Catch-22

I found myself staring in my own version of a catch-22 this week. Last week, my license expired on my birthday. I went in to the Illinois DMV to get a new one (my old one was MI, where my parents live). When I was there, they told me that I needed my social security card to get a license.

When I got home, I started looking for my social security card. At first, I was a little miffed that it wasn't where I thought it would be. So I poked around my room, looking in all the spots I thought I might have stashed it. Eventually, I tore apart my whole room, looking through everything; most of it twice.

I came to the conclusion that I would have to get a new social security card. Not a big deal, I'd just nip down there, and get a new card, and go over to the DMV. Easy peasy.

Then, I read the requirements for getting a replacement social security card. They require a valid license to get a social security card.

So you need a social security card to get a license, and a license to get a social security card. And I didn't have either. So I couldn't get either.

I felt very defeated.

But, I decided to hope for the best, and go try to get a new license with what I have. (My new years resolution is to be more zen.) I mean, I have a Cook County Lawyer ID card. It's government issued, AND it has my picture on it. Turns out, they wouldn't take that. But they DID take my medical insurance card. It happened to be expired, but I really didn't feel like pointing this out.

I thought it was pretty ironic that they wouldn't take my old license (only 1 week expired AND it has my picture) or my Cook County ID card, but they took my expired medical insurance card (no picture). Also ironic: I could have used my passport to get a new social security card, but I lost that too.