Frustrations

OR
Ways In Which Other People Are Controlling My Life

1. I went to register the new car the other day. Later than the 21 days required because we were waiting for some documentation. The guy told us he would issue another bill of sale for the day we got the required paperwork, but somehow that didn't happen. Anyway. I rush away from school so that I can stand around at the DMV waiting for my number to be called (apparently our DMV office only offers appointments in the middle of the freakin' weekday - something I can't accomplish) only to be told that the paperwork he provided did not actually do what it was supposed to do. So I wrote a check for $1,600 and got nothing in return. Well, nothing except the job of attempting to track this guy down and get the papers that we actually need. As of this moment, he hasn't returned our phone call or replied to our email. Bastard. Oh! And I get to make another exciting trip to the DMV. Whoo hoo! And, of course, since the vehicle isn't registered, I can't drive it. :(

2. In our district we are working under an expired contract while our district officials and union reps try to hash out the details of the new contract. The district is being decidedly pig-headed about the amount of money they have available. No. That isn't true. I am sure they really have the amount they say they do, but that is mostly because they spend the money that comes in as fast as they can to avoid having to give it to us. If I were a parent in this district I would be concerned about the corner cutting and worse that happens in the name of "economy". Many of the teachers in our district responded to the crapstounding offer we received on Thursday morning by having a sick-out on Friday. Two of our highschools had to send their students home at 10:30 because none of the teachers showed up. Somehow they managed to keep them long enough to get it to count towards a half day, though. Thousands of students being crammed into the gym and "monitored" by the few subs who didn't know better than to take the jobs all for the sake of a half-day's worth of attendance money. I shudder at the thought of what might have happened. So the district is currently holding my raise hostage, the union is (rightly, I think) holding out for a better offer that may or may not come, possibly resulting in more work-to-rule or worse, and I am stuck in the middle just hoping that no matter what happens I can manage to eek through the downsizing and keep my job for next year. It's enough to make my head hurt.

3. (This one is really my fault, but I am going to whine anyway. Sorry.) We found a nice couple with a bunch of highschool aged kids who are interested in buying the Escort. We were getting it all ready for the final transaction when we looked at the registration and realized that it said "non-transferable". Suddenly, I remembered how I had registered the car without a title when I first came to CA because I was waiting for a duplicate title from WI. I was supposed to go in and fix things when it arrived. Since it didn't prevent me from driving the car (only selling it), I somehow never got around to it and eventually forgot all about it. Argh. Fortunately, the aforementioned couple is quite patient and understanding. I will be making yet another trip to the DMV to remedy this little error and they are going to buy it next weekend.