Second Time’s the Charm

The good news is my DMV license is renewed. They won’t be bothering me for another five years.

Even better news is I did not have to take a behind the wheel test.

I’ll be 79 next renewal period, so it’ll probably be both at that time.

Walking into the DMV was an experience. I arrived 9:55 for my 10:00 appointment and, by 10:11, I had a raging headache.

DMV was very well organized and everything moved quickly, it was just so much. So many people, so many different anxious energies.

Even though I had an appointment, there’s this new thing where you have to fill out a computerized application as to what you’re there for.

Some people have never used a computer, don’t know how to type on a computer, fear computers (There’s a woman her in the complex who checks all those boxes. Even though her daughters have encouraged her to try).

DMV Staff helped those not acquainted with computers, but the fear, tension, uncertainty generated, added to the so muchness that was stressing me out.

After the computer, it was wait in the lobby for your number to be called.

Once called, it was a good thing I had the notice to renew with me because the clerk could not find in the computer that a renewal notice had been sent.

After that was cleared up, it was pay a $34 fee, sign some paperwork, give a thumbprint, take an eye exam.

I thought needlepoint would cause me problems on the eye test. It didn’t. Passed with flying colors, even though I can't read labels at home without a magnifying glass.

Then it was picture time.

Hate the photo I’m going to have to live with for the next five years.

Previously, my photos were taken with eyeglasses on. Knowing that, I didn’t put on eye makeup this morning.

Big mistake because this time it was “Take your glasses off”.

Oh Wait! said I. I didn't put on eye makeup this morning.

You look fine said she. It'll be beautiful.

It wasn't because, in addition to no eye makeup, I forgot to stick my tongue against the roof of my mouth, which gives the illusion of a tight under the chin line. Having forgotten to do so, the photo came out with a pronounced under the chin waddle AND my face looks fat.

Bleh!

Then came the written exam. It felt tough, even though I'd been taking online tests, studying for months.

Bad news is study did not help -- I did not pass. Eighteen question, allowed to miss three, I missed four.

I was given the option to immediately retest, but opted to take a break, get grocery shopping out of the way, then sit in the car, clear my head and review the questions I thought I might have missed in the handbook.

Couldn’t figure out what I’d missed, except “Bridges and overpasses tend to freeze before the rest of the road does”.

I’d totally guessed “after” on that one because, who knows, who cares, and guessed wrong.

Another I missed was a trick question on evading a police officer. 

Could not figure out what the other two were, but think I misread illegal as legal and/or vice versa.

At any rate, I initially planned to return tomorrow for retest. But then I thought the test would be an entirely new one, and I was confident I knew all the correct answers to today’s test. So, after grocery shopping, clearing my head in the car, I went back two hours later for the retest.

It still was an entirely new test, but felt easy peasy as compared to the first.

I passed.

Now too exhausted to do anything worthwhile today, I’m just going to veg out on the couch and handle errands tomorrow.

Granddaughter has decided to do next week’s Halloween 5K with me, going as Walking Dead Character Negan. I want to run by Party City and pick up a foam replica of Negan’s Bat Lucille and a faux leather jacket. She already has the gloves and red scarf.

For those of you unfamiliar with Walking Dead ... This is Negan and how females are adopting his look for cosplay.