How to Change Your Name in the State of California

This post may not be of interest to many of you who regularly read, but bookmark it if you ever plan on getting married in CA! It's such a confusing process and there is really no one who will tell you how it needs to be done. (Yep, no one knows. Don't ask me why!)

Certificate of Marriage
To begin with, you will need a copy of your marriage certificate. This is NOT going to be sent to you. You must go to a state recorder's office and pick it up. There is an amount of time you wait for this piece of paper, then you are free to pay for your certified copies! (Thanks, government!)

Now that you have copies of this important document in your hot little hands, it's time to go to the SS office.

Q: Why get multiple copies? If you are changing a passport or any bank information, they will be holding on to this document for up to a few weeks. If you want to do these things simultaneously, you should get more than one copy.
Q: Where did this come from? After you received your marriage license (at a state office), the marriage certificate was signed on the day of your wedding by two witnesses (typically your maid of honor and best man) and the officiator. The officiator sends this into the state to be processed and approved by the CA State Recorder (currently Tom Daly, on ours).
Q: Where do I get the copies? We went to the Laguna Hills Civic Center, but you can look up CA State Recorder's Office locations online.

Social Security
Go online to fill out and print an application for social security card. Bring a driver's license AND passport or birth certificate. Bring marriage certificate. I went to the Mission Viejo SS office which is at 26051 Acero Road. Don't go to the Aliso Viejo federal building like I did, only to find out that SS moved (!!) to a random office building in Mission Viejo!

You will get a temporary SS "note" and the real card will follow in the mail.

Q: How long does it take? I was able to do this during my lunch hour, and maybe was gone a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes. They take numbers inside, bring a book and wait. You'll be at the window for maybe 2 minutes.

Q: Why should I do this? Well, do you like money? Do you want your paycheck? Do you like paying taxes? (bad question) and last but not least, do you want to change your license?! Yes! You do!

DMV

At last, the dreaded DMV. Make an appointment online. You'll still wait, but do it  because I said so. Bring your driver's license, passport, marriage certificate, lip gloss, and the slip of paper from the SS office. Wait in line. Go to window. Attempt to get what you want done. Take a new picture (thus the lip gloss). You will be rewarded with a slip of paper telling the world that you're about to get a new license! In a few weeks you will get the real one. 

Reminiscent of the driver's permit, no?

Beneath my DMV slip is a statement of facts form so you can change your name on the title of your vehicle, if you own it. 

It doesn't end here, folks!

Passport Office

Fun fact: when you get married and change your name, you will need to apply for (and pay for) a passport all over again! 

Find the nearest Passport office and pick up the forms. You can mail your old/current passport, the marriage certificate, and the forms to the U.S. Passport office, which might be in Sacramento or something. Get this package certified (return receipt) by the post office. Seriously--it has really crucial pieces of your identity inside that if lost, will mess up you life, but at least you'll know! If you're going on vacation anytime soon, get on it! This can take 25 business days.

Q: So I can't change my name before our honeymoon? No. Unless your honeymoon is months after your wedding and you've done all of the steps above, DO NOT buy plane tickets in your new name for the honeymoon. You will most likely not be on the flight. You are not this person (yet). 

Q: Why do I mail my certificate? Because they will send it back, don't worry. But if you want to change anything else during this time, you will need those other certified copies I told you about!

I think that about sums it up! Good luck!

Nature

Some wildflowers and leaves I saw this weekend in the woods during J's race:

dog

Congrats to J!!

Well it turns out that our math was wrong...J came in FIRST overall this season of mountain bike racing!! I am so proud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J's Last Race

Well it was the final race of the season...

J had planned his schedule of races this year, but due to some crazy late winter snow, a few of them were postponed. Work picked up and he had very little time to train, which was frustrating. But you know what they say...the best laid plans...

Anyway here's what happened:

He started off strong (can you see him in the REVO jersey in the second row?)

Once he passed me at the start I hiked into the woods to another part of the track.

He looks happy!

I guess he had crashed twice and ended up coming in fourth, which also meant he came in second place overall in the season! Good job, J!

New photos are up

Head over to the photo site to see a new session with my cousin, Erinn.

Here's one to tide you over!

Summer Reading List

While I stage a coup at work, I thought I'd post some summer reading ideas.

I am asked semi-often for book suggestions, and take this task very seriously. I read quite a lot (in the past I've read a lot more) and I appreciate ALL kinds of books, but realize that not everyone is like me and wants to read the things I do. :) That said, I'm going to start a summer reading suggestion list, and feel free to add in the comments! My only disclaimer is that, for the most part, I don't read "beach reads" or "chick lit." Sorry. I'll read it if someone asks me to, but it's not my thing.

So I would normally analyze these things in my mind if you asked me for a recommendation, but here you can do that yourself... ;)

Summer Reading Generator

You are: intellectual, open minded
Looking for: a stimulating read that leaves you thinking
You love to read about: the human condition (and what is that, exactly?)
Never Let Me Go

You are: a history buff, or you just love a great story
Looking for: a "meaty" read (something you can sink your teeth into); you like to be taken on a journey
You love to read about: the Medieval period (like me), architecture (like me), love (not like me, but the rest is awesome), family dynamics, politics, power struggles, the battle between good and evil
Pillars of the Earth

You are: a human being
Looking for: something you can relate to, and yet reminds you how great you have it
You love to read about: family dynamics, the human condition, struggling, the American Dream
The Glass Castle

You are: a dog lover
Looking for: something you don't want to put down
You love to read about: mysterious deaths, relationships, animals, depression
The Dogs of Babel

You are: a history buff, or love some serious (and true) drama
Looking for: an easy read, but something you are fascinated by
You love to read about: relationships, gossip, the past, Henry VIII and his escapades, the Renaissance
The Last Boleyn

You are: stuck in a rut/needing wisdom, inspiration, or guidance
Looking for: something that might just change your life (if you let it)
You love to read about: the journey, a story that also teaches you something
The Alchemist

Need more? Let me know. I always have more...and if you would like to discuss, by all means, let's talk!

Sidenotes:
Never Let Me Go is being made into a movie, I discovered today, with Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley and it looks A-mazing.

The Pillars of the Earth is being shown this summer as a miniseries on Starz.

Advice Needed

How do I get over a terrible day--a terrible week?

Do you have any advice for me? I seem to dwell...

:(