All the hoopla over Real ID, a federally compliant driver’s license or identification card, has certainly died down.

I had tried to ignore all the hype because I wasn’t been planning on flying domestically or visiting a federal facility anytime soon.

The idea of hunting down all the documents seemed daunting to me.

I knew I had most of the important documents locked away somewhere, but they wanted mail, too — in a digital age when everyone is going paperless to save money.

Who thinks to save paper bills to prove residency?

I’m sure I could find copies among the vast amounts of paper that I do save for no good reason, but that is even more daunting than looking for important papers kept in a safe place.

And which safe place? Do I remember where that is?

Rather than taking the bull by the horns, I decided to wait this one out. My driver’s license wasn’t due for at least another year.

Or so I thought.

My renewal came in the mail at the height of the frenzy, when every television newscast was showing insane lines of people waiting for their Real IDs as the deadline fast approached.

Great. Looks like I’m going to this rodeo after all.

I printed out a news story detailing what was needed, and patiently read through what my renewal with Read ID required, two or three times.

I’m fortunate that my husband knew exactly where those important documents, such as birth certificate, marriage license, etc., were.

And I found that I could use my vehicle registration or car insurance card as one of the pieces of mail to prove residency — even better.

Now, the Social Security card. That wasn’t locked away with all the other important documents. And I thought I knew right where it was.

After exhausting all the places, I thought I hid it for safe keeping, I found a Social Security card — my original one, not the one with my married name.

Where was the new one? I pulled everything out of my wallet, even though I knew full well it wasn’t there. I even checked old wallets, purses and created a mess emptying drawers.

Nothing.

I walked away.

I had an appointment to get to and would deal with it later. It also gave me some time and the distance that I needed to think — and not panic.

I came home about two hours later and went directly to one place I hadn’t looked, and there it was — along with warranty papers for a mattress we no longer had. Hmmm. Maybe I do keep too much stuff.

Now, all I had to do was go to Driver’s License Center — the Hazleton center, where the lot is always full and there is always a line of cars waiting to practice for the driver’s test, year round, in all kinds of weather and even at nightfall.

I found a parking space, first challenge overcome, and there was no line at reception, even though the chairs were pretty full.

I handed over my paperwork for review. I was asked to enter some information on a touch screen and got a number.

Screens showed what numbers were being served and at which window, and there were many windows going. This might not be bad, I thought, as I sat and people watched.

I got called to window in less than 10 minutes! The woman took my paperwork, silently reviewed, stood up and walked away. I thought she needed to make copies or something.

Nope. She had to ask her supervisor a question about my paperwork.

You see, the middle name on the birth certificate wasn’t the same as my Social Security card. I had chosen to retain my maiden name as a middle name and not use my given middle name.

I was told I couldn’t get a new license or Real ID that day, but it was an easy fix, she said cheerfully. I just needed to go to the Social Security office and get a new card, she explained.

I wasn’t thrilled about going to the Driver’s License Center, a state office, and now I have to go to a federal office to make changes?

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I drove straight to the Social Security office in Hazleton. I was actually thankful that southern Luzerne County still had one, even though the building was being sold.

There weren’t as many people waiting as at the Driver’s License Center, but there weren’t as many people helping them either. Far less, and the process seemed much slower.

An hour later, I was done. And I learned that I wasn’t the only woman who needed a new card for the exact same reason.

A week and half later, I had a new Social Security card, and the next day, I headed back to the Driver’s License Center. The wait was longer, but there was a cute toddler bouncing around who was fun to watch.

All my paperwork was in order this time, and I moved from one window to the next with relative ease.

My new license with Real ID arrived in the mail about week later, and the photo even looks like me.

I still don’t plan on flying domestically anytime soon or visiting a federal facility, so was it worth all the time and effort?

Probably not, but it’s done.