My Day - Really all Day - at the Department of Licensing

I have been putting off getting a Washington State license for months now. Somehow, holding onto my Texas license makes me feel more connected to Texas. I know. Pretty dumb.

I know Washington is my home and it already feels like home.

But I still miss Texas. I can't help it. I lived in Texas longer than I have anywhere else in my life.

Another reason why I didn't want to change out my license is because the departments of licensing are always such "pleasant" - wink, wink - places to visit.

Well, today was the day. I couldn't put it off any longer.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ordeal it ended up becoming. I thought the lines in Texas were bad. But they were never four and half hours bad! That's how long it took me to get my driver's license. FOUR AND HALF HOURS.

I couldn't help but wonder what a visit to the doctor would be like if the government took over health care.

There's got to be a better way of processing people.

I arrived at 11:00am and they gave me a number - 346.

They were servicing 110.

There were 10 windows. I don't know why. Only three people were working them.

It didn't matter that there were hundreds of people waiting in line. They know we have to be there.

When I asked how long the estimated wait time would be, the guy at the desk said three hours and 45 minutes without even a blink. Three hours and 45 minutes!!!

After spending my entire afternoon at the Department of Licensing in Federal Way, Washington, I now know why driver's license pictures all look so bad. A guy forgets how to smile after an ordeal like that.

So when it came time when 346 was actually called four hours later, I was so tired, stressed out, and irritated that by the time the lady said look at the blue dot and smile, this is what happened.

Now, I am stuck with this dorky picture.

Will I go back to get a better picture taken? NO WAY!!!

This is my trophy to my day - really my whole afternoon day - at the Department of Licensing.