What did you do today, Molly?

Well, since you asked, I will tell you. First, I checked my e-mail, which has become a really lengthy process as of late, not because of how s-l-o-w it is here compared to my broadband connection from Ohio but because more people are joining the Ukraine 29 yahoo group that some folks set up. It's cool to read and find out more information about those who are going, what they can share with all of us, and so on. But it becomes a staggering process of something like 25+ e-mails a day. When I used to be a VISTA this would be nothing, but it is time consuming.

So, after that and watching some Dawson's Creek a few other things, I call the consignment shop in town and ask them to send me their guidelines. They say that they'll e-mail me around 2pm. Perfect, I think, because I should be back from my other errands around that time and then I can set up an appointment for this afternoon, take the clothes there, and hopefully make some money in the upcoming weeks. Sure! No problem.

I make a stop along the way to check out if I can replace some things that I lost in the moving process, but the office is closed until 2pm. Go figure. I press on through town.

I got to the bank and hand over the signed copies of the forms they needed--I put my mother's name on this account, as I figure that she will be handling my bizness for me whilst I am in Ukraine. I leave. I suddenly see the AAA across the street and decide to head there and pick up some maps. I'm a member, it should be easy. They have no maps of Ukraine, but I get some US maps and a PA/NJ map (they are combined? Ew!) I press on...

I make it to the Driver License Center and this is where all progress ends. I read all the instructions when I enter, get a number (C974) and try to find the form that I need that the woman told me over the phone would be available for me there.

Nope. It's not anywhere.

So I go to see what number they were currently serving. 889.

Okay, I think, that's not so good, but really, it can't be that bad, can it? It says on the ticket that it should be about a 43 minute wait. I look around for an empty chair and wish that I had had the foreknowledge to bring a book.

So why am I there in the first place? Well, many years ago, when I lived in Massachusetts, I was sent a driver's license with a little light blue box that read "Valid Without Photo" in the corner where my picture should be. I told everyone that it was my Amish ID, which a lot of people believed. Silly guillble people who know nothing about the plain people. I mean, I was wearing clothing with zippers and my head wasn't covered. At any rate, I recalled then when I got the puzzling ID it had some disclaimer that once in PA for 10 consectutive days, I needed to get a photo. Well, true enough, I have been in PA for longer stints than 10 days before, but it was always over the holidays. One does not think about heading out to the DMV after Thanksgiving dinner, you know? So I never bothered. Until today.

I waited for at least an hour, when they were finally up to 904. My hunger took over and I went to one of my favoritest places in the area: the Salad Stop. I ate moderately quickly, heaven forbid I miss my chance, but also realizing that the likelihood of that happening pretty slim. I was hoping that they'd be around 920 when I returned. Oh, if only I had been so lucky. When I returned, at least a half hour later, they were only on 909. 909. I wanted to cry. I waited for awhile longer before calling my mother and informing her that I might have to kill someone or at the very least pen a letter to Pennsylvania's finest Ed Rendell (our governor who's lovely picture was right there in the DMV). I would suggest to him that he not display his photo in such a place where hard working citizens of the Keystone state sit and wait hours on end to do something like get a license renewed. It's not the best evidence of your taxdollars at work, you know?

Needless to say, I waited nearly three hours for them to finally get around to my number. So, also suffice to say, that was my day, sitting around waiting at the DMV. I got my bizness taken care of though, a new photo was taken and I re-registered to vote PA, which was exciting. The gentleman who took my picture asked me what my situation was, and I told him before I left. Not sure what all he heard, as I'm not into publically telling people my plans (I always feel that people judge you--like if you join the Armed Forces it's heroic and patriotic--which it is, but doing something like the Peace Corps is just... well... being a crazy hippie. And people, I bathe.) Regardless, he told me to have a nice trip. I guess that is their way around hostility. That once you finally accomplish what you went in there to do, they are super polite and nice to overcompensate for the long-ass wait you just had. Well, perhaps it worked.

That was basically how I spent my day. At the Malvern Driver's License Center.