Check it out!
My new driver’s license!
I promised myself I would change my last name and update my driver’s license and credit cards before I was married for one year and I did it with only three days to spare. Plenty of time before my self-imposed deadline.
Out with the old…
(Don’t judge the puka shell necklace.)
And in with the new…
Apparently I learned how to tame my cowlick a little better throughout the years, though it still drives me crazy. (Hint: Blow dry the shizz out of it with the air blasting down.)
This morning I was out the door a little before 9 a.m. thinking I would quickly update my driver’s license and be home and back at my desk working away by 10:15 a.m.
HA!
I don’t want to bore you with all the details, but my little adventure took a lot longer than the hour I anticipated. At least everyone I spoke with was incredibly friendly!
Though my adventures took more time than I planned, all the different hoops I had to jump through allowed me to cross a bunch of other things off my “must do” list now that we’re officially settled in a new town:
- New driver’s license
- Updated vehicle registration
- Updated voter registration
- Name changed on credit, debit and PBF business credit cards
Lunch
Since most of my errands took place near Ryan’s work, we decided to meet up for a quick lunch before I headed back home.
Subway!
I ordered a veggie sub, toasted with double Swiss cheese.
And we got oatmeal raisin cookies to share.
I love midday dates.
Library Card
On the way home, I ran one final errand.
I got a library card! (The woman at the desk asked me if I was 18 before she’d let me sign up. Nice.)
While there, I put Unbroken (the runner up book for the October book club) on reserve… and I’m 34th in line! Goodness gracious. Apparently it’s quite popular, huh?
And now I’m way behind on several freelance pieces that I thought I would have done by now. I guess I was stupid to think getting a new driver’s license would be a fast task.
A Big Thank You to Our Troops
A wonderful blog reader, Jessica, emailed me this morning asking for our help in a wonderful initiative started by The Bert Show, a radio show in Atlanta, Georgia.
The show is collecting handwritten letters to send to EVERY U.S. military serviceman/woman who is stationed overseas for Thanksgiving. The goal is to collect 400,000+ handwritten letters to be delivered on Thanksgiving morning. As of today, they have collected 150,000 letters. They need more letters ASAP!
That’s where we come in!
If you’d like to send your own handwritten thank you note to a serviceman/woman, here are the guidelines, according to the The Bert Show’s website:
- Each letter should be heartfelt, handwritten, original, and free of any political statements. The purpose of the letter is to express thanks to the military personnel currently deployed outside the United States. We reserve the right to eliminate those messages that are political in nature and do not reflect a positive message in the spirit of Thanksgiving. Those letters will be destroyed.
- All letters must be on 8.5” x 11” paper or smaller. Do not use glue, tape, staples, cardboard, glitter or otherwise attach anything to the paper. Decorate using crayons, pencil, etc. Use both sides if you like, but use one page per letter only. Do not send cards or photographs. Feel free to include your mailing and email address, and you may get a response. Individual letters should not be sealed in envelopes.
- Do not send anything except letters. We cannot accept donations of any kind, and they should not be included or attached to letters.
Additional details may be seen here.
If you would like to send in a letter, please follow the guidelines listed above and send letters to the address listed below:
The Bert Show’s Big Thank You
780 Johnson Ferry Road NE
Fifth Floor
Atlanta, GA 30342
Thank you!!
Of Possible Interest
- Best Exercises to Do When Sick (FitSugar.com)
- The Fashion page was updated today
- My guest post on Libre Clothing’s website (a company that makes clothing specifically for chemotherapy, dialysis, & other infusion patients) detailing my feelings related to my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis
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Driver’s license pictures are the worst! So much pressure to look good, and it always seems to be on a bad hair day. And I totally was into the whole shell necklace thing, too. What kind of trend was that?! Pretty sure I had a bracelet, ankle bracelet, and a necklace!
yayyyy for new license photos!! 😀 Mine is about 8 years old, and no one believes it’s me….haha. And you look very similar to years ago, just different style of makeup!
apparently i thought heavy eyeliner was the key to beauty back then… 🙂
Haha me too! Along with maroon lipstick…I looked like a fly girl to In Living Color 😉
Okay – I’m jealous that you can smile in your picture. In VA you can’t smile and/or show any teeth. I look like one angry citizen in my license picture. What the heck?
what!?!? oh i would feel so awkward. ryan and i could NOT do the “serious” look in ANY of our wedding photos. we looked like tools.
It was awkward. I was standing there smiling and the lady was like “Um. No smiling.” and I said “Smiling’s my favorite.” Elf reference was not caught and I reached tool status real quick- as was captured for my license picture.
ahhh i LOVE elf and would’ve appreciated the reference.
I appreciate the reference, lady 😉 xoxo
I was just going to post the same thing! I recently moved from MI to VA and went to get a new license the other day. My happy, teeth-bearing smile was shot down, as well. Although the lady told me that all states (clearly, not true) follow this rule now because smiling apparently distorts your facial features. Hmm…
I moved from NY to VA and all my friends said “no smilin’ here buddy”. Woopee. I always thought they did that just cuz they were thinkin’ i might look better than them 🙂
Yep, no smiling in Canada on drivers licence or passports. I don’t look like myself!
yeah! A Canada response!
I was going to say the same about Canada and I don’t look like myself either!
I am with everyone here, no smiling!!! It’s awful! I definitely do not look like the same person. In my old license photo I looked like I was dead. I am SO jealous of the smiling. Smiling is totally my favourite!
Oh, that’s strange! I’ve actually had people tell me that my smile is the ONLY way they can tell it’s me in my driver’s license picture! My pic is about 20 pounds and a set of dreadlocks old (i’ve since shaved my head), so I don’t look at all like the picture anymore until I smile! A bouncer once wouldn’t let me into the bar until I smiled at him so he could verify the pic. (Although in retrospect, that just kind of sounds like he was hitting on me…hrm.)
Same goes for Maryland. No smiling/showing your teeth… At least my hair looked good!
Funny, I just renewed my license this morning too! I turn the big 30 next week! Eek! Thanks again for your help Julie!
happy almost birthday!!
pshhh you’re so pretty that you even look good in a license picture!
I’m from Atlanta and think that’s awesome you’re helping out the Bert Show!
Old license pictures are the best! Get this…about ten years ago my mom went to get her license renewed and WORE THE SAME SWEATER IN HER PICTURE FROM FOUR YEARS EARLIER. She didn’t have a clue until the worker was like “ummm… is that your favorite sweater?” hahaWe never let her live that down! Not to mention it was an ugly sweater straight from the 90’s 🙂
Yay for getting a new license! I hate taking driver’s license pictures. Mine never turn out the way that I want them to. Yours looks great though! 🙂
I can’t believe you didn’t have a library card! I use mine ALL the time. I love listening to audio books – you and Ryan should try that on any car trips you take, since you like to read books aloud at night together! Also, I totally had a pooka shell necklace too 😉
Last time I went to get my license updated I was super sick and I looked it! After kindly offering to retake my pic twice, I told the lady it wasn’t going to get any better….I more year to go with that awful picture!
i need to learn to take driver’s license pictures like you do! i always end up looking a little like a troll 🙂
You look so purdy in Subway, you are going to make all the other subs jealous!
Your DMV problems weren’t with changing your name on the license to include 2 middle names, was it? I haven’t officially changed my name yet and I’ve heard my DMV (NY) puts up a fight on that one…just curious! (and procrastinating). Glad it all worked out for you =)
no! it was with the “certified mail” requirements. the 2 middle names wasn’t an issue at all!
You get your license the same day you change info on it? We have to wait 2 – 6 weeks in California!
Subway is so good! I’m glad they now toast their sandwiches. They taste so much better that way.
yep, same day!!
Wow. Very hip guest spot on the Libre Blog. Very neat of you to take time to do that.
What an amazing idea! I’m bookmarking this post so I remember to send one!
I still use my ID with my picture from when I was 17…. I’ll be 24 next month haha. Who has time to go to the DMV!? Not me! I do enjoy the chuckle I usually get when going to bars though 🙂
Woohoo I guess that finally makes you an official Fagan!! 🙂 My drivers license photo isn’t that bad, but I only got it about 5 years ago when I moved back to Canada from living in the Middle East – I wasn’t one of the 16 year olds lining up to get it the day of my birthday lol!
you look adorable in both 🙂 i’m 28 but look young for my age, so in my license, where i’m 17, i look about 12.
You look so pretty in the photo! I smiled in mine too-even though I heard you’re not supposed to. Haha.
Love SUbway!!! YUMM.
I recently stumbled upon your blog and have been enjoying it! I love everything you cover and talk about, it’s super fun to read and follow. Congrats on your new license, awesome photo too 🙂 Also thought I’d add that you and I share the same birthday, yay for April 27th babies!
no way! i knew a girl in college whose name was also alicia who was born on april 27! so neat!
That’s too funny! Alicia is a great name if I do say so myself and April 27 has to be the best birthday around 😉
My birthday is also April 27! Happy Half Birthday to us today 🙂
I just got a new license about a month ago…upgrade to a horizontal license from a vertical one! Who’s got two thumbs and officially is a big girl now? THIS GIRL! Haha. I was pretty bummed I had to get a new picture taken, though, because my original picture is the jam. It was taken on my 16th birthday and I look so freakin happy haha. Ah well. It was definitely worth it. You guys must have different license laws down there in FL, because you look younger than 21 in your old picture (…maybe? Question mark? Haha).
And UGH, I feel ya on the cowlick, girl. I’ve got one heck of a cowlick where my bangs are supposed to be, so I can never have normal sideswept bangs. Boo. Well, maybe I could, if I could figure out how to tame my cowlick, but so far no such luck. It has a mind of its own. Alas.
i was! i think i was 18. i got my first license at 16 in illinois and then had to get a new one when we moved to florida when i was 18.
I had Subway today too and felt inspired to write about it! 🙂
Also…coming from someone who has been to the DMV more times than they care to share (umm…like 10 now) (don’t ask) I now have a new license with my new last name but the worst picture yet. Well, actually it’s tied with my driver’s permit picture…but regardless they are hardly ever good.
My favorite one was when I had dark red hair (obviously not the case now). Would it be wrong to apply for a new one with that old, but decent photo?! lol.
Congrats on all of the errands ran *OH and your birthday is exactly 2 days after mine…year and everything. 😉
My driver’s license photo looks like a mug shot. I had to get mine renewed in the middle of summer and tried to go before work only to stand in line in the NY heat for an hour before they even opened the doors.
I’d like to share the letter writing campaign on my blog. Would you mind if I copy/pasted the info?
not at all!!! PLEASE DO!!
Just like one of the commenters above, we cannot smile in our photos here in Delaware. I honestly created a scene in the DMV because i couldnt help but smile because 1) I usually have a smile on my face anyway 2) I was infront of a large camera 3) there were a crowd of people around me!
After the 1st couple of tries I started laughing and couldn’t stop – I asked the photographer if i could step aside and let the person who was next in line go in my place – and that idea was denied.
Needless to say after a few more attepts I was able to take a picture that passed requirements, and ended up with a mugshot-esqe photo, that i can now laugh at – however the people at the DMV were not entertained.
It’s your half birthday today! Happy 1/2 🙂 I’m not so crazy that I calculated that but my bday is in April too so I know that October is half bday month (not that I celebrate it or anything) 🙂
how cool! i didn’t even realize! thanks, gina!
Wow you take some good license pictures lady!
I had no idea you were so tall! Not that I am jealous or anything…… 🙂
ha! probably b/c most of my pics on the blog are with ryan and he’s almost 6’2”!
Library cards are so handy: ours will even order a boom if they don’t stock it!
I dread going to the DMV because it takes FOREVER to get anything accomplished there!
You’re not the only one… I just got my new driver’s license recently too, which was just shy of our one year anniversary too! 😉
Love your license picture! And that subway veggie wrap! Its my favorite thing from there!
I love how you’re signature changed as well. I used to be so into having a neat signature that I practiced it all the time but now anytime I have to sign some papers I just scribble as if I just came from an autograph signing and my hand is numb.
Congrats on your DL change and everything else that goes with it; however, I feel like the attention really needs to be focused on the idea to send letters to our troops. This is such a great idea and I hope they receive more than 400k. I definitely plan on doing this, thank you for the information. God Bless Our Troops.
Thank you for posting about the Big Thank you! I’m an Atlantan and have written my letters, but it’s so important to just write a thank you to those who keep us safe.
omg somehow you managed to take a good looking drivers license card! I didn’t even know that was possible. Mine is absolutely terrible! lol!
34th in line is nothing. I’m 223 or something like that for one book I want to read.
It took me an emarassingly long time to change my driver’s license after I got married. All of the name changing paperwork is so tedious! Men have no idea…
I have a cowlick too and it’s taken some time to master it– you’re right, blowdryer is the key! I also asked my hairdresser to show me how to smooth it with a flat iron.
5 foot 7??? I had NO idea! And also, library cards are the best. Besides loading up on books (currently reading The Help), I love getting Cooking Light Magazine as well as a bunch of other magazines. I used to waste so much money on buying magazines, but now I get them from the library! Please let us know what you’ll be reading.
I think its awesome you’re doing the Letters to Troops campaign. Our soldiers sacrifice so much for us and our amazing country. They leave their families and everything. When i whine about things i can’t have to my mom, i remember what our troops must be going through somewhere else. I love them all. My friend is being deployed soon ( Marines) and he is so excited to be serving his country. His dad, grand dad, and great grand dad were all marines! I am definitely gonna write a letter to these beautiful people. I think i’ll tell my homeschool group about it and we can do it as our next homeschool project!
checked your blog out when i found you recently on the shape 2011 list of healthy bloggers. have found myself looking fwd to seeing your blog updates pop up in my email! you cover a good variety, and that makes the entries interesting. love your old license pic. your cheeks seem slightly fuller . . . was it from when you were a sweet hamster-lovin’ teen?
so glad you found me! and the old pic was from when i was 18… the good ol’ days!
Thanks for the info about the letters! I have a nephew in Afghanistan and my stepson is in boot camp for the Marines. I’ve shared this on FB and hopefully can get some letters to add to the bunches. What a great idea!
I have to admit that I initially did all that changing my name thing and ended up changing it all back to my maiden name. Even after 14 yrs of marriage, still using the maiden name!
The Kidless Kronicles
Ha ha! My previous driver’s license picture looks a lot like your old one. Pretty much the same necklace. 🙂 It must have been the style.
You look SO YOUNG in that old picture. Good golly!
Such a pretty picture. 🙂
I love what they’re doing for the soldiers! My husband is currently in Afghanistan and I’m thrilled that there’s a good chance he’s coming home for Christmas. For good! 🙂
Wow, I wish my driver’s license picture could look as good as yours!! And I know how it feels to be asked if you’re “of age” for something. The weekend after my 23rd b-day I got carded for an R-rated movie haha.
Nice picture but I think you should also black out you b-day (identity theft).
You look so different in your old pic!
I got married in August & I’m slooowly working on getting everything updated!
I just had to renew my license since I was turning 24, and luckily i was back in my home town of St. Louis to do it where it took less than 5 minutes. If I had to get one in Dallas I would have been at the DMV for hours!
I live in Atlanta and listen to The Bert Show every morning on the way to class, it is SO great that you posted that information. They really need a lot of help to reach all 400,00 troops and your blog reaches a lot of people, so thank you for posting this! Hope it inspires people to send letters.