Job Posting: Navigator Wanted

So we just came back from our whirlwind tour of Virginia.  And if my lack of sense of direction is any indication, most of Maryland.  We had a great time at Hubby's parents - except for the one time we sat downstairs with them and tried to be social.  Awkward silences abounded.  It was bad.  The only true downer of the entire trip was when he got the call that he wasn't getting the job that had been all but given to him already.  Which needless to say has left us completely direction-less.  BUT, we've found the silver-lining. Considering I'm the glass-half-empty type, that's always a very good thing.

We have a few ideas, and he hasn't even had a chance to talk to anyone important.  I'll keep you guessing as to the locations, but I will say that I have already vetoed (repeatedly and emphatically) the one in Boise, Idaho.  I'll post more if and when hubby's job hunt becomes fruitful.

On the other hand, I will be applying to a couple of school districts around my parents (there are absolutely no teaching jobs to be had in Central PA).  Depending on the outcome of that, I may be paying rent to my parents and commuting back to PA on weekends. THIS ENDS THE PART OF THE POST ON THIS.

BIG NEWS.  Hubby and I did apply for a marriage license in DC.  The woman was extremely friendly and congratulatory.  The gentleman at the clerk's office was less helpful, but for reasons that will be explained.

We got to my parents around 11:30am, dropped off our stuff (including our new-to-us broken $2,000 computer that just needs a new video card)  We hopped on the Metro and rode into the city.  I made hubby run at Metro Center because I thought the train was there.  It wasn't.  He was mad.  To say the least.  We then went to Union Station and had lunch, which I don't think I've done since High School.  Then, we decided to walk to the courthouse.  Because it was a super-simple and straightforward walk from Union Station.  I know because I checked Google Maps.  Two weeks ago.  We started off by following a sign for the courthouse.  Which went the wrong way.  We realized we went the wrong way when we hit Chinatown.  Of course we didn't know how far we were off by, so we just walked a block south, then a block west, and repeated.  Then we walked right past the courthouse with me commenting that it was a neat building and wondered what it was.  In my defense, we were still a block north of it, and we'd seen another sign for Judiciary Square.  Finally we got there.  Hubby claims to be planning to write a similar post on his blog where he routes our map.  If he ever does, I'll link to his post.  I'm not doing the busywork, screw that.

I don't know what I expected, but the DC Courthouse definitely wasn't it.  On the way to the Marriage Bureau, which was on the top floor tucked into the VERY back corner of the courthouse down a very narrow hallway - past Paternity Court, several courtrooms, and the mental retardation center.  To describe narrow, we had to squeeze past a cute elderly lesbian couple leaving the marriage bureau as we walked in.  We signed in and waited like 15 minutes before they sat us down and went over everything.  Like I said, the women was extremely friendly and was all-smiles, even when politely helping us fill out the sections I had left blank.  I don't remember her name, but if there is EVER a person who epitomizes the ideal civil servant, it was she.

She handed us a printout, and told us to follow the signs for the Family Court Financial Center.  These were inkjet signs with Word-Art.  A hand-drawn one would have looked more professional. Whatever, I was happy with having accomplished my goal.  Now hubby just needed to pay.  The entire trip, I'd reminded him that he was responsible for the $45 cash that was needed.  As late as while we were sitting in the marriage bureau, he insisted that he had the money.  When we found where we were going (no thanks to the sign that pointed straight forward into a T-intersection) the gentleman, who was mildly irate because we had interrupted his cellphone call, asked for the $45.  I looked at hubby.  He had a blank and bewildered look on his face.  So I politely told him to pay the man.  He told me he only had $27 dollars.  I had $13.  So we had to leave the courthouse and find an ATM.  Then come back.  And finally pay the bill.

Mission accomplished.  With a few minor mis-steps.  I find out the date of our wedding for sure on Monday.  I'll let people know.  And I've decided after asking for input (and getting it) on my last post that I don't really care what you think.  As long as you read.  And leave comments.