We are finally back home and everything is ok right now.  Most of this post is adapted from an email correspondence with very special friends and turned into a bit of a rant... the arrogance of government workers was very frustrating.  But the play-by-play generally goes like this.  The drive was long and we hit two very bad spots of weather, rain so hard that we couldn't see more than 20 feet in front of us, if not less.  Both lasted for just a few minutes and all we had to do was slow down for a while and have the emergency blinkers going (so the fools who didn't slow down didn't run into the back of us!)

We didn't arrive until around 9:00pm, so I missed much of the hockey game.  I'm a huge hockey fan, and have been a Red Wings fan all my life (even when they sucked... I can prove it, I'm a Detroit Lions football fan and they've always sucked!)  No problem as I would rather arrive safely of course.  Detroit lost 3 to 2, but what I saw was good.  I must share part of the blame because I'm certain that my absence from the first part of the game was instrumental in the loss.  Sorry boys, the kids have to come first... you understand.  It won't happen again though.

My wife was happy in the morning as I made her coffee in the room (I don't drink coffee, so I rarely make it except when I'm staying over to take care of Dad.)  The motel was only 4 miles from the Immigration office, but the trip ended up taking a while because of traffic and construction.  We still made it in plenty of time.  Here's the ranting part... a line of folks outside the door was our first sight of the office.  Turns out everybody's appointment for the day was for 11:00am. (rassin' frassin'!!)  Once we got in line and made it to the door, the guard at the door said that only one parent could go in.  My wife went back to the car and played solitaire while I went in with the girls.

It turns out there was absolutely no reason we both couldn't have gone in.  There was room for about 300 people to sit down in there and only about 20 chairs being used.  Most of the place was empty because it really didn't take that long.  We were done from start to finish in about 30 minutes.  There also wasn't any reason it couldn't have been done locally, since they didn't do anything different than here at home when I renewed my CCW. 

The bottom line is that the entire day was a (profanity deleted... but it involved farm animals) waste really, except that they have the power to discard your application and make you start over.  And they know it.  From the very first security guard, to the reception desk, to the workers taking the prints... the condescension/contempt was almost palpable.  I fully expect that one day they will screw over somebody who returns with a high-caliber answer to what ails them (no, I don't advocate this... but if the building gets imploded while it's unoccupied... I wouldn't lose any sleep over it but it wasn't me, just sayin' ).  Even the janitor had an attitude (and it was the janitor, not a worker who just happened to be sweeping), giving people instructions that they had already been given.  He did NOT do this in a helpful manner and it clearly wasn't his job.  Trust me on this.  He did something like this in every area he went to sweep.

They seemed to delight in their control, creating fear (some of those people looked terrified as they tried to answer questions that these workers had no need to ask), and treating people like serfs.  What should be a simple, straight-forward, and local process is in reality an administrative fiefdom of pompous clerks who fancy themselves kings of the realm.  (/rant off)

Afterwards, we went to the Korean BBQ restaurant (it was ok, but my wife's cooking is much better) and the Asian grocery store before coming back home.  I am whipped right now and will probably be that way for a few days, but I'm glad it's over with and hope we can get everything finished soon.

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 22:00:51 | Comments (47) | Add Comment
Post contains 733 words, total size 5 kb.

1 Glad to hear you made it home and goals accomplished.

Posted by: kishnevi at 30 May 2008@22:41:24 (i7BFJ)

2 Thank you Sir, it's good to be home.  Nice troll at your place... I want one.  No trolls, no spam... I feel neglected!  (Glad you banned the putz, he wasn't worthy of your site. )

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 30 May 2008@22:59:14 (Q5ggV)

3 You got me!

Posted by: Machinist at 30 May 2008@23:05:09 (yFIK0)

4 Trolls lower the class of a site Sir, you raise it.  Try again please. 

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 31 May 2008@00:17:27 (Q5ggV)

5 http://www.barbneal.com/wav/ltunes/yosemite/Sam62.wav

Posted by: Machinist at 31 May 2008@00:36:38 (yFIK0)

6 Let's see if this works. 

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 31 May 2008@00:42:27 (Q5ggV)

7 Heh.

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 31 May 2008@00:42:52 (Q5ggV)

8 Oof! Government workers! I am so dreading being an immigrant. British immigration authorities are famously horrible: arbitrary, petty and given a great deal of autonomy. There's an appeals process, so you can usually get bad decisions fixed, but they seem to get off on making your life as miserable as possible. I've got to go through four different visas before I'm done.

Posted by: S. Weasel at 31 May 2008@08:19:27 (Dy8+A)

9 Oh! And congratulations on making it one more step down the road.

Posted by: S. Weasel at 31 May 2008@08:33:45 (Dy8+A)

10

_{(btw, fixed that first word because it's damn near universal far as I can tell)}

British immigration authorities are famously horrible: arbitrary, petty and given a great deal of autonomy. There's an appeals process, so you can usually get bad decisions fixed, but they seem to get off on making your life as miserable as possible.

Yes.

I.

Know.

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 31 May 2008@09:05:25 (Q5ggV)

11

And thank you Weas. 

Posted by: Stashiu3 at 31 May 2008@09:06:08 (Q5ggV)

12 Well if you want  a troll:
http://static.flickr.com/159/439273818_ba9537ad5d.jpg

Posted by: kishnevi at 31 May 2008@13:34:29 (r8BvQ)

13 And here's some spam:
http://www.spam.com/fanclub/images/PM7235A_SPAM_ASAP_Page.jpg

Posted by: kishnevi at 31 May 2008@13:37:00 (r8BvQ)

14 Well, you're one step closer. What amazes me is that the left wants these assholes running our health care system.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 31 May 2008@23:09:52 (ZuzXA)

15 I hope you're resting up, my friend.
Blessings.

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 02 June 2008@03:58:21 (5+XEL)

16 Hiya, Stash.  I'm still keeping the thread warm...


(((poof)))

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 08 June 2008@10:56:57 (5+XEL)

17 I'm resisting the temptation to leave graffiti mischief. It's getting harder. 

Posted by: Machinist at 08 June 2008@12:12:16 (yFIK0)

18

Posted by: Machinist at 08 June 2008@12:21:47 (yFIK0)

19

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:01:30 (yFIK0)

20 Clearly, more mischief is needed.

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:02:59 (yFIK0)

21 Must look for Harper.

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:07:05 (yFIK0)

22 http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o109/machinist360/Movie%20clips/?action=view&current=Collinescoat.flv

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:09:49 (yFIK0)

23 Pffftt!!

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:11:01 (yFIK0)

24 http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o109/machinist360/Movie clips/?action=view&current=Collinescoat.flv

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:14:40 (yFIK0)

25 Ha!

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:15:37 (yFIK0)

26 http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o109/machinist360/?action=view&current=Meepmeep.flv

Posted by: Machinist at 09 June 2008@15:17:29 (yFIK0)

27 SqueaK!
Here I am, Gentle Mac!

...but where's Stash?

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 09 June 2008@17:08:17 (5+XEL)

28 Oh hai! Hi! Hi!
Sorry I'm late to the "next step in the good news" thread.

I'm glad it worked out well in the end...with the exception of all the self-righteous, bureaucratic bastids.

Posted by: X_LA_Native at 11 June 2008@14:33:55 (oJmNX)

29 Where' Stash?!

Posted by: BrendaK at 11 June 2008@19:47:33 (+3r1k)

30 Bugger - it wouldn't let me post pictures.

Sniff.

Snuffle.

HOOOooOOOOOnk.

Ok, all better now.

Posted by: BrendaK at 11 June 2008@19:48:20 (+3r1k)

31 SQueaK!

Squeak, squeak squeak.  Squeak.  Squeak squeaksqueak, squeak.

Squeak,

Harper

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 12 June 2008@18:44:37 (5+XEL)

32 Hi.  it looks like the TSW search party has been after you.   Maybe I'll see you there soon?

Posted by: Mari at 13 June 2008@20:15:02 (c6FmS)

33 Just a heads up, Stash did drop a comment at my place on the 9th.  I see the TSW crew are looking for him, I sent him an email.  

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 15 June 2008@20:32:47 (NX+Eg)

34 Thanks, DoublePlus.  We see him every few days but we're determined to keep this thread warm until he starts blogging again. 

So, SQUEAK, Stash!  We're a waitin'...

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 16 June 2008@18:08:23 (5+XEL)

35 ::rubs hands over fire::
It's still warm...and we're still waiting...

And when all else fails...

Posted by: X_LA_Native at 18 June 2008@16:54:13 (4Tr+k)

36 I did talk to him a bit, so he's around.  I did send him a Tron link, so hopefully he enjoys that.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 19 June 2008@21:12:01 (bEOD6)

37 ~snnigglesnort~

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 24 June 2008@17:14:16 (5+XEL)

38 *calling out*
Heloooooooooo, STashiU!
We're thinking of you and keepin' your thread warm. 
That is all. 
:wink:

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 29 June 2008@02:06:20 (5+XEL)

39

Posted by: Machinist at 29 June 2008@11:51:08 (4Jz8F)

40 Sorry you missed the reunion. I thought it strange they sent me an invitation as I didn't watch but when I saw it had your name and VIP status I assumed you sent it. We all mixed freely with the cast. Here's a picture!

Posted by: Machinist at 29 June 2008@11:53:43 (4Jz8F)

41 Is this our Stash when Buffy was canceled? 

Posted by: Machinist at 29 June 2008@11:57:41 (4Jz8F)

42 Somebody left the gate to the playground unlocked. Bwahahaha!!

Posted by: Machinist at 29 June 2008@12:01:06 (4Jz8F)

43 Mischief!!

Posted by: sillyblindharper at 01 July 2008@01:56:35 (5+XEL)

44

Wait, is this an Andrew Sullivan Syndicated Blog?

Who else would have a fundraiser and then go on an extended vacation?

Posted by: Veeshir at 03 July 2008@12:59:24 (ThMnZ)

45

Posted by: Machinist at 03 July 2008@16:30:44 (4Jz8F)

46 I'm glad to read this, Stashiu, and I hope things just get better and better.

(Plus, I have to say that last comment was pretty darn funny.)

Posted by: DRJ at 06 July 2008@01:59:05 (2umUu)

47 Specifically, Veeshir's comment is funny although Machinist's little cartoon guy is good, too.

Posted by: DRJ at 06 July 2008@02:00:09 (2umUu)

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