Tag: check

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Renewing My Passport

My passport expired awhile back, and I’ve been meaning to get it renewed. Turns out if you meet certain requirements, you can renew your passport over the mail.

  • At least 16 years old when you got your last passport issued – Turns out I was 16 and change
  • Within 15 years since you got your last passport issued – It’s only been a little over 10 years. I did find it weird that unlike driver’s license which expire on your birthday, passport’s actually expire from when they’re issued.
  • a couple other requirements which I met

I needed to get some passport photos. Xyon had mentioned that he got his from Kinkos. I started searching and calling the Kinkos around me. The one in Factoria apparently doesn’t do passport photos, but the one in downtown Bellevue did. It also turns out that location is open 24 hours. Another interesting fact is that FedEx is apparently dropping the Kinkos brand. Both the website and the automated phone system say “Formerly FedEx Kinkos now known as FedEx Office”. The passport photos were a bit more expensive than I had anticipated ($13 for 2), but saves me the hassle from taking my own and having to get them to the correct size.

Since I got up at 11am on Saturday (it’s surprising how much more time there is on a weekend when you wake up early), I finished my shopping and stuff around noon. Since I was in the neighborhood, I wanted to see if Chad was up for lunch. Turns out I don’t have Chad’s cell number. Haha, oh well, missed opportunity. That issue has since be remedied.

The cost for renewal was $75 and they only accepted checks and money orders. Had to bust out my checkbook. It’s been so long since I wrote a check.

It sucks that I have to send in my expired passport for this renewal. It has so many cool stamps! I contemplated on stating I lost it or that the passport is damaged, but I think it required me to fill out another form or having to go apply in person.

I guess I haven’t really changed that much in 10 years, though I definitely looked a lot more nerdier back then ;p

old passport photo new passport photo

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Diploma

I finally got my college diploma! I’ve always thought I’d be back in Berkeley to pick it up myself, but every time I’ve been back, the timing wasn’t right. The office was either closed, or I didn’t have time, so on and so on. I’ve dreaded to have them mail it to me, because I can’t see how they can justify charging $12 for it.

Anyway, apparently they only hold your diploma for 5 years and given that it’s almost 3 years since I graduated (my brother inviting me to his graduation reminded me), I decided that $12 it is.

I went to the Office of the Registrar website, and apparently they don’t take credit cards. !@$#$*&&!%&!$*!@#*!&%! Apparently I am forced to write them a check, and you know how I hate checks. I decided if that’s what it’ll take to get my diploma, so be it. I wrote them a $12 check and mailed it off with my application. By god, I can’t believe I still remember my student ID number without giving a sweat.

So what did $12 net me which would’ve cost me $0.00 if I picked it up in person? Apparently the following:

  • 1 cardboard envelope with a “DIPLOMA – DO NOT BEND” note on it
  • 2 paper-sized cardboard pieces to keep the diploma from bending
  • 1 UPS label to ship 1lb to anywhere in the USA
  • Someone putting this altogether and dumping it in the outgoing mail bin

Yeah, I feel gypped too. You’d expect it to at least come with a frame or something. Haha. ;p Oh well. At least now I have proof that I graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. degree. If my mom was here, she’d probably frame it. Knowing me, it’ll end up in my pile of junk. Plus don’t forget, I know have Arnold Swarchenegger’s signature!

P.S. This may be my last post in awhile. Been watching a lot of Genshiken and now I’ve started watching House.