DMV, Idol, and UT

I went back to the DMV this morning. That makes the second time this week. I got there at 7:30am and stood outside in line until 8 when they opened. Once I was in line for 15 minutes I reached in my pockets and couldn’t find my cell phone or my keys. I was frantically checking all the pockets of my coat and pants. I determined I must have left them sitting in my car. This was concerning because the DMV is in the ghetto, but there was no way I was losing my space in line. Car theft is covered by insurance any ways.

So I get in the DMV and I’m first in line, and get in and out in about 15 minutes. My driver’s license picture is the single worse photo that has ever been taken of me. I look cross eyed, have this strange smile, my hair is matted down, my face looks white as a ghost and I look about 400lbs. However, there is no way I’m getting another one made so that will have to do until 2012.

As I leave the DMV I realize that my keys and phone are in the pocket of my fleece. I think, as I get older I’m losing my mind. Two weeks ago I managed to lose my mom’s AAA card, my cell phone, and my car keys in 2 days. I found two of the three, but still either I have half timers or CRS.

American Idol was slightly disappointing last night. I like the 70s musical era, but what I consider the classics are not what the 10 guys did. The Aussie rocked out some Fleetwood Mac, which wasn’t bad. He’ll go far just on his accent. It’s funny how Australians are seen as cool talkers in American. However, if I went to Australia they would just view me as a redneck from the states. Nothing like a southern drawl to make the rest of the world look at you funny.

“Once a Vol, always a Vol.” Tennessee was the number one team in the nation on Monday. Last night they lost in a heartbreaker to Vanderbilt. I think we’ll make it to the elite 8 and fight our way to the final four. It won’t be pretty, but there is nothing our team won’t do for a coach that will paint his chest for a basketball game.

Family, Faith, Friends……all take a back seat to corporate life

My work schedule is Tuesday through Saturday, off Sunday and Monday. It used to be Sunday through Thursday, off Friday and Saturday.

I preface with the first sentence because I volunteered to work today to make some extra money. Actually it wasn’t really for the money this week, it’s because I swapped my weekend around and I need all my hours. However, I check my email at 5:15 pm and what is in my inbox. I notice that we have a mandatory rental meeting Thursday after work.

Am I surprised at this notice? Not at all. But here are the problems I do have. First of all some people have Thursday as there final working day of the week. How rude is it to schedule a meeting on what is essentially another employees Friday. However, those that schedule the meeting work Friday so this is inconsequential to them.

Second, what about plans? What about the fact that most people will receive this email Tuesday morning and with a days notice need to drop everything they are doing and attend. Wouldn’t it be easier to have a set day every month to plan around? This is the category I fall in to. My friend Kendall is coming in from out of town to hang out Wednesday and Thursday because he’s off work. So him, Jen and myself had all planned to go out to eat Thursday as an early birthday dinner.

Will this dinner still happen? Yes – of course. At the cost of being called an abandoner and anti-social employee at work it will still happen. Unfortunately, I’ve had plans on the nights of almost every rental meeting we have ever had so I’m sure I’m seen as the weird guy who doesn’t go out to eat. But if plans keep me from having forced awkward conversations with certain people, then so be it. Because despite the fact that I’m knew to the state, does not mean I can’t attempt to have a life outside of the big yellow box.

The corporate attitude is that work comes before all. This is not specific to my work place, but it is true of many. I think work is important but I think being with my wife and maintaining a nice balance outside of work is equally important. A fun day off for me has nothing to do with work. When I leave this place, I don’t think about it, I don’t worry about it, I don’t tell people what I do unless they ask (with the exception of some blogs). Here I’m a rental associate, outside of work I’m Steven the person that is not obsessed with his job.

Hippie Discrimination

After work today I decide that I am going to stop by this new outdoors store down from my apartment. This store has other branches around town, but this particular store is larger and has more selection than the others.

The reason I went in was that I am in the market for a new watch. I am interested in the Suunto watches and this store is one of the few in town that carry them.

So I get in to the store and browse around. They have lots of nice gear but I eventually make my way to the watches. They have a large display of Suunto watches so I look and see the one I'm interested in. It's the Suunto T3. So I wait on a sales associate to assist me. After no one seems to be coming I start to look around the store for another associate. They all seem to enthralled in conversation with each other and some of their friends that appear to be shopping in the store.

I eventually get tired of waiting and determine that I'm not going to do business here. Sadly I've had that same experience in outdoor stores back home. If you go in wearing khaki's and a polo shirt good luck with getting service. However, if you go in with 3 day old stubble, an old t-shirt, and some jeans with a hole in them they will undoubtedly give you a tour of the store.

I don't understand this. I'm not saying they should discriminate against the hippies, but don't write me off because I have a clean shave and a collared shirt on. I'm interested in buying a $200 watch, but no one will even say hello to me. Needless to say I'm not going to be buying a watch from this store.

From Bravarian cars to French skunks

Jen brought me to work today. Apparently makers of fine German automobiles can’t coordinate ordering all parts necessary to fix a car. I can understand a delay in getting in the parts. What I can’t understand is why I call and leave, my personal service coordinator, multiple voice mails a day and he can’t call me back.

I don’t have the money to purchase one of these automobiles currently. But I would have a hard time ever buying one from the BMW in Birmingham. The service department is ridiculously inconsiderate and bad. It takes all of thirty seconds to pick up the phone and say “hello Mr. Brooks, I’m sorry we are still working on your car, but it will be fixed by (insert date here).” But instead the guy avoids my phone calls, but when I finally catch him at his desk what does he do? He acts like he’s my freaking best friend. Using terms like “buddy”, “man”, and I’ll holler at you when it’s done.

Don’t “holler” at me. Get on your phone in your big boy voice and explain the situation to me, so I don’t call 20/20 and beg them to review your inefficient service practices.

Did anyone catch American Idol? I personally was a fan of the guys over the girls, but there are some strange kids on that show. I use the term kids because a lot of them are 18, and since I’m almost a quarter century old, teenagers are kids.

I liked the guy with the dreads. I hope he gets the chance to bust out some Bob Marley because I think that would seal the deal for him. The Australian guy was good too. I think the female rocker girl is okay, but she scares me. Anyone sporting the same hair style as Pepe` Le Pew can’t be all-together.

One of those days/weekends

As you may have read from my last post, we have been having some transmission issues with Jen's car. So Friday night after we get home from dinner I get in her car and start it. It is having no problems and no warning lights. So we take it for a spin around the apartment. No problems, it's running like the German made vehicle its supposed to be.

Skip to Saturday. I get home from work and my mom is in town to visit. We decide to take Jen's car to the mall. We stop to fill it up with gas at a different gas station than before. Certain types of gas apparently can cause a BMW to stall. So we get to mall and what happens - the light comes and we lose power as soon as we pull in. We let the car sit a minute and crank it again. Starts up fine but thirty seconds later, once again check engine light.

So we call AAA. Let me take this chance to recommend AAA to anyone. It's not expensive, you get discounts at hotels, and the service you get is absolutely unbelievable. AAA dispatches a wrecker which tows the car to our apartment. I ride with the driver and he was super cool. I make plans to call him the next day to have car towed to the dealer.

Sunday my mom wakes up and her throat feels like its on fire. We take her to the walk-in clinic. She has strep. Great, she travels 4 1/2 hours to see us and gets sick. We go to lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Me and Jen aren't feeling quite right, but its too early to catch strep. Hoping it's part cold and part hypochondria and not strep. I would rather give blood than have the strep test taken.

Tonight we had the car towed to the dealer. Once again outstanding service from AAA vendor. This is the third time we've used AAA since we have lived her. Definitely getting our money's worth.

Sorry to sound like captain whiner but sometimes one family's strife can be just enough to entertain another.

Babies, Flower sales, and transmissions

Let me start of by giving huge congratulations to my friends Ryan and Sam for the birth of their baby girl Kenzli. I wish I could be there to tell them in person, but I’m sure they will be great parents.

This past week we celebrated the overly commercialized holiday known as Valentine’s day. You know, the holiday that makes the average guy feel that if he doesn’t drop major cash and shower that special person with rose petals he is doomed for relationship tragedy. Luckily for me, I’m married, and vows supersede commercialized hype. Okay, so not really but me and Jen did have a good day. We didn’t do our normal big gift exchange but we had a really nice dinner at a local Italian restaurant called Nonnas.

I love Valentine’s Day because the next big holiday is………. Yes, my birthday. March 3, for all those inquiring minds. After March 3, there is St. Patty’s day, and Easter. All of which are noteworthy in their own right.

In other exciting news the transmission in Jen’s car may be going out. Yesterday the light came on and she had to floor the car to get it to go 3 mph. However, of course when I got home the car acted fine. Which I’m sure as soon as we get the car to the dealer it will be fine, and they will act like I’m crazy.

My mom is coming to visit this weekend so that generally means a dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and a trip to Sam’s. I’m pretty excited about both. It’s been a while since I have had that wonderfully pleasant taste of chocolate mousse cheesecake. And who doesn’t like Sam’s. Where else can you get a gallon of mayonnaise, a flat screen TV, 40 hotdogs, and a new set of tires in the same shopping trip?

That’s all I have for today, more entertaining post coming soon.

More college = More money

So today is Wednesday, known to some as hump day, and tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Ironic, I think so.

Moving on, I went back to the DMV this morning. I got there at 8am right as they opened. To my surprise there were already 10 other “teenie boppers” in line in front of me. Two of which I distinctly remember from Monday. That gives me a complete feeling of safety while driving on the road. We share the roadway with 16 year olds who have taken there driver’s test multiple times in order to pass.

Then another thing disturbed me: The fact that I’m eight years older than these kids. These kids were born in 1992. I was in the fourth grade when they were coming in to the world. It’s frightening that I’m getting that old. College freshman were born in 1990. I’m practically a geezer compared to some of these kids.

Speaking of college, that’s some place I should have stayed a little longer. Jen is probably going to be doing an internship for Walgreens this summer making slightly less than I make now. Maybe those six months I was sitting on my couch watching Magnum P.I., I should have re-enrolled and taken some science or something. You can call these professional doctor students nerds all you want, but they got the system figured out. Specialize and make money.

I did not specialize, so I spent 10 minutes this morning trying to get a key into a frozen lock. I then had to relocate a moving dolly and pads that smell like something died on them into a storage unit in 17-degree weather. The highlight of the day came when a guy with no teeth, no money, and no license came in and told me he was going to be back for a truck. So on his word, I’m expected to hold a $40,000 asset in hopes that he may come in and try to steal it. The scariest part is my office is the one that is not in the ghetto.

DMV

I went to the DMV this morning. I got there shortly before 10am anticipating a quick turn around in getting my license and renewing my license plate. Not quite.

The security guard/license associate stated I must have my passport and social security card. I did not have my social security card, but it was my understanding a passport acted as a photo id, birth certificate and social security card. However, this lady did not understand my logic.

So I make the trip back to my apartment, find my social security card and return to the DMV. I now have the appropriate materials and get to take a number. At 11am I take number 52. They have just called 35. So I proceed to sit in the waiting area. By my observation I and two other people out of the 100 in the building had showered today. Ironically enough, we were also the only two not asking what the exact amount a license cost and if they take cash.

After an hour and a half of sitting among people that I felt at any time may turn around and cut out my liver, I finally decide to leave. At this point they were on number 44. So I have no license, not tag renewal and just the experience of sitting at the DMV among the general public for the better part of my morning.

Afterwards, I got the great joy of coming home, eating a sandwhich, and then going to get my teeth cleaned. Where I later found out I have a cavity that has to be filled. Man, what an awesome day.

Ups, Down, and In Betweens

Ups - Jen and I ate Sonic the other night for the first time in 7 months. It's not they we are against Sonic, there just isn't one close to our apartment. In Knoxville we both lived 5 minutes from the joy of those decadent milkshakes and mouth watering burgers and hot dogs. What made the trip even more exciting was the fact that we haven't really eaten fast food in months. We both usually take our lunches and we eat in for dinner. Minus a couple chick-fil-a chicken biscuits this was one of the first real good semi-fast food dinners we have had. It's was greasy and outstanding.

Downs - Personal privacy. I learned a hard lesson at work that just because you try to do something nice it isn't always viewed like that. Sometimes work wants you to wear a tracking device as so that you don't get to far away. I've never heard of anyone having to vouch for what they were doing on their day off. I was under the understanding that if I wanted to race Emu's on the weekend I could, as long as I wasn't on the clock.

In Betweens - Another exciting weekend in the 'ham for me and Jen. Tonight we are heading up to Trussville to see Fool's Gold. It looks pretty funny, so I'm excited about that. Other than that we are just kind of hanging around doing some odds and ends.

Who is the best?

This morning before work I got up uncharacteristically early and caught part of an episode of Walker Texas Ranger. The awesomeness that is Chuck Norris Consumed me. So I've put together three of the greatest normal guy super heroes. I want to know who people think is the best.

1.
Walker Texas Ranger. I never got that in to this show, but I did watch some episodes back in the shows prime. I remember the vast martial arts awesomeness of Chuck Norris. Being a fan of the Karate Kid, it's safe to say I have a soft spot for roundhouse kicks to the face. Chuck Norris rocks the beard in Walker and well, we all know beards are just awesome.

2. Magnum P.I. I caught most of the first three seasons in the six months I was unemployed after college. I contemplated becoming a private investigator, but realized that wasn't for me. Magnum (Tom Selleck) had the perfect life. Lived in Hawaii, drove a Ferrari, lived in a mansion and hung out with a club owner and a helicopter pilot. Plus, what is that on Magnum's lip - yes kids, it's a mustache. The greatest sign of masculine achievement. Me try their whole lives to grow such a commanding piece of facial hair.

3.

MacGyver - Who else can make fix anything with a swiss army knife. I'm not gonna lie, I still carry one these days. I spent my fair share of the early nineties watching MacGyver and wondering if the Phoenix foundation was real. What is even cooler is the fact that I read online and most of the stuff done in the show could technically be done in real life. Kind of makes you want to study science. Unlike, he other regular guy super heroes MacGyver did not rock the facial hair, but he does have a mulleteske hair style in some of the early episodes.

Who is my pick? It's got to be Magnum. The guy was just plain cool. He carried a gun, fought with his hands, and lived at the beach. That's just my opinion, but all three of these men are respectable in their own right.

Stay at Home Dad Day

As most everyone knows I have aspirations to one day become a stay at home parent. It's not that I'm lazy, it's just that I'm not a big fan of working. If I could get paid to do some "freelance consulting" I'd be all for. I don't realistically think I'll ever get to stay at home, however it's a nice dream.

Today I took advantage of my actual day off. So I stayed home most of the day with the cat. Was I productive - absolutely not. I caught up on sleep, ran six miles, and watched a lot of sydicated sitcoms. Sadly, I got bored, but it was way better than dealing with rednecks on the phone all day.

Tonight I'm alone because Jen is taking a painting class. My friend Jonathan is going to come over and we're gonna play some guitar. That should be interesting considering I haven't played mine in months.

So this blog has basically been uninformative and unentertaining. In other news we are pretty sure that Lola ate Frank. What kind of sick cannibalistic fish it's her boyfriend. Oh well, mark a trip to the walmart aquarium on my calendar this week.

sad cat, good mexican, and rainy Sunday

Emma went to the vet to have her stitches removed on Friday. Upon her visit the veterenarian realized that they discovered she had an infected paw. They had to put a small cast on it to keep it from getting further infected. However, to keep her from biting at the cast, she has to wear a large cone arond her neck. Her are some pictures so you can feel sorry for her like we do.






In other news we ate this awesome new Mexican restaraunt last night. It was called Pablo's and it's just down the street. It was some of the best authentic Mexican food I have ever had. As an added bonus they had a huge flatscreen with the Tennessee basketball game on.

It's been a rainy Sunday, which means a lazy day at the apartment. We got up this morning and visited a new Methodist church. The music wasn't great, the preaching was a little dry, however we met a really nice old man. He actually took the time to walk us to the part of the church where the particular service we were attending were being held.