There have been been murmurings about “the next generation” since my sister was the first of the grandchildren to get married nearly five years ago. It’s definitely amped beyond a murmur since our wedding last year, so we’re pleased to announce what may be a temporary panacea. Yes, we know: very temporary.
On that note: meet Nina. If virtual tongue-baths were possible, you would be receiving one now.
Call it the BMV, the DMV, whatever other acronym you care to concoct – visits to governmental agencies to deal with documentation surrounding driving and vehicles conjure nightmares. Between state-hopping, name changes, and driving junkers that need frequent replacing, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time waiting in long lines, taking pointless multiple choice tests, making three trips back home to find the correct documents, and, of course, paying out ridiculous fees for each inch of the red tape.
When we discovered that we needed not only proof of residence, previous licenses, marriage license, and SSN – but our original, certified birth certificates, too! – to transfer our licenses to Georgia, we expected the worst. After pleading calls to our mothers (I felt like I was back in college) to track them down and send the proofs of our existence via registered mail, we finally had it all assembled and braced ourselves for the excruciating task ahead.
The entire process: licenses, title, tags, the works – took 20 minutes. That included two separate locations. With only a modest exchange of cash, to boot.
So: thank you, Cobb County, Georgia.
Oh…and we were able register as Georgia voters. Which is a darn good thing, since Sarah Palin’s entry into the race has finally got me excited about this election. I’ve been enthralled by Barack Obama’s charisma and historical run since last fall – but I disagree with the man across the board on the basic fundamentals. In Palin, I see a similar charisma – and a far more solid foundation. There are two main characteristics I want from someone in the White House: character, and intelligence. She carries both.
(On second thought, maybe we should have maintained our Ohio licenses for a little longer and voted absentee where it would have carried more weight!)