(no subject)

[martasfic]

Today I crashed a Ph.D. defense. The candidate was an idiot, but luckily so was his committee, so I guess it all worked out. (... It's just possible my old academic biases are coming into play here, more than an objective evaluation of the work, so. ....)

Apparently we have reached the stage of the pandemic where there's nothing good one can still do outside of your house. I took a vacation day to run some errands, had budgeted several hours for wrestling with the DMV but didn't even make it through the doors, so I winded up with mega hours to kill before a doctor's appointment, and no movies, no restaurants, no museums, no libraries to fill it with. At a certain point I guess you have to get creative if you don't want to ride the M1 on endless repeat. It's better than poking fun at tourists or other minor acts of malevolence, I suppose.

Comments

[engarian.livejournal.com]

My DMV won't allow people in without prior appointments. I have one scheduled for September! LOL

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

I was sure I had one! I had a distinct memory of signing up for a particular date and time, but they didn't have me on their schedule. I never got a confirmation email either so I couldn't prove it. I didn't even know they were sending that out so didn't think to expect one. To say that I was frustrated would be an understatement.

Actually I had a bit of a "Karen" moment - I all but yelled at the security guard about how I had made a reservation, and that the website was not at all clear we needed an email confirmation, how it was completely unreasonable for people who were actually working jobs to have to take off time and not even be able to be seen, etc. I'm more than a bit embarrassed about it now, actually, because it really wasn't his fault and I was being a spoiled entitled baby. It's just that Covid makes everything that one little bit more difficult and this finally pushed me over the line of what I can deal with and still function. I suspect more people than will admit it, but then, people controlling access to the buildings are dealing with that as much as anyone. Here's to doing better tomorrow (today).

[shirebound]

I'm planning a full day (starting at 5 a.m.) next month at the DMV to get mom's car title and registration transferred to me and turn in her driver license. I'll take a chair, water, books, lunch, umbrella, and crossed fingers that I can get inside. The only appointments the NJ DMVs are making are for new drivers who need testing. *sigh*

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping it will be simple-ish because I'm just trying to get a non-driver ID. I don't need to actually take any tests, just show my documents. I misplaced my passport late last year, and had lost my social security card in a move several years before that, so I'm trying to cobble together enough proof of identity to get on a plane in October, and vote the month after that. I am just so exhausted by all the false starts - to set aside the day and get off and not even to be able to get through the door was beyond frustrating.

Not their fault. And I did not react well. I really must do better. Still, sheesh!

I think it's something about Covid. I mean, I'm doing the best I can and my situation is so much better than most. But it wears at you just a little bit every day, so you just don't have it in you to navigate even the slightest complication sometimes. My resilience and ability to weather through has really taken a hit! Wish I had managed the frustration better. As it turns out they actually have longer hours to allow for more social distancing- I need to cal them and make sure they'll be open, but they have reservations as late as 6:30- so I may be able to do this without taking off more time after all. Regardless, I can do better and hopefull will next time. :-)

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

My daughter needs to title/register the car she just bought, I need to renew the plates on my own car, and I also need to, at some point, get a new driver's license that fits the federal guidelines for getting on planes. The pandemic really has thrown a wrench into getting all that done.

"It's better than poking fun at tourists"

I admit, I kind of cringe at the thought of being one of those tourists in NYC someday. *sigh* I hate the thought of going there and sticking out like a sore thumb, but I'll just have to ignore the rolling eyes because a trip there is on my bucket list.