Where my peeps at?

The thing about weddings is that the planning doesn't end after the last bite of cake or the last of the rice has been tossed. It's over when Social Security says it's over.

I'm taking Taylor's last name, so for the past two weeks I have been signing emails and introducing myself as "Kaitlyn Wessels." But I can't sign checks, receipts or legal documents with my new name because in the eyes of Social Security, I'm still Kaitlyn Baker. I tried to change all of this last week by going to the SSA after work. I went home, grabbed our marriage license, two forms of ID (just in case), and the application for a new Social Security card, then immediately hit the road. The SSA office is several miles away, near the animal shelter and a remote little shopping center, so with traffic it took a while to get there. I pulled in to the parking lot at 4:02, but found the doors to get inside already locked. That's right--SSA is open from 9-4, Monday through Friday. No exceptions.

This isn't the first time I've learned how terrible SSA service can be. In college, I did a summer research project on accessing Social Security benefits on the basis of disability and income, and was shocked to discover just how convoluted the process can be. I had forgotten how much more difficult the process can be when you can't even make it into the office. All I need is a simple name change, but what about the parent of a disabled child who needs his SSI benefit to cover the costs of special therapy, dietary, and care needs? Assuming she works a typical 9-5 job, that parent would have to take off work just to make it to SSA by 4 so that she can sit and wait for half an hour (or more) for the possibility of being considered for benefits. I won't even get into how much time, paperwork, and appeals it takes to be approved for benefits, if at all.

It just goes to show how so many social service agencies aren't really serving anyone. But they sure are good at training people how to jump through hoops. If I wanted to jump through hoops, I would have joined the circus.

But hey, the sun is shining and spring is here, so life can't be all bad. Besides, these pictures of Peep dioramas make it hard to stay angry for too long! Happy belated Easter!