Library Cards Are No Laughing Matter

On Friday evening, I had my first "all new things" meltdown.  Changing your driver's license and Social Security card are more trouble than you might think, especially since my new state won't just accept my previous state's driver's license as ID.  The circuitous way that each agency's page links to the next and then links back to the last is also super-frustrating and the opposite of helpful.  Trying to figure out what sort of documentation is necessary for each step and in which order the changes should be made was making my head hurt, and Chase walked in to this:

"I don't know my name and I don't even know my phone number and I just barely know where I live.  I knew more than THIS about my life on the first day of kindergarten!!!"

The outburst was followed by a loooong, tangential rant about name changes and bureaucratic red tape, during which many government agencies' names were taken in vain.  Looking slightly as if he might sneak away and page himself back to work just to escape this conversation, Chase tried to de-escalate the meltdown.  In response to his attempt to console me by pointing out that no one will actually notice if I don't get a new driver's license right away, I exclaimed (in tones of desperation): "But... I DO HAVE TO!  They won't let me have a LIBRARY CARD if I don't have a local driver's license!!!!!!"

Shaking his head, laughing, Chase replied, "... and the truth comes out."

New Kid on the Block

So, welcome to my new life as the new girl! I am newly-married, newly-moved, and not-quite-so-newly-disoriented. I haven't decided what my new last name is, so this means that when I meet new people, I mostly stutter and look confused while I try to introduce myself. Fabulous for the first impression, I'm sure. I have to work on that, because I desperately need some new friends so I can get out a little more. I know my new address, but haven't learned my new phone number and can't find much of anything in my new city... other than my new grocery store. If this doesn't change soon, I will inevitably gain 15 new pounds.

I have a dissertation to avoid, so I obviously need a new hobby. Turns out, blogging is free and you don't actually need to know where you are to do it. Okay, sure... I'm in.