I can fly drive!

My photo ID expired on my birthday so it was pertinent I get it renewed. Today we made a trip to the DMV because my grandma needed to go, and I tagged along. My mom asked, "Are you going to take the test or renew your id?" I responded, "I don't know. I haven't studied."

*cue backstory*

Back when I entered high school I was of age for a permit, but my parent's were set against me driving. They wanted me to take drivers ed first. I left high school it was the year I was supposed to take drives ed, and I ended up never taking more than one class. After that there was not really a chance or need for me to drive so I never bothered with getting my permit.

Two to three years passed and it was time for me to get my GED. In order to take the test to get my equivalency I needed proof of identification. While I spent all of my time studying for the GED, I also added the drivers manual to my studies. I figured if I was going to get my ID I might as well kill two birds with one stone, take my GED and my drivers test. When my family found out about it I got "The insurance is going to be really expensive." The day I went in to get my ID I ended up just getting my photo ID. After the fact my Mom said, "Well you could have taken the driver's test."

*flash forward to the present*

I walked into the DMV and it was busy. When I talked to the clerk, I asked about the test. He said, "You can take it today and it only costs five dollars if you pass." My grandma was going to be a while so I opted to take the test because there was no reason not to. I also had a feeling and wondered, "Could I possibly pass the first try when I haven't studied in years?" Then the guy handed me the paperwork to fill out and said, "You need a proof of residence." Me being a college student that lives at home, I do not have any bills or anything like that. I had a thought though, "I have my food handler's license!" The card provides my name and even a space for my address. I filled in the address with the other paperwork and returned it to the guy who started setting up the test.

He had me do a vision test, read the smallest letters in the optical viewer. I read off the letters perfectly and he said I was good to go. He sent me into the test room and showed me the touch screen monitor I'd be using. I clicked tapped through all of the mumbo jumbo about state policies and went straight for the test. The instructions said you were only allowed to miss six out of twenty five. I started answering questions and made it over a quarter of the way through before I missed one. There was a sign that looked like a winding road ahead but it was actually a sharp turn ahead. The signs looked similar in my memory but I ended up picking the wrong answer. Well near the end of the test, I realized, "Oh wow, I could answer all these wrong and still pass."

I passed the test on my first try without studying zilch in three-ish years. How awesome is that? I even finished up all of my business while my grandma was still waiting. We got out to the car where my mom was waiting and told her. She instantly asked if I wanted to drive, but I said no. Then she started telling us about the girl we saw in the DMV who failed her examination. She could not find the blinkers or the headlights and apparently should have been a blonde.

Then we got to the deli where I work at and my mom was telling the people there about it. My cousin and her boyfriend (the owner's son) were working. My cousin and mom both said they failed their first tests. Then the guy started telling us about a car for sale. His friend has a Honda Accord with about a hundred thousand miles on it for about $2500. He said he saw all the work the guy has done on it and knows it is in good shape. We really do not have the money for that right now but it was still awesome to hear about. We are trying to get a house built so that is more of a priority than anything else.

Later on my Mom said, "You can just have my car and I'll quit work." That is an entire different story and rant I will no get into here. However, it is partially why I was always concerned about getting my permit/license because I always hear things like that. Plus, we cannot afford for my Mom to quit her job just because I can work and drive. I really do not understand why she says things like that sometimes.

There is even more good news though! I had calculated I would make $60 every two weeks but the dated check threw me off. I actually make $130 every two weeks. At that rate, I will have enough money to save for future conventions like BrickFest and BrickFair and still have to spend money on the side. I'm in the process of purchasing my first cell phone now and have a general list of planned purchases for the near future.