Cards, cards, everywhere

Yesterday was stressful.  I had an interview with Temporary Employment Services in Davis and was nervous about that and had been sick the night before and didn't get a lot of sleep.  The interview went well though and the three ladies I spoke with were all really nice.

Now I'm being processed to be in the UC Davis system.  I need to get a medical and 2 different background checks including fingerprinting - one for Davis and one for Sacramento because I opted to be called if anything comes up in either location.  It would be so great to get placed in Sacramento - I could walk to work!

After my interview in Davis I drove home and my green card was waiting in the mail for me.  It really is green in the way money looks in that all the tiny green lines add up to make it look pale green.  The statue of lady liberty's face is on the front next to mine so it looks like we're posing together.  Thumbs up!  The card comes with a carrying case that they recommend it be be stored in to prevent wireless communication!  Am I being tracked?  I am supposed to carry my card with me at all times.  Seriously.

Side note: I am also showcasing my boring light pink interview nails in the above photo.

There is a wide metal strip on the back with my photo and some numbers engraved on it.  I guess I'll see what that's for the next time I need to travel out of the country.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the Social Security office to change my name.  Like most government places you need to go through security before you can enter the building.  I was just reminded of the overkill
5-minute examination of everything in my purse at the Bon Iver concert on campus last week where they practically dumped my bag out and inspected each pill in my Advil container using blue latex gloves before making me dump it in the trash anyway.  The guard at the SS office just poked around my purse with a stick and asked me if I had pepper spray before letting me through.


Since my green card was so new it wasn't listed in the SS database.  The woman was very serious and barely looked at me.  Her cubicle was decorated with large photos of Whitney Houston and Anita Baker.  She also had her lunch sitting on her desk.  She took my old social security card and scribbled all over it and said something like, "this isn't you anymore" and took it away.  By the sounds of things I'll be getting a new card in the mail.  I hope. Gulp.

This morning my health insurance coverage card came in the mail.  Now, all I need is a job and I will have completed most of the recommendations in the "Welcome to the United States" brochure that came with my permanent resident card.

Now, to celebrate!  It's V's birthday tomorrow and we are going to the coast so he can get his surf on!