (2) i didn't want to waste my precious time off during the week at the DMV, (3) the DMV had short hours so i had to go on a weekday, (4) my old license is valid until 2010, (5) the DMV sucks. of course, many reasons why i should: (1) i don't even live at the address on my CA license and not sure if my former colleague still does, (2) i could be called for jury duty and not know it then be fined for dodging jury duty, (3) i've lived in NY for over two years, (4) it's irritating to explain why i have a CA license , NY address, and where i'm from, (5) i can't register to vote in NY.

i got out from work at 1pm today and decided to finally suck it up and go to the DMV. i tried to minimize any waiting time by making sure i had all the proper identification, all the forms were out, had my sister fill out the eye exam form for me and was all set to go. i arrived at the express DMV (mostly for renewals and exchanging out-of-state licenses) to pure mayhem.

usually, there are three lines. the first to get any forms you are missing and your ticket to wait in line, the second to take the eye exam, verify your forms, and take your photo, the third to input your info in the system, turn in your license, and pay the fee. unfortunately, the ticket machine/system was down so the lines were out of control and for a good thirty minutes none of the employees knew what to do. since the attendant couldn't give out tickets, she gave each person in the first line another piece of paper and directed them to the second line. the second line then stalled for quite some time. the line two attendant was walking back and forth around the office frantically trying to figure out what to do since the system was done. much discussion back and forth among the employees. finally, line two attendant decided to call whatever remaining ticket numbers out in order then start to help people in the order that they were in in line. . . BRILLIANT!

gradually, line two began to move. eventually i got through and headed back to line three which seemed to have merged into line 1 but actually line 1 no longer existed as it had merged into line 2.

as you can see it was chaotic and everyone's face exhibited the suffering and pain that they were enduring. . . and about an hour and a half later, i had relinquished my CA license and gotten my temporary card.