one more time WHOA!

so this post originally was supposed to be about how i finally got my madison public library card and borrowed my first book as a resident of madison, wi.

but no.

the madison public library system has got to be one of the most inefficient and uncooperative library systems i've ever encountered. seriously.

so i've been here for almost two and a half weeks now. but unfortunately, i can't actually apply for an official state id/license until i have proof of residency that goes back at least 30 days. that said, the public library will let you apply for a card, but they'll just have it mailed to your residence instead of just handing it to you over the counter then and there. i was okay with that, so i applied, gave them my address and went on my merry way to wait until that little piece of plastic would show up in my mailbox.

never happened.

two weeks later, still no library card.

"what's up with that?"

turns out, for some unknown reason, the card couldn't be delivered to my place. my name is on the mailbox, the address on the envelope is correct. how do i know this? it had gotten returned to the library in the mail and the man i was talking to at the counter was currently holding it and waving it in front of my face.

"can i have it?" (can i? can i have it? can i?...can i?)

nope. they still needed proof of residency. remember the part where i haven't been here for 30 days yet? yea. i explained as such and further explained that this is why i applied to have it mailed to me in the first place. i also walked out specifically to check on the damn card situation. library dude's solution. "we'll just hold on to it here until you bring in your proof of residency, 'kay?"...um...excuse me? you're holding it in your hand. so the usps screwed up and apparently don't know how to read a mailbox. my bad? not really. and seriously, i came back in person to ask where my damn library card was. okay, i get that its not proof, but it means i haven't bailed from the city. and as much as i want my library card to borrow books for free, i really can't picture any scenario where i would camp out in madison, wi (outside a library that isn't all that nice to begin with) for two weeks, just to pretend i live here, get a library card and then steal then shit and peace out of town with my vanload of stolen books. if that's your idea of plotting to steal shit to sell and get money to live on, i hate to tell you this, but you're doing it wrong. very, very wrong.

moral of the story: GIVE ME MY GODDAMN LIBRARY CARD.

let's just say that, at this moment in time, i'm not in any mood to head out yet again to wave my proof of residency in front of library dude's face to finally get handed my mail.