“Here in Hollywood you can actually get a marriage license printed on an Etch-A-Sketch.” – Dennis Miller
Pretty embarrassing that it has taken me so long to get around to be “legal” in the State of California to drive! Early on, I just couldn’t deal with it. Emotionally or physically. I was just too buried in caring for Dave, the move, the kids, etc. Then I would forget about it for long segments of time and it would suddenly hit me, “Crap Lori! You need to get your license!” Often one of those late night anxiety moments that would wake you up in a panic! And then we would be off on another trip or some such thing. It had been almost 30 years since I had to take a written driver’s test! I tried to study for it, but the CA handbook is poorly written and it was hard to slog my way through it. I was uninterested and unfocused. I did do the tests on their website and that was decent. I often wonder why they feel they need to give you “trick” questions on a written driver’s test? I mean really. It’s like a sadistic science teacher in High School who enjoys confusing you with his play on words. ARGH!
I set up an appointment, which they recommend you do online. Takes almost a month to get the appointment. I went and they didn’t have that I was in the system. I didn’t have any documentation to prove I was, as the online appointment system doesn’t send you a confirmation and I didn’t write it down. They also didn’t have a computer at the window to go in and check for themselves that I did indeed have an appointment. I also didn’t have the proper documentation to prove who I was beyond my MD Driver’s License. Where the heck was that information? So back home to make another appointment and wait another month. This time I captured it in a ScreenShot and printed it off to take with me, but of course I had the appointment this time, and my Passport (an acceptable form of ID in addition to my Maryland License).
So its a typical packed motor vehicle office, with a computerized numbering system. Having the appointment allowed me to jump the long line winding its way outside the building. Four windows later I had completed the task. They have high tech fingerprint scanners, photo machine, etc. But the test is still done on paper with a hand grader who looked like stone when I started and looked like stone when I finished. In the end she hands me a dot matrix printed 1/2 sheet of paper informing me that this is now my interim driver’s license and mine will come in 6-8 weeks. Are you kidding? How arcane is that? And I thought Maryland was bad. Maryland seems like a high tech, high customer service cruise ship in comparison, I must say. If you don’t have to go to the big office you can go to the express offices where they have you visit one window and one window only. You pay, you fill out paperwork, you get your photo taken and then you pick up your new license at another window when its all laminated, hot off the presses on your way out the door.
Oh well… It’s done. I told Dave he can stop harassing me now about it and bring me chocolates and champagne!
