I love you and then I hate you

We went to the DMV last week to register our car and get CA drivers licenses. We made appointments online and they were ready for us when we walked in the door. It was really great! I've NEVER had such an easy time at a DMV visit in my life! This was my 5th time getting a new license. In fact, I've never had the chance to get my license renewed because we've never lived in the same state long enough to do so.

Anyway, back to the story. I received my original license in California when I was 16, however it expired more than 10 years ago so I had to start from scratch and take the written test. Blah. I'll never understand why they ask some of those questions. If it were my test I would just keep it to the basics and ask: Are drivers allowed to tailgate? NO! Should drivers be courteous on the roads? YES! Do we follow all signs and signals? YES! Do we pull over when a police officer turns his lights on behind us? YES! Good, now here's your license. Seriously though, I've been driving since I was 16, do I really need to take the written test all over again? It's not like the California road rules are so different from other states. Red still means stop and green still means go.

I passed the written test just fine but there was another test I failed. The dreaded vision test. I have been barely squeaking by for years on this test. But California tests differently than other states. Not only do you have to have 20/40 vision on both eyes together, you also have to have 20/40 on each eye separately. Without glasses. Apparently I passed the together test and my right eye tested 20/40 but my left eye was like 20/100+. Oh boy. They even let me stick my head in this little machine to do a more extensive test just to make sure. Failed that one too. You know it's bad when they ask you to read line 3 and not only can you not read any of the letters but you can's even tell which is line 3! My license will now forever read "CORRECTIVE LENSES NECESSARY." Argh!! I have been trying to avoid this since I first realized my vision was going downhill 6 or 7 years ago. I blame it on all the spreadsheets. I do have a pair of glasses and I do use them every once in a while. Like when I know I'll have trouble seeing long distances, if there's going to be a projector screen in a work meeting...in interviews because I figure glasses make people look older and smarter, right? But one place I hate to wear glasses is in the car. I've never gotten used to them. Headlights glare on them and I feel like I can't see as well with them on when trying to change lanes and such because of the reflections. But I can definitely see better with them on, for sure. I can actually read the names on the street signs, that's a plus. But I don't want someone telling me I HAVE to wear them ALL the time when driving! Now if I get pulled over and am not wearing them I can be ticketed.

So that's my story. In and out of the DMV in under an hour with our licenses and our car registered.

I love the California DMV!

But now I'm just positive I picked up a flu virus on that eye machine. Steve and I have been miserably fighting it ever since (and with company at our house!) and better be over it by Tuesday because we're finally taking our trip to Mexico!

I hate that nasty germ-filled California DMV!