LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Last week I watched all the coverage on John McCain. I meant to send him a thank you note when he voted thumbs down on killing Obamacare. The only Republican to do so. An honorable man. An imperfect man. Another distinguishing feature was his ability to say "I was wrong." He even said that after the Iraq war. And finally, he managed to shame the current occupant of the White House more in death than he could in life. He choreographed his entire week long memorial send off. Almost every day last week, we did not have to hear from the current White House Occupant. What a relief; we could hear about John McCain who wanted Joe Lieberman as his running mate, an unheard of match, a Republican and an Independent. He even said he was wrong to have Sarah Palin as his running mate. And the current Occupant was not invited ! I love it ! I guess he really deserved the term 'maverick' -  a rebel.

It was a long, hot summer. The hottest summer I've ever experienced in Boston. Not fun. Even today there is a heat advisory. "Stay indoors." I spent the summer working on getting a headstone for Shirley. Many trips to the monument company and the cemetery. Here is version 1. It will be changed to having her name be on two lines so it is bigger, more bold, like her !

IDENTITY

Going to the DMV is never good, always anxiety inducing and frustrating. This year it is a nightmare for me. My license will expire on my birthday, September 17th. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has recently made changes to Drivers License Renewal. You need to bring a Birth Certificate. My birth certificate says Carol S. Silverman; because I was adopted by Julius Silverman in 1965. I have the Certificate of Adoption. Shirley said, "I don't want 2 names on the mailbox. I was not consulted.

While living in California I needed a California drivers license. I walked into the DMV in Oakland, Ca and said to the woman behind the counter, " I need a California drivers license. My name has changed." Then I waited to hear what she would say. I had no documentation. I did not get married or divorced. So I didn't know how far I would get. She said, "We'll call you anything you want honey." True story. None of the Silvermans were talking to me, Barry and Julius. I was in touch with Shirley the whole time I was out there. I have lots of her letters written in her perfect penmanship with purple ink. So I went back to Miller, the name I was born with and vowed never to change it again even if I did get married ! Ok, fast forward - 2018. Now I still don't  have correct documentation to renew my license.

I was told I would have to go through a legal name change through the courts. Yucck. I started that process but it is not finished now. Meantime I cannot let my license expire. I will go to the DMV with the documentation I have including the Certificate of Adoption. That's what I was advised to do.

At this point I decided if the DMV refuses to give me a license in the name of Miller I will get it in the name of Silverman.......and go back to Carol S. Silverman......again. Identity is very fluid.

This story reminds me of the the precedent set by Ellen - she changed her name to Chanel while living in the Pacific Northwest. She changed it back to Ellen when she moved back to Hollywood, Florida.