funny things

1) My work visa says I'm male, meaning that all the systems in Canada think I'm male. Is this a problem? Apparently. It's a several-hours-on-the-phone problem. Which I can't get to because I'm working on items 2-5, below.
2) I haven't gotten paid by the college yet, presumably because they've never dealt with post-docs before, the bureaucracy here is nuts, and ... god only knows. Currently figuring out how to get money wired from the U.S.
3) My car is now illegal here because I don't have the actual title or registration from Oregon because ... god only knows. Mom thinks that the car may be "hot."
4) I am moving.
5) I hear that I have a job.

My priorities have not changed, despite all this. I have repeated myself lately, often, by saying that bureaucracy is like quicksand, and "you need to just relax because if you struggle, you'll only sink faster." It's getting to be more like concrete boots. Doesn't matter if I struggle or just sink quietly into the sea, it's all the same.

The woman from the car dealership wrote to ask me if they speak English or French here. Seriously? Why would it matter? Write the thing in Latin, lady.

See? Funny things. They repeat, over and over. I'm trying to think of what will happen next. Perhaps late September is a bad time for me. Last year, I got viral meningitis. This year, I have Acute Bureaucralosis. Ha ha. It's funny.

Back to my priorities: exercise, coffee, and learning about tenure and ownership in Newfoundland. Oh, and getting pubs from my dissertation. I mean, I guess I can't help the rest of it, right? I don't want pity, I just wanted to vent.

Thank you, Mr. Internet.