Look, I know there are bigger problems in the world than this.  But maybe if we took care of the small probblems, the big problems would take care of themself. OK. That’s not true, I know.  But how will we ever fix any big problems, when we can’t handle the tiny ones.

Birth Certificate.  Like a social security card, everyone gets one.  (OK, I know, not everyone.)  Max’s social security card came in the mail without me having to do anything after filling out a form in the hospital.  The birth certificate, not so easy.

After a couple months passed and no brith certificate showed up in the mail, I made a phone call.  “You have to go down to the old hospital to pick it up with $9 cash or check only and your drivers license.”  Should I get there by horse and buggy?

They expect people to haul their newborn baby, that they have to feed every two hours (ok, only if your breastfeeding – formula is every four hours) out there just to pick up the birth certificate?  A man definitely came up with that idea.  Why don’t they just mail those things out since they had us fill out the form in the hospital?

Then I get there to “pick up Max’s birth certificate”, and they inform me that their system gets even better than that!  “You have to fill out an application, pay for it, and then come back tomorrow to pick it up.”  Wow.  No, a MAN didn’t come up with this idea.  A crazed lunatic did.  And for some reason everyone is following this crazy system without questioning the sanity of it?

The man in line ahead of me had filled out his application yesterday, and was now back to pick up the birth certificate.  But wait, SURPRISE!  “They were having trouble locating it.  Could he please take a seat and wait a few minutes while they looked for it?”

I had just two questions for them: “Where should I park my horse and buggy.  And had they heard of the new magic called internet?”

She offered to mail me Max’s birth certificate at no extra charge.  I’ll be amazed if it makes it here without having to make at least one follow-up phone call.