# I am officially an Idiot **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 2, 2006, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656 "2006-02-02T09:06:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/1 "2006-02-02T09:06:57Z")
I went in to file for unemployment insurance today. As I’ve mentioned before I was laid off last week from a library job I held for 25 years, before that were two other library jobs. I’m been very lucky in that respect, never even had to write a resume, let alone file for unemployment. Well nothing like a new experience to add a challenge to your day. I collected everything I thought might needed to file a claim, last several check stubs, w-2s, notification from my ex-boss saying I was being laid off, and a bright nervous smile. The people are helpful and friendly, The computer forms that take an hour to fill out were quite user friendly. That is until the end when a red warning came up to tell me my claim was denied. :eek: WTF how could I be denied? I worked for 32 years I should be allowed unemployment insurance. I was about to start crying when one of the friendly smiling people came over to point out that my drivers license expired on my birthday in November. :smack: Now I have to wait another week for a check. I am officially an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/2 "2006-02-02T09:39:56Z")
You have to be able to drive to get unemployment??? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/3 "2006-02-02T11:28:12Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > You have to be able to drive to get unemployment??? You need a valid government-issued ID. (States give out plain ID cards without DL capacity as well.) ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/4 "2006-02-02T20:17:03Z")
A passport could probably have been used instead. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/5 "2006-02-02T20:24:20Z")
Well, Happy Birthday. Tris 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/6 "2006-02-02T22:40:33Z")
Just finally returned from the DMV where I was informed that since I had let my license expire I’ m required to take the written and driving test which can’t be administered until Monday. So now I am stuck at home for the weekend. Plus the humiliation of having to call my Mommy to take me for my test. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/7 "2006-02-02T23:27:47Z")
Well, that all sucks very much. You know, I had heard that if you let it expire you have to do all the testing again, and you have confirmed that. I bet this is the last time you let your driver’s license expire. Bleah. ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/8 "2006-02-03T05:02:10Z")
> [@Tinkertoy](#): > > Just finally returned from the DMV where I was informed that since I had let my license expire I’ m required to take the written and driving test which can’t be administered until Monday. So now I am stuck at home for the weekend. Plus the humiliation of having to call my Mommy to take me for my test. How did you get back from the DMV? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-officially-an-idiot/342656/9 "2006-02-03T05:14:41Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Well, that all sucks very much. You know, I had heard that if you let it expire you have to do all the testing again, and you have confirmed that. I bet this is the last time you let your driver’s license expire. Bleah. It must depend on where you live. I’m in Illinois, and I let my license lapse in November of '04. I didn’t realize it until February '05, and I just had to have a new picture taken, same as always. The guy behind the counter said if I had let it lapse for more than one year I would have to re-do the test.