In which the author realizes exactly what she thinks of universal healthcare

So, I turned 18 recently. But that has really nothing to do with this post beyond setting the stage. (I personally despise: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME =) :) ;) :D XD! posts.)

Due to the fact that I turned 18 recently (cleverly avoiding repeated repetitive redundancy), I needed to renew my driver's permit. (Not license, permit. Remember, I'm in the slow class for driving.) So me and Padre headed off to the DMV last Monday, which was an experience in and of itself.
1) All people in my local area, now your local DMV will NOT be handling license/permit renewals or issuings, you need to go to the head one that also is head of the juvenile corrections centre.What your local DMVs will be handling eludes me at this point in time, but they sure as heck won't be doing licenses/permits.
2) Best place to people watch is the DMV as virtually EVERYone from EVERY walk of life has to go there. You get to see it all. But, if you don't fancy people-watching
3) Bring a book (stupid me...). Let's wait in line for approximately 2/3 the lifetime of your average red giant star. *sigh* Although, my father and I were able to happily pass the time envisioning when this will be the everyday "hospital" experience iffen we get dat loverly healthcare. "But sir, I'm bleeding. Bad." "Take a number; go to the back of the line. You can use your shirt to make a tourniquet."

Well, I finally reached my person, and I was a little alarmed as the hobbity fellow was wearing a shirt emblazoned with "Sherrif's Department" as opposed to "Department of Motor Vehicles."

This will probably take forever as he most likely doesn't know much about the process. Oh boy.

Here's the really great part: he DIDN'T TAKE FOREVER! He briskly went about his work, and I got finished in no time.
I toddled over to the picture-taking department and got a fairly good picture to boot. We were in and out of the DMV in approximately 45 minutes. Hooray!

Having happily checked that off the list, I went about my daily business with my new shiny card.
Until, yesterday, that is. I went to a shop and the gal checked my I.D. and said: "Oh, I'm sorry, we can't take this. It's expired. "
Me: Whut? "Oh that's weird, I just got it five days ago, on the 20th."
Gal: "Yup, but it says "Expires: 7/20/2009"
Me: "Well what do you know, it does. Never mind, then. Cheers, love. I'd better boogie before I throw a hissy fit at the stupid DMV."
Yes indeedy, folks. U.S. government in action. Apparently, deare hobbit forgot to change the expiration date on my card so that it listed the proper year, which should be 2012.
So now I have a card proudly emblazoned with:
I.D. issued: 7/20/2009
I.D. expires: 7/20/2009
I never had a chance.

And now I really don't want healthcare courtesy of Uncle Sam. Can you imagine the hilarity?
Your prescription runs out on the day it was issued.
You're checked out of the hospital on the day you check in.
Oh, the possibilities are endless.

So how shall I change in order to get more money...

Okay...so a minor rant. I'm on fastweb and I'm filling out all this personal info crapola And you get to the Personal Attribute Checklist. Here it is. Apparently, I have no personal attributes according to this exhaustive list. I'm putting the ones I find particularly preposterous in bold.
Adopted
Against the Death Penalty (But strangely enough, no "For the Death Penalty.")
Bilingual (I'm working on that.... )
Birth mother who has child placed for adoption
Bisexual
Canadian Citizen Technically, if we had been on the ball I could have gotten a dual citizenship, but it wouldn't be recognized by the U.S.
Cancer, siblings diagnosed with
Cathedral Home for Children, former resident
Clinically Overweight (This gives me great joy to know that when I become a walrus, I could possibly qualify for some scholarships. )
Displaced Homemaker
Domestic Abuse, Victim/Survivor of (Because there are a lot of people who don't survive Domestic abuse applying for scholarships.... Sorry. That was mean and insensitive. But....they didn't need the "Survivor of" one. I know, I know, it's a technical term. But Technically...)
Drug Conviction (And I'd get a SCHOLARSHIP FOR THIS??? They seem to downplay this perk in the anti-drug campaign. Maybe they'll give you money if you clean up...I certainly hope so. "Funded by The Godfather")
Farm, Raised on
Feminist
Foster Care Recipient
From a Small Town, 25000 population
Gay/Lesbian
Head of Household
Height: Women 5'10" or above, Men 6'2" or above I'm feeling very discriminated against
Last Name Van Valkenburg Seriously, my name is weirder than that. I should get PAID because my name is so messed up.
Married
Mobile Home Park Resident Uhm...wow
Orphan (Parentless) (<-- Parenthetical note for the student who honestly thinks he was delivered by storks.)
Parent
Parent of Multiples
Parent, Student with dependent Children
Political Party: Democrat
Political Party Republican (Cos we're all either one or the other. *snickers* I know what happened: The Libertarians were all hiding from the government, the Anarchists cannot possibly organize themselves into a scholarship-producing body, the Independents were indifferent, the Conservatives had no money, the Liberals....ideas anyone?, The Communists have already spent their money, and the Greens don't trade in paper currency because it destroys trees.)
Public Assistance Recipient
Public Housing Resident
Recently Immigrated to the United States
Refugee
Reservation, Resident of (See also "Domestic Violence, Victim of" or "Werewolf, High Possibility of Being" I can say these intolerant things because (a) I'm most likely partly Native American and (b) My friend worked on a reservation and has seen some heartbreaking things. My heart goes out to all the children of the reservations. You deserve better than what many of you get.)
Residence Hall Resident (Dormitory) (See also: Refugee)
September 11, Affected by Tragedy (Who wasn't? I'm tempted to click this...but I sense it is for immediate family members only.)
Single Parent
Spanish Speaking (I knew I should have studied harder...)
Student, One of Multiples (Twins...etc)
Survivor of Domestic Violence (See my comment for "Victim")
Transgender
Transplant Recipient
Transplant Candidate
Undocumented Immigrant (Won't. Say. A Thing.)
Vegetarian (Seriously. You get money for "don't eat no meat"? O.O)

Is back!

Well, due to a necessity to keep on with something writing-related despite my insane busyness (my fledgling attempts at fiction have suffered dearly to a horrid attack of "real life.") and due to the fact that my English Counselor made placed no small emphasis on the advantages of blogging (as odd as it sounds, I figure that even if/though I won't attract a massive following, I think it will be beneficial either way) as a means of getting Resume Candy (tm), I've picked up the poor old dusty had and tried it on again.

It is still quite big. And very, very dusty. But at least it is floppy and still fits fairly comfortably.

So, I've joined a new writing forum. I'm not fitting in very well in the community very well as it is very much as community-based forum rather than a forum designed for public viewing and membership. It is more of a club...and when you aren't available to post a lot on the clubhouse wall; well, things inevitably suffer. But that is fine as I have really learned a lot from these folks. Many of whom aren't published For those who may declare such writers unworthy of anyone's time, I plead Ebert's Law in their defense. I really agree with most every of the articles on the site and think that the hope of literature lies in their (however grubby) paws.

Resolution: I really need to read more. Classics and new books as recommended on the forum. Not so much for "you are what you read" but more for examples and exploration.

I went to my university orientation this weekend. *joy*
And, in keeping with that glorious freshie tradition, I changed my major. Not so much the major, but the emphasis. Now I'm going for a Linguistics emphasis (more Resume candy, and just generally more practical in today's economy.). Globalization is a biggie. And the Linguistics will get me in deep with the ESL tutor program. "English-Writing" is great, but frankly, you can write a novel no matter your emphasis or major. Why limit myself to a slightly grandiose declaration of my generally sekrit love? I also found out that I can take the higher-level Editing courses and pursue my interest of being an editor even if I go for the Linguistics (actually, the possibility of inter-global editing opens up.).

Pretty darn exciting.

Also at orientation:
-I'm not quite as weak as I thought, but I have a long way to go. Yes, I went rock-climbing. A sport I don't practice very often, but I love deeply because of its adventurous nature and my deepseated desire to conquer my fear of heights. Biffed it once, but was able to grab on to said rock and hoist myself to the top any way. (Thank you gigantic belayer. I have great belayer sense and will automatically zoom to the biggest, strongest-looking one. "You won't let me die.")
- It is confirmed that I attract weird people. At least one per event. Further confirmed that I am now destined to debate theology/ethics/politics wherever I go.
- I now seriously may consider doing a study abroad program. (More resume candy in addition to looking funs.)

I now have two occupations: shopgirl and babysitter/nanny for my boss. :D
Today was my first day of taking care of the kiddos for most of the day. I feel way more energetic than I normally do when I have to work from 11-6 (and this was 9:30 to 6!), which is excellent. I really hope I get the opportunity to do this more next summer.

Although they are both darling, I'd have to say that my boss's little 7-year-old girl (I'll call her Ashlyn as that's what she wished her parents would have named her.) totally made my day. *gives stars*
Story:
Well, I was working at the shop with my boss late today (Her husband picks up the kids at 4 and I then catch a ride to the shop and work there to close) and just then remembered to let her know that I was getting my hair cut pretty short this Wednesday. Not that she would particularly need to know, but I forgot to warn the kids and wanted them to get some sort of a heads up as (believe it or not) consistent looks matter. I remember freaking out as a young kid whenever my mom would try a different hairstyle than the one I was used to. So I figured, it would kind of weird them out to show up one day with shoulder-lengthish hair and then the next day with short (boy-ish...I'll post pics hopefully) hair of a slightly different hue.

She agreed and we both giggled over the funnyness of kids. Subject dropped.

Fast forward to this evening after I had been home for about one hour.

I get a call.
*checks*
It is from my BOSS according to caller ID.
Internal panic ensues. What did I do wrong? Oh noes! :O

I pick up the phone.
"Hello, a-muser!"
I hear, to my surprise, a rather worried Ashlyn on the other end of the phone.
"Hi," she says.
"Oh! Hi- *stutters* Ashlyn!"
*pause*
I continue, "What's up?"
"How short are you cutting your hair?!" she asks, sounding worried.
I try to stifle a laugh and then explain, roughly, how short it will be.
I ask her what else is going on and if her evening is going well. We talk a bit and then she breaks the news:

She, too, will be getting her hair cut this week! It will be just below her ears, she warns.

I then assure her that her haircut sounds adorable and that I'll promise not to gasp in shock if she won't gasp in shock when she sees my haircut.
She promises.
"Do you have anything crossed?" I ask, referencing a running joke we had that day (they kept crossing their fingers, arms, legs, eyes, toes, and even "teeth" *i.e. forcing an overbite*)
"*giggle* Nope!"
"Not even your teeth?"
"Nope."
"Ok, Ashlyn. See you!"
"Okay...BYE!"

It's been a good day.