Why I hate Texas, by Abby Dennis

Is it normal to feel like you want to murder someone after you've dealt with the DMV all morning? 

The Texas Government is so completely inefficent it's unbelievable. It's a miracle Texas functions at all as a state.

First off, we go down to the DMV, where oddly enough, they don't issue liscense plates. Which doesn't make any sense at all. But, we're told, before we can get liscensed in the state of Texas they'll need to see our DL from Oregon, our Social Security card, and our BIRTH CERTIFICATE!! Birth certificate? Really? Like my soc. card and my DL aren't enough to prove that I'm an American citizen...Do I look like a illegal immigrant? Is it my accent? Is it to confusing to you? I don't drawl my vowels...that's it. They must think I'm from Mexico. Anyway, the lady who said I needed a Birth Certificate said that my passport would do just fine...which expires this month...and it's not even valid anymore as I got married. So now, I get to bring in my passport and MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE to get a stupid Texas drivers liscense. And I'm sure that if I do it after May 31st (which is this Sunday) I'll have to do a whole NEW thing to prove that I was born here.

So, we can't get our Drivers Liscense done until we have plates on our car. So we head down to a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BUILDING ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN to try to get that done. Where we were told we need to have our car inspected, and fill out all this paperwork before they can issue us plates. Plus, if we don't have our title it's still an out of state car, it's just registered in Texas. And at this point it was all sounding like "blah blah blah" to me, because frankly...I don't care that much anymore. PLUS on top of it all we have to switch our insurance to Texas insurance because Oregon insurance just doesn't cut it apparently. Even though it's USAA and the USAA headquarters are located IN SAN FREAKING ANTONIO!!! Then the lady proceeds to tell me that just for registering our car it's going to cost us $193.30 and that'll will be our registration and taxes for the year, and she says it like she's giving me a super duper present on my birthday. And all I could think of is "Lady, you really are going to be number one on my homicide list, if I ever make one".

So, we left the Tax building where all of this last bit occurred, and all I got out of a morning spent trying to become Texas citizens was a bad attitude and a headache. 

And on top of it all...our Oregon plates and registration expired on May 22nd unbeknownst to  me. I'm sure that'll be another fee or two from the government that wants to take my money away.

I really hate Texas. Really hate it. Really.

Oh and mom, the last thing I need to hear is any thought about Oregon or being Oregonians for one more day, so just snuff the urge before you say anything. Because I might explode.