Watch your P(eriod)s and Qs

I’m writing this listening to a lively piano concerto while I wait for a Canada Pension (CPP) agent to answer my call.
I’ve been here before. The first time, I tried to change my name from the married one CPP has to the maiden one I reclaimed. The government site didn’t like my browser and I gave up. Months later, I tried to apply for (early) CPP, but couldn’t get past the registration page. There was a notice I didn’t understand and an advisory to use Internet Explorer, not Firefox. I love my Firefox so I put it on the To Do pile.
Months later, I found a hard copy CPP application, filled it out and mailed it in. Months later I got a letter with a temporary access code telling me how to register online. I tried again today, got to the same place in the registration procedure where it wouldn’t accept my nonalphanumerical number. As before, I looked at what I’d typed and it all looked normal to me.
So I phoned. Which brings us to the music. To cut short the 24 minutes I spent on the cell and go right to the hint which could prevent others from the same frustrating glitch, I found out from a patient geek squader that the nonalphanumeric character that has frustrated my best efforts all this time was the period I put after the word Mrs. in one of my question hints. Who knew a period is not a character in the English language. * sigh *
I also found out from a nice man that my hard copy application had worked months ago and I would receive my first payment this month.
I am officially a presenior. Yahoo.