Monday, February 8, 2010

New Home: Stimulting this here economy

As told by the car dealership:
"The banks don't know what to do with you guys, you have just moved around so many times...are you guys terrorists?!?!?"

Honestly this is how a recent conversation started at a car dealership when Jeremy were going to pick up Jeremy's new car. Honestly yes, we are. This is how we are. We being the happy couple together decided to settle down. We decided it was time to make contributions to American society and settle in, god forbid, a house, in Connecticut. We being nice wholesome gay Americans decided to settle in a state where our marriage (contract signed in another country have you) would actually be recognized. We being nice wholesome Americans decided to be that statistic and stop paying someone elses mortgage...and start paying our own. God forbid we contribute to American society even though the Federal Government does NOT recognize us as a couple. To them we are two Americans who purchased a house together, we co-signed our names on about a million documents...and settled. At least our new state of residency says "Yes, you are married, and yes your relationship matters." That I am happy for. So we bought a house.

The next thing we did, was buy a car. I like driving, I like driving my car but I am always looking for something ever so slightly better, I drive a Hyundai (must be because I am supporting that Korean car maker.) We got Jeremy a Honda, he has always driven a Honda, so we got another one. A hatchback/station wagon nonetheless. Man we are becoming the good ole wholesome Americans each and everyday. So we bought a car.

In CT their "rules" for registration and licensing of cars and yourself are a little different then I am used too. Then again I have only been licensed in ME and MA. In ME you go to the DMV wait in line with your birth certificate and SS card, get your picture taken and wait a week of so to get the hard copy. In MA you go to the RMV and pretty much do the same thing. You have to surrender your out of state License first and then you get the new one. You can go Monday-Friday normal business hours, of course you wait in both states in a line like everything else. In MA I registered my car after getting my insurance cards and surrendering my out of state registration and getting inspected and having pictures taken of my car. In Maine, registration is done at your local City Hall/Town Office and you pay your taxes and they give you what you need and life goes on it's merry way...in CT it seems a little more inane and inefficient.

First I had a day in my office (a Monday) that I was going to grab my license and register my car and what not. Surprise, DMV: not open on Monday...really come on, instead it is Tues-Saturday, okay I can deal with a Saturday to do this stuff...but of course it is only open until 12...and they LOCK THE DOORS at 12...if you leave and need to come back...sorry...not going to happen. So we get to the DMV with what we thought would be sufficient paperwork. No. We had the insurance cards and forms of ID and all that jazz, what we didn't have was a postmarked letter...really just the envelope with a postmark on it to say we lived in the address that was on the insurance cards. So we went home, grabbed the envelope that the insurance cards were in and I noticed my form of ID (Passport) was expired...and they wouldn't take an expired passport, even though other places do...whatever. So with mail in hand, mortgage stuff in hand, License in hand I go and get a number and wait about 30 min to go to the counter to pay for my license and make sure my form is filled out, fine. Than I ask about car reg, first you need a license, ok fine. So we wait to get called for our eye test (literally 5 secs). Then we wait to get called by the woman who enters our info into the computer (wait didn't they already do this???) Then we wait to get our picture taken, then we wait for our license from the guy who asks your birthday before he will give it to you...really? Necessary, maybe, highly inefficient...definitely. So we started our day at the DMV at around 9:30 only to leave after 12:30. Wait I forgot to mention that fact that when I was called for my license and gave my birthday...WRONG! I was wrong, I have had nearly 30 birthdays and I was wrong? NO WAY! "There is a problem." Birthday guy said "What? I have my birth certificate here...I should know my birthday." -Me. Entered wrong in the computer, of course it was. They entered the day my certificate was issued...not my birthday. Really, so I had to start all over again. Only to realize when I left that my license expires two months AFTER my birthday...awesome. NOT MY FAULT.

As for the car reg...she was all confused by the fact that I had a NY mailing address and a MA registration...seriously lady it's fine, just let me pay the money and go, I have been here just about as long as you and need a drink. URGH!

No comments: