Awight folks. Today, I'm just going to let it all out. If you care to read, please read, if not, please at least feel free to join me in the comments in sharing your own rants. We all have them and here I am blatantly using my personal little bubble here in cyberspace as a forum to share and share alike.Rant 1: Graduation
So remember how I was all excited to graduate? I had finally slogged my way through my last classes, cranking out 25 page research papers even as strep throat ravaged my body and personal issues took a much higher precedence. I didn't attend my university's graduation ceremony because I'd had three out of town travel plans in the month of May and I honestly had no desire to attend. I'd dutifully filled out all four stages of "prepare to graduate" forms and writing samples and work experiences, at one point was officially booted off the list because my advisor failed to submit a form on time, and nearly drowned from the mountain of paperwork.
Finally the day came; a brief ceremony was held at the Census Bureau, I got nifty little paperweights with my name engraved from the university... but no diploma. When I called to inquire, they said I'd never filled out a form to transfer credits from classes I'd taken prior to 'officially' enrolling in the program. Nobody ever told me about *this* form... my credits were listed on my transcript and factored into my GPA, why did I need to fill out a separate form? Okay, fine. Filled out, submitted.
Still no diploma.
Finally after multiple inquiries in my own department, I took to calling the graduate admissions office myself. The woman who I was *finally* transferred to sounded confused and told me to call her back next week. That was the last time I spoke to her. Since then I have reached an answering machine with the maddeningly long, slow message that "due to the high volume of calls, I am unable to take your call right now..." (it's JULY?? Who's calling in July??) that would not originally let me leave a message because it was full. I plan on calling multiple times this week until I reach a human being. Why is it so hard to just graduate, for crying out loud? Prime example of the federal government red tape and advanced educational bureaucracy at work.
Rant 2: Car Insurance
My most recent car insurance policy had me listed as a 25-28 year old male. Last time I checked I'm pretty sure I was a girl. I called them to rectify the situation; the woman said she'd fix it immediately and call me right back. She never did. A week later I finally called again and when she answered, said "oh yeah, I spoke to you. I fixed the problem." Hello...? What happened to "...and I'll call you right back?" Grrrr. Not to mention "But it's going to take a long time to get fully processed because the underwriters need to figure out how far back your policy has had you stated as a male..." Um. Well I've only had your insurance for one year. It shouldn't have to be an archaeological dig.
Rant 3: Vehicle registration renewal and the Crappy DMV System
I got a nice letter/form in the mail reminding me my vehicle registration was due. Enclosed was an additional letter stating if I tried to do it in person I'd be charged an extra $5 because they don't want people waiting in line all day at the DMV, it "stresses their resources and creates extra fees for VA residents." I don't understand that but whatever, if they don't want me there, I sure don't want to be there. It looks like I can save $1 by registering online. Yay! So I go online and it asks, "is your residence address correct?" No, it is not. "To correct this address, you must have a PIN." Oh, okay. Well my last PIN expired. How do I get a new one? "Enter your social security number and driver's license number and a new PIN will be mailed to the address we have on record." But the address you have on record is incorrect. Which is why I'm here. And I distinctly remember reading somewhere along the line that official documents, such as DMV records, do not get forwarded to new mailing addresses. You have to officially change your address on record with the DMV to receive mail at your new address. Which you can do online. With a PIN that can only be mailed to your old address.
GAH!!!
Okay folks, let's hear it. What's your most frustrating, hair tearing, flame-licking bureaucratic experience with life?
6 comments:
Dude, sorry for your misery! Here's one for ya though, I started work in June 05 that means in June 06 I should get my grade increase? Wrong! There was a paperwork glitch so I didn't get it until Sept 06. Then the following year there was another paperwork issue so I didn't get my next one until Nov 07! Which means, for five months I won't be receiving that salary increase as I should have. Oh the joys of paperwork in the government!
If Dante were around today one of the punishments in hell would be the DMV.
It took over three weeks to get our lousy property management to get our air conditioning fixed.
Now we're coming up on a month of trying to get them to fix our washing machine...
So... tired.... of incompetence....
At least they're not Sam "Son of Satan" Jones of Monticello Apartments fame.
Sing your song, Cabeza!!
My rant stopped short of our own previous landlord (because I don't think the world wide web has enough memory to fully record the capacious and tortuous details of his incompetence... suffice it to say we officially mailed a certified letter of intent to take him to court for not returning our $2709 in security deposit) but I hear ya, Cabeza. The broken refrigerator we had last year took over a month to replace because 1) it took him two or three weeks to finally realize that it was broken, 2) another week to actually order one, 3) another week while we waited and finally called him to see the status and THAT'S when he decided to inform us that the model he'd purchased was 'out of stock' or on backorder or some crap and 4) it would take a final two or three weeks before the new fridge actually came.
I'm not sure how we survived. But y'know, the palatial surroundings comforted us in our times of need. And our neighbor aka president of the condo association who called him a "stupid bastard" every chance she got. It felt good to have her on our side. :)
and Kim, holy cow. HOLY COW!! No wonder you want to leave! Oh I'd be incensed if I were you. Can you demand five months of makeup pay? I mean that's like thousands of dollars we're talking about here!!
DMV. Something happens to be every time I go there. The first time in VA, it was having my car towed while I was getting my new license. The last time, well, read it for yourself:
http://welcometomyworldblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/some-days-youre-windshield-some-days.html
p.s. love the Clue quote
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