One of the neat things my office does is notarization. In an office of just over a thousand people, we have a handful of notaries. There’s a mailing list set up so we can ask if there’s a notary free to help us with our notary stuff, which is super convenient and means we don’t have to leave the office to get stuff notarized. (It’s amazing how many perks a company can offer for free, or nearly free, if they try!) The other day someone sent out an email saying that we were running short of notaries, and did anyone want to become one? They laid out the process (which is way simpler than I would have expected) and invited people to participate.
I don’t know about you, but I’m looking for as many ways as possible to make this world a better place, and help my community. For a small fee and a little paperwork, I could offer a small service to the people around me. Also, the job comes with some really cool toys* – two stamps and a special very official and sparkly book. SIGN ME UP!
The trickiest part of the process was getting a lawyer to vouch for my good character. (As the lawyer I asked jokingly responded, “But I KNOW you Brenda!”) I had to update my resume. And I haven’t thought this much about my signature since 7th grade. Finally, I had to get the application notarized, which was pleasingly recursive.
After my application was approved, I went into Boston to take the oath of office. This was no hardship for me, since it was a beautiful day and a moderate walk from my office in Kendall to the big state business building in downtown Boston. The swearing in itself was a little… weird. I think we should decide whether we take oaths seriously or not, because the halfway bit is ridiculous. There was this big, old practically parchment paper with the oath written out on it. (With no fewer than three “so help me God”s.) But it was in this dingy, fluorescent-lit office. The guy administering the oath didn’t even look at me as I made my vow to his back. It didn’t seem very emotionally binding, even though it is legally so. I wished I’d brought a friend with me to bear witness. On the plus side, the office was VERY efficient and competent!
So now I’ve been approved, I’ve been sworn in, and I’ve gotten my shipment of fancy book & stamps. I’m 100% ready to begin my life as a notary. Now I just need people who need stuff notarized. That’s where you come in! I did this entirely out a desire to be useful to my community. So asking me to notarize stuff isn’t a favor that you’re pulling from a friend – it’s my intention. Please feel more than free to reach out to me to ask me for notary help, for yourself or a friend of yours. I’ll add that even though I’ve known you forever, I’ll still need to see an ID – so please bring one as well as all parties who need to sign whatever I’m notarizing. I’m thinking about taking an hour or two periodically on a Saturday to sit in Kushala Sip & offer notary services to whoever needs them. Does that seem useful? Do you have any good ideas about how I can offer notary services to folks who need it?
*Toys purchased separately. I really wanted one of those fancy leather-bound-type books, but that seemed a little excessive based on my expected utilization of “hardly ever”
