Online Passport Renewal

It’s been on my list of things to do. The last time I renewed my passport was almost ten years ago. I was working at the Library of Congress and walked my papers over to the House Office Buildings. It was easy. I had heard you can now renew your passport on line if you meet certain qualifications. So I went to the website and I met the criteria. The worst part of it all was getting the digital photo just right. I think my husband took about twenty photos but the lighting in the house cast a bit of shadow. Out of exasperation I finally just picked the last one and gave up trying. Once I started the process it didn’t take too long but I wanted to make sure all of the information was accurate so I double checked everything. After entering in the first bit it was verified that I could proceed. The photo uploaded without a problem and they said they would contact you if something was amiss. Afterwards you can sign up for a status update - which won’t start until the payment has been authorized. It’s supposed to take six to eight weeks and the current passport is not valid any longer once this process started. We have no plans to go anywhere and I’m not sure we ever will at this stage. But it’s good to have the passport up to date - just in case. 

Driver License Renewal Notice - Real ID Credential

Last week I received a notice that my drivers license will expire soon. When we first moved here from the Midwest twelve years ago I remember it was a royal pain to get a DC license. But everything here is a royal pain. We had to go to Georgetown, find parking, and sit there for quite some time. I do vaguely remember getting to renew it on line the last time. My husband, on the other hand, needs to get medical authorization for vision and health before he can renew his. But he’s been able to do it all by mail. So I tried to renew this time on line. That requires taking a five question motor safety quiz. I got that far when it said I couldn’t renew on line because I don’t have a “real ID” and I already used up my one opportunity. So we will need to make a trip to a motor vehicle service station. The closest one is in southwest. But you also need to bring something with your birthdate on it - like an unexpired passport - a social security card, and two items that prove you live in DC. Since everything is digital these days, I had to make a copy of a bank statement and a property tax bill with my name on it. I understand the need for all the documentation but it’s really aggravating nonetheless. I wanted to go this week to get it over with but came down with this ugly sore throat and flu like condition that is lasting much too long. It’s taken all the life out of me and I don’t feel like doing a thing. Getting a drivers license just isn’t on the top of the list - even if I was feeling good. 

Passport Renewed Within Two Weeks

I just read the other day that beginning some time in 2018 passports will be renewed on line. Of course, this was right after we processed the paperwork, took the photo and printed it to the exact size, wrote out a check, and mailed it to the passport service in Philadelphia a little over two weeks ago. My husband’s passport was going to expire in February and we wanted to get it updated before that time, but also have it on hand in case if any unforeseen circumstances. It was mentioned the processing could take 4-6 Weeks. We knew it arrived at the center soon after it was mailed because the money had been withdrawn from our account. So it was a pleasant surprise that the new passport arrived in the mail yesterday. That was a pretty good turnaround time. I noticed that the photo was digitally scanned and is different than before. My husband just needed to sign it. We also kept the pamphlet it came with that included important reminders and phone numbers. It was kinda sad to see all the stamped pages from past trips overseas now empty. So at least now we have what we need ready for the next adventure - wherever that is. 

Registered Nurse License Renewal

It was way back in 1975 that I got a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Seven years later I received a Masters of Science in Nursing degree while working full time. I have to say that having a career in Nursing was good to me. I kept moving up from a few years in the clinical arena to a variety of leadership positions - ending with a regional director in performance measurement for a large health care organization in the Midwest. After thirty years in health care we moved to DC where I started a second career as a civil servant at the Library of Congress. I was doing performance measurement in that role too, but it was nothing like being in health care. Since we moved to DC I have maintained my nursing state license for no other reason than that it was such a hard road to get it! Now I am retired for almost two years and the notice came this week that it was time to renew my license as it expires in February 2018. This may be the last time I renew it. I just can’t seem to give it up even though it’s been twelve years that I haven’t needed it. My husband had no problem forgetting about his medical license, and that’s been even many more years ago. I keep thinking maybe it will come in handy one of these days.... 

DC DMV Medical Report Headache

It is such a pain to go anywhere around here. What should take half an hour is two hours. My husband got a letter from the department of motor vehicles saying he needs to submit medical authorization for his drivers license renewal. Because we don't trust the mail service around here, we literally like to hand carry official documents and pick them up when they are completed. Lucky for us, the eye doctor was available today to complete the form, but the problem with that is she is located at Washington Hospital Center, a huge medical complex that is a pain to drive to, get around in, and escape from. And of course the parking ticket was a dud as it could not be read by the machine when we tried to pay, so it took even longer to find the parking attendant and get that addressed. While we were at it, I'm trying to relearn how to drive in the city, so whenever we go anywhere lately, I drive home. This time it meant going to our primary care doctor office in our neighborhood first. Today is rainy, there is always construction, the streets are congested, there are too many one way streets, and pedestrians are always jumping in out of nowhere. It gives me a headache! I dropped my husband off and he returned within five minutes or so. He always gets the runaround there and I have a feeling it will take forever to get a call to pick up the document. On the way home he said this is a great way to keep your mind sharp. All I can say is that it feels like such an archaic way to access this information and have hard copy documents in this digital age. These are the days I wish we lived somewhere else. But that somewhere else just isn't very clear to us just yet.