Happiness
Yesterday was a bad day. I got dressed up early in order to go down to the DMV and get my new driver's license. I had a long list of things I was going to accomplish that day, and, based on my achievements the day before, I was hoping to carry on the momentum.
Alas, it was not to be. I arrived at the DMV and began to wait. And wait...
After about 20 minutes, I began to appreciate the fact that we were given chairs instead of having to wait in a long line - like in Hawaii. I also began to fret that I might not have the requisite paperwork to get the Hawaii car registered here. I called Lorrie and asked her to get ready to fax something over in case it was needed. I was sure that this would be all that I would need and that I would be able to get what I wanted to get done.
Nope.
When I got called up a half hour later - not bad by DMV standards - I was told that I needed to have my wife present in order to change the registration because the car was in both our names. Damn. I called the wife and asked her to drive down to the DMV. I reasoned that she could get her license too since the line for that was nil at that point. I signed us up and waited for my name to be called so I could take the written test. After a couple of minutes I was happy to be called in, but then dismayed to learn that I had to have my social security card in order to take the test. As well, they don't take debit or credit cards. I was thwarted yet again.
I called the wife to ask for her to bring my social security card with her, thus saving me a trip back to the house. She was nowhere near finding her own, let alone finding mine. I ended up going back home - utterly thwarted in my first attempt to get 2 things done.
2 hours later, we've found our necessary cards, gotten out our check books and we're at the DMV again, waiting to get the car registered. A nice, traditional southern gent is complaining about the government and wishing aloud that he could have been born 30 years earlier than he was so he could live in that 'golden' past. I smiled, saying nothing about all the injustices that existed back then for people who were not his color of skin. L. was equally nice and quiet, continuing the friendly repartee by noting the joke of a famous comedian who once said that in the future they will have faster than light transport and teleportation taking miliseconds, but that the DMV would still take "like NINE SECONDS." We were the hit of the waiting crowd!
We were able to get through the re-registering part pretty quickly - about 45 minutes in all - and we went next door and signed up for the license test,
Which I failed,
But Lorrie passed.
I failed the damn written exam. What the hell is wrong with me that I can't pass a simple written exam!? Well, I didn't even own a driver's manual, let alone look at one. I had no idea how many points got put on one's license for whatever offense they were asking about. I blew 8 questions out of 25, and left the place with my head hung low. The test guy was very nonchalant about the whole thing saying, "You're not the first; you won't be the last."
It brought all that prelim crap back again. "I can't pass a test." "I am stupid." "My brain is less intelligent that other people's brains." "I am worthless." "I want to shoot myself."
I immediately went to the nearest buffet restaurant and stuffed my food hole with comfort.
That night, utterly and completely ashamed of myself, I read through the manual - begrudgingly.
This morning, I was going to take the exam again at exactly 8 o'clock. But when the morning rolled around, I was too tired and scared to get up. I finally got ready and took the damned test again at about 10, and I passed with 2 wrong. I still could not get 100%, but at least I passed it. And I didn't have to wait 6 months between takes like with that ridiculous prelim exam.
So now I have a North Carolina Driver License. I am really a resident here now! I can vote! I can buy firearms! I can get points on my license if I drive like an idiot!
I am happy again because a test has validated me. The same test that shamed me yesterday has made me happy today.
I utterly loathe those damned tests, but at least I am done with it.
I wonder; will I ever take another test again? Will I ever choose to take one? I am so anti-test now; I wonder if I will ever recover from the linguistics Ph.D. fiasco brought upon me by UH and Hawaii in general.
Alas, it was not to be. I arrived at the DMV and began to wait. And wait...
After about 20 minutes, I began to appreciate the fact that we were given chairs instead of having to wait in a long line - like in Hawaii. I also began to fret that I might not have the requisite paperwork to get the Hawaii car registered here. I called Lorrie and asked her to get ready to fax something over in case it was needed. I was sure that this would be all that I would need and that I would be able to get what I wanted to get done.
Nope.
When I got called up a half hour later - not bad by DMV standards - I was told that I needed to have my wife present in order to change the registration because the car was in both our names. Damn. I called the wife and asked her to drive down to the DMV. I reasoned that she could get her license too since the line for that was nil at that point. I signed us up and waited for my name to be called so I could take the written test. After a couple of minutes I was happy to be called in, but then dismayed to learn that I had to have my social security card in order to take the test. As well, they don't take debit or credit cards. I was thwarted yet again.
I called the wife to ask for her to bring my social security card with her, thus saving me a trip back to the house. She was nowhere near finding her own, let alone finding mine. I ended up going back home - utterly thwarted in my first attempt to get 2 things done.
2 hours later, we've found our necessary cards, gotten out our check books and we're at the DMV again, waiting to get the car registered. A nice, traditional southern gent is complaining about the government and wishing aloud that he could have been born 30 years earlier than he was so he could live in that 'golden' past. I smiled, saying nothing about all the injustices that existed back then for people who were not his color of skin. L. was equally nice and quiet, continuing the friendly repartee by noting the joke of a famous comedian who once said that in the future they will have faster than light transport and teleportation taking miliseconds, but that the DMV would still take "like NINE SECONDS." We were the hit of the waiting crowd!
We were able to get through the re-registering part pretty quickly - about 45 minutes in all - and we went next door and signed up for the license test,
Which I failed,
But Lorrie passed.
I failed the damn written exam. What the hell is wrong with me that I can't pass a simple written exam!? Well, I didn't even own a driver's manual, let alone look at one. I had no idea how many points got put on one's license for whatever offense they were asking about. I blew 8 questions out of 25, and left the place with my head hung low. The test guy was very nonchalant about the whole thing saying, "You're not the first; you won't be the last."
It brought all that prelim crap back again. "I can't pass a test." "I am stupid." "My brain is less intelligent that other people's brains." "I am worthless." "I want to shoot myself."
I immediately went to the nearest buffet restaurant and stuffed my food hole with comfort.
That night, utterly and completely ashamed of myself, I read through the manual - begrudgingly.
This morning, I was going to take the exam again at exactly 8 o'clock. But when the morning rolled around, I was too tired and scared to get up. I finally got ready and took the damned test again at about 10, and I passed with 2 wrong. I still could not get 100%, but at least I passed it. And I didn't have to wait 6 months between takes like with that ridiculous prelim exam.
So now I have a North Carolina Driver License. I am really a resident here now! I can vote! I can buy firearms! I can get points on my license if I drive like an idiot!
I am happy again because a test has validated me. The same test that shamed me yesterday has made me happy today.
I utterly loathe those damned tests, but at least I am done with it.
I wonder; will I ever take another test again? Will I ever choose to take one? I am so anti-test now; I wonder if I will ever recover from the linguistics Ph.D. fiasco brought upon me by UH and Hawaii in general.
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