I’m not exactly a hopeless procrastinator, there is still hope I suppose. Oftentimes, when I get focused on a particular project, I have a tendency to simply put things off that I really should just deal with.Take my vehicle emissions inspection for example. When the original notice arrived in the mail in June, I took one look at the August due date and thought, “I’ve got plenty of time.”
Funny how time just slips away, isn’t it?
It wasn’t until I received this second notice in the mail that I realized the original notice had gotten buried under a stack of other “to do” items and sort of forgotten. I mean I remembered that I needed to get this done in August. I just forgot that it was early August, very early August.
Still, I thought I had time and so last night as I was going through the stuff on my desk I was somewhat surprised to find that I actually had but one day left to get this taken care of. No problem, I’d just head on over the VEIP station first thing this morning and get this taken care of. I planned to be there when they opened at 8:30 AM.
I pulled up to the VEIP station at about 8:40 AM only to find it was closed. A sign attached to the gate informed me that the inspection station would be closed the Friday before Labor Day. My immediate reaction was anger mixed with righteous indignation. Isn’t that just like a fat state agency with their pampered employees with their overly generous benefits, I thought to myself. They go and get an extra day on a holiday weekend when everyone else has to work and I’m stuck with having my registration suspended because of state bureaucratic largess!
I was pissed. I called the 800 number on the notice. They were closed too.
And then it hit me, furloughs.
And this really was my stupid fault after all. If I had taken care of this back in July like I should have this wouldn’t be an issue. The recording on the 800 number suggested I visit the website. Somewhat humbled by my misplaced anger, I drove to my office and got online.
I should’ve done that last night. Within minutes I had an extension until January and was informed that my suspension notice had been rescinded. I was even provided a nice little printout as proof of my new status.
That was easy.
