If you own a car in the state of Georgia, you will celebrate your birthday by renewing your "tag" (translation: license plate). Because we moved a few weeks before our tag expiration date, this year's celebration was much more eventful than any other!
Day One, Tag Office One: Pack bribes, load kids in car, drive, begin to worry upon seeing a lot of construction, unload kids, discover office doesn't do tags right now, must drive 10 miles north, know I may not make it in time because of traffic, go home.
Day Two, Tag Office Two: Wait in line with girls, show my new address, told I don't live in that county and must go to a different county office. I ask her to double check, I'm quite sure (and shocked because I specifically checked when we moved since we are near the boundary). She leaves. It's not in the computer. Okay . . . do you have a map I ask? She looks at me like I'm crazy and states, as if I didn't hear the first time, it's not in the computer.
Tag Office Two Parking Lot: Feed girls licorice while I call neighboring county and ask if I live there. After being shuffled around and on hold, no one can give me a sure answer. Double check with apartment complex. Call John, he looks up several maps.
Tag Office Two, Again: Attempt two fails. YOU CAN'T OVERULE THE COMPUTER!
Tag Office Three, Different County: Walk in, officer tells me the computers have been down for 2 hours and no matter what happens the office will close promptly at 4:30. I decide to give it 15 minutes. Computers up! Tag Renewal resumes. My number is called. At this point I am desperate to register my cars, I don't care what county they are registered in. I opt not to say anything about my previous problems. The computer accepts my address! The renewal stickers are printed and I nearly jump for joy and loathe computers (though I am blogging about it on a COMPUTER!).
You can bet next year, I'm taking a map when I go to renew my tag! Better yet, I'm changing the name on the registration now that my better half is a citizen!
