For the Love of Bureaucracy

I thought the numerous parties involved this weekend were tough. We worked with our agent, who worked with the landlord's agent, who worked with the agency broker, who worked with the landlord to eventually get a signed lease to our new house. When the landlord went AWOL on Sunday, we had a long train of conversations going back and forth. The silliness of bureaucracy - it seems it would have been easier for us to work directly with the landlord.

But now I see - this was nothing. Now my life is in the hands of the Federal Government, and I begin to learn what bureaucracy really is.

With a DC post, we are required to take possession of all of our things, and to move out of temporary housing by this weekend. Before we even had a signed lease, I began the process of establishing delivery. I sent an email 4 days ago. I made a few phone calls the same day. I waited for them to reply. With no reply, I began making phone calls again today - now that I have a signed lease and keys to the delivery point.

This is where it gets fun.

I called Transportation. They told me that I have no travel orders authorizing release of our stuff.

I called Human Resources. They told me that travel orders only came in this week, and had not yet crossed her desk. She has now forwarded them to Budget.

Budget will sit on them for about 3 days before approving them, and sending them back to Human Resources.

Human Resources will send them to me.

I will send them to Transportation.

Transportation will send them to the warehouse.

The warehouse will contract with a delivery company.

I've been advised that under the best of circumstances, this will take about 5 business days. Yet we move out of temporary housing on Saturday. Into an empty house. No furniture. No towels. No dishes. No sleeping bags. No extension on the temporary housing - even though this is clearly how long the process takes to work.

It seems that someone either in heaven or in the federal government believes that I need to work on my patience and flexibility.