Am I who I say I am? And more....

A quick update on the weekend. I am somewhat annoyed to report that I lost miserably in Monopoly. The Slumking cashed in at just over $30,000 in cash and property - and after I deducted my I.O.U. I was $1,500 and some change in the hole. I need to add that I had to practically beg to end the game early. Dr. Phil doesn't even have boot straps long enough to pull himself up from that mess.

On a lighter note - and much less costly... I made pork stroganoff out of my lurking kitchen items last night. It was fabulous! I am a bit concerned at the number of packages of Ramen noodles I have come across. Since I KNOW I was never present at the acquisition of 15 or 18 packages that and the half dozen boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - I can only assume M must have really thought rough times were ahead. I do like Ramen noodles but I like to watch my sodium intake. I can feel my fingers swelling just thinking about it. I will have to do some of those salads minus the season packet.

Since I am 2 paragraphs into this post and wanted to indulge a little on my 20 minute errand that took 3 hours today - here is the Readers Digest Version - give or take:

Went to US Cellular to get a new cell phone contract. Since I was coming off my friends package plan, I needed to get my own which involved a credit check. I hand over my drivers license and a few seconds in, the guy looks up and says, "Its expired - I can't do anything until you renew it." Argh. I grab my license back and off to the courthouse. I take the little eye exam (does anyone NOT pass that thing?) and then sit down at the table while 'she' enters my information. "Hmmmmm" she says. "HHHHHHHMMMMMM" again. I am staring at her and then, "We run a cross check now with the SS# administration and I am not finding a match. Do you have your SS card?" No. Of course I don't. Since my application for a renewal has now been put into reject status she must fill out a form to give me that states why I cannot renew my license.

Argh. She tells me I must take this form to the SS office to get a new card. I grab my stuff back [again] and off the to the SS office. After gaining access to the cube land to speak to someone (story for another day) yet one more person appears to be dilgently working on my request then, "Hmmm. Why did you say you were here to get a new SS card?" I explain and then she proceeds to tell me that because they still have my maiden name there and I have not just been married, I must produce my marriage license and 2 forms of I.D. with my maiden name. Qualifying items would be an old life insurance policy - you know, anything I would have long since thrown away!!!

So - I grab my stuff back for the last time (2 hours into this now) and drive home to start looking for a needle in a haystack. I did manage to find a few things and brought an entire file of stuff with my maiden name on it just because. Back at the SS office, they seem mildly amused that I am back so quickly as my rather feeble "proof of who I am" tumbles out of my file and onto the counter. I say, "Here we go - I think I have it..." And she laughs! Was she really laughing at me???? So I laughed too! And then it all just seemed really funny! I was annoyed all afternoon and it now just all seemed really funny.

So, I don't have a new cell phone contract - or a drivers license....but dammit! The government finally knows who I really am! What a good days work!