This is probably one of my favorite pictures I have EVER taken.

I had every intention of making a dramatic post about the arrival of my iPhone 4, however, the universe (and the DMV) had other ideas for me.

Eagerly anticipating the arrival of my iPhone 4 I took Wednesday off to receive it and to take care of the business of going to the DMV.  I figured the latter would take an hour or two and then I’d be free to play.  Oh how wrong I was…

I arrived at the DMV before 11 and as I drove past it to park I noticed a line of people AROUND the building…having previously checked the wait time I was certain that couldn’t be the line I was meant to wait in, surely!  When I left my house the wait time was 19 minutes, by the time I arrived and parked the wait time had jumped to 52 minutes and can you believe they expected me to WAIT IN THAT LINE??!!  Humph, but still, an hour isn’t that bad…in and out.  Nope!  The 52 minute wait was just to get to the ‘Start’ window to get your paperwork and get a number (which turned out to be more like 75 minutes, for the record).  My number was G129, when I sat down they were on G91.  Ugh, 28 people ahead of me…  People, I read an entire book before my number was called.  AN ENTIRE BOOK!

When my number was called I waded through the sea of people to my appointed window and handed over the paperwork.  The woman behind the counter, let’s call her Shaniqua, was more interested in talking to her coworker than me.  She talked to the coworker, entered some stuff in the computer and told me the fee was $31.  I made out the check while she talked to this other woman and handed it over with a look of sheer bafflement.  We then had our first conversation:

Shaniqua: What? Don’t be givin’ me attitude, I haven’t done anything to you.
cimblog(tm): Attitude?  I’m just looking at you talking to her the whole time!

Shaniqua then goes back to talking to her coworker and then…then…she holds her hand out to me as if asking for something WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT ME.  So I just look at her hand.  I have NO idea what she’s asking for!  I’m quiet, furrowed brow, quizzical look.  She holds her hand there, talking, for a good 30 seconds then she looks at me as if I’m being defiant…  I raise a questioning eyebrow. “I need your drivers license.”  I hand it over.

She then sends me to get my picture taken.  I wait in line.  They call me to the window.  They talk amongst themselves.  And talk. And…TALK.  Then the lady that called me to the window leaves and someone else sits down.  He takes my paperwork, fingerprint, signature and picture.  I’m sure that picture is going to look awful, anger oozing from every pore!  Then I’m directed to the line to take the written test.  I wait.  I’m given a test.  I take said test.  They grade said test. I pass.  The the lady said:

TestLady: You’re supposed to be taking the motorcycle test.
cimblog(tm): [baffled] Right.
TestLady: This isn’t the motorcycle test.
cimblog(tm): [blink blink] It’s the test he gave me.
He: I didn’t give you that.
cimblog(tm): [SCREAMING IN HEAD: well I certainly didn't go behind the counter and rifle through all the tests MYSELF]
TestLady: Here you have to take this

Do you know how hard it is it concentrate when you’re red with rage, starving because you thought you’d be long done by now and are sandwiched between two foreign people muttering to themselves in other languages??  DO YOU??!!!  Well, it’s hard!  I failed.  Back in line, take the test again, ace it and I’m outta there.  It’s almost THREE O’CLOCK!!

Tracking the progress!

This is Dougie the harpist (bless him).  They say a picture speaks a thousand words, be grateful that is just a saying.  Maybe Dougie was just having an off day.  Not Good.

During the summer my company gives us a half day every-other Friday.  We all stagger our Fridays and I love it.   Having nothing specific to do with my Friday I decided to venture out and take the subway around LA.  My intention was to go from the Universal station to Union Station and on the way back stop and get off at random stops.

Union Station is beautiful, it was built in 1939 and still has that great look and feel of an old time rail station.  I love the buzz of travelers waiting for their transportation, there’s an aire of anticipation and excitement.  I spent a good 30 minutes just wandering around and taking pictures.

I stepped outside to wander a little more and discovered Olvera Street.  Now, I knew that it was in that general area, but I really had NO idea it was across the street.  Though it was a weekday there was still some activity and I spent some time wandering the area, taking pictures and visiting some of the historic sites.

All-in-all it was a great adventure and I can’t wait to do it again.  Unfortunately, I was so pooped that I didn’t stop anywhere on my way back, but that was okay, it just leaves more exploring left for another day!

I saw Toy Story 3 and Karate Kid and highly recommend them both!  Really, they were great.  Next on the list is The A-Team!

Sunday I BBQ’d some yummy bacon wrapped steaks and was generally lazy.  Ahhhhh!

Oh Yeah!