Things I learned this week

I learned I should not go to the DMV to renew my driver’s license and expect to walk away with a hilarious, blog-worthy story about the interminable wait, the bungling,  the rudeness and the frustration.  My time there (under an hour) was irritatingly uneventful (even finding a fashion faux pas was a fizzle), but I came away with a couple other lessons. And pad those with some other thoughts and looky here - I learned I can write something about nothing.

I learned that even though my DMV clerk’s name was “In Training” sometimes it can be a not-quite good thing to get the one guy who actually paid attention whilst in training, and has patience and a sense of humor. I didn't want efficiency, dang it, I wanted stories.

I learned that I cannot wear my birthday tiara in a drivers license photo.  Apparently it is considered a head covering I would not normally be wearing when asked to produce my  license.  I think I almost had In Training  convinced to let me wear it when I assured him that if the good people of law enforcement had cause to pull me over, it would more than likely be after a tiara-sporting event. 



This woulda looked sweet on my license

 I  learned I could not include my 2-dimensional cardboard boyfriend in the photo, even if it is NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick.   When I pushed the envelope and asked if I could have Kevin with the tiara in the photo, I learned there are some things you do not joke about with a NASCAR fan.

At photo time,  when In Training said  “Up against the wall” and I replied ‘Oh, when a man says that to me, it usually doesn’t turn out well’  I learned that  In Training, the clerk behind him, and her customer, all have a keen appreciation for lowbrow humor.

I learned the drive from Ellsworth to Greenville is much quicker if I  don’t drink a gigantic cup of convenience store coffee before leaving Ellsworth.

I  learned that when I'm on the dance floor near a 31 year old size 2 cheerleading coach I should NOT try to match her moves.  Might kinda almost work at the time, and might sort of look moderately impressive, depending on the octane level and expectations of the onlookers, but 3 days later, there will still be unexplained bruises and nagging aches. All of them mine.

I learned that an inordinate number of men in the Moosehead Lake region are named Bob.  And they love having their picture taken with a non-photogenic slightly overserved redhead wearing a tiara.  A sub-lesson here is that I should not post photos without express written permission.  Ya just never know who might be in the Witness Protection Program, or hiding out from something or have a scrappy woman at home who could beat the beejeezus out of me.

I learned that if I leave my car in the parking lot and take the safe ride with the designated driver, I have prime parking for the big events in town the next day.

Back at the bungalow, I learned that when I want to take advantage of the early spring weather to air out the winter funk, I'd get a lot more fresh air if I move the storm windows up before sliding the screens down.

I learned that coloring my own hair is an easy process, (and yes, approved by my hairdresser once she saw my last paycheck stub) but the color on my head will fade dramatically in about 4 weeks.  The color that accidently plopped onto the bathroom rug will, like Twinkies and cockroaches, survive a nuclear holocaust.

The big lesson I learned this week is that sometimes making a decision is tough, acting on it is tougher.  But it doesn’t take long to learn that it was the right thing to do.